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why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
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Topic: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
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pianohopper
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 290
why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
on: October 02, 2005, 06:52:03 PM
so my piano teacher was saying how I should be building up my collection of piano music. She said i should eventually get the complete Beethoven sonatas. But I looked at the prices for the complete ones, in 2 volumes, and it's about $100!!!
Why? What's so special about them that they are so expensive??
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"Today's dog in the alley is tomorrow's moo goo gai pan." ~ Chinese proverb
palika dunno
PS Silver Member
Full Member
Posts: 153
Re: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
Reply #1 on: October 02, 2005, 07:23:55 PM
well...there are a lot of beethoven sonatas, thats probably why recordings are so expensive. I wouldtn buy them. you can download all of them ->
www.pianosheets.org
played by anton kuerti.
palika
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quantum
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 6272
Re: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
Reply #2 on: October 02, 2005, 08:14:21 PM
Well you really should eventually have all of the if you are planning to be serious in piano. Yes, I know the volumes are expensive but they are worth much more in musical value. You don't have to get both volumes at the same time. Get one, learn a few sonatas and in a few years get the other one. The sonatas are relatively cheap compared to some other works: Ginastera Danzas Argentinas in Durand is $25 for some 15 pages of music; look at all the Gershwin books.
When you do finally decide to buy a volume, please choose a good edition. Please don't get Schirmer whatever you do (I know it's the cheapest, but you get what you pay for). Schirmer edition of the sonatas was created long time ago and the editing techniques are quite dated and opinionated.
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Made a Liszt. Need new Handel's for Soler panel & Alkan foil. Will Faure Stein on the way to pick up Mendels' sohn. Josquin get Wolfgangs Schu with Clara. Gone Chopin, I'll be Bach
phil13
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 1395
Re: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
Reply #3 on: October 02, 2005, 08:47:12 PM
The Dover edition edited by Schenker is the one I have. How good is it compared to the others?
Can't say how much they are since I got them free because of slight water damage.
Phil
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al
PS Silver Member
Jr. Member
Posts: 69
Re: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
Reply #4 on: October 02, 2005, 09:28:35 PM
No matter how expensive they are (and they're not that expensive, realistically), they are worth it for the musical content. It's £49.50 ($87) for the complete sonatas published by ABRSM which is the best edition I've seen - the volumes are clearly printed, well spaced and have informative commentaries by Tovey. The fingerings by Craxton are also pretty good.
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palika dunno
PS Silver Member
Full Member
Posts: 153
Re: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
Reply #5 on: October 02, 2005, 09:38:59 PM
i bought the complete pianowork score of beethoven for 20 € / ca. $20.
and its urtext. cool heh? in germany.
palika
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steve jones
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 1380
Re: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
Reply #6 on: October 03, 2005, 01:13:42 AM
I bought the two volume second hand on Amazon, very cheaply. Under a fiver each, and very good condition.
You can get them free on this very site I believe too.
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gorbee natcase
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 736
Re: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
Reply #7 on: October 03, 2005, 10:23:16 AM
Yeah I was just thinking that, they are available here for the gold mambership for a couple of quid
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phil13
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 1395
Re: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
Reply #8 on: October 03, 2005, 04:08:20 PM
Actually, they're free for Silver members too, I think.
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BoliverAllmon
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 4155
Re: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
Reply #9 on: October 03, 2005, 04:16:18 PM
www.sheetmusicarchive.net
has them also don't they?
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jehangircama
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 491
Re: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
Reply #10 on: October 03, 2005, 04:39:25 PM
i got the carisch editions for about 16$ each. they are a good buy.
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You either do or do not. There is no try- Yoda
Life is like a piano, what you get out of it depends on how you play it
BoliverAllmon
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 4155
Re: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
Reply #11 on: October 03, 2005, 04:41:31 PM
I have the Weiner Urtext for about 60 bucks total.
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Floristan
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 507
Re: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
Reply #12 on: October 03, 2005, 06:05:00 PM
I have the ABRSM Tovey editions and like them a lot. Cost me $78.00 U.S. I think I got a little break on the exchange rate. I ordered them from
www.musicroom.com
. I opted for free postage; it took them three weeks to get to the States, but I was in no huge hurry. I find Tovey's notes and practice suggestions very helpful.
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arensky
PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 2324
Re: why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?
Reply #13 on: October 03, 2005, 07:40:49 PM
Quote from: BoliverAllmon on October 03, 2005, 04:41:31 PM
I have the Weiner Urtext for about 60 bucks total.
There you go, a very good edition, looks good to the judges at competitions. The Dover is also an excellent edition, although the fingerings are terrible (you should figure out your own anyway). These two volumes, with Bach's Well Tempered Clavier, are the foundation of any serious pianist's music library, whether you ever perform them all or not. Make the investment, you'll be glad you did!
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