why are the beethoven sonatas so expensive?

[pianohopper]

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??

[palika dunno]

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 

[quantum]

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. 

[phil13]

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

[al]

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.

[palika dunno]

i bought the complete pianowork score of beethoven for 20 € / ca. $20.
and its urtext. cool heh? in germany.

palika

[steve jones]

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.

[gorbee natcase]

Yeah I was just thinking that, they are available here for the gold mambership for a couple of quid

[phil13]

Actually, they're free for Silver members too, I think.

[BoliverAllmon]

www.sheetmusicarchive.net has them also don't they?

[jehangircama]

i got the carisch editions for about 16$ each. they are a good buy.

[BoliverAllmon]

I have the Weiner Urtext for about 60 bucks total.

[Floristan]

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.

[arensky]

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!