Thorough Examination of Editions?

[nmitchell076]

I've been trying to start the buildup of a sheet music library.  At the same time, I am a college student on a college student's budget.  As such, I would like to purchase as few editions as possible (by that I mean, I would like the best edition of the Mozart Sonatas, the WTC, etc.  I don't want numerous editions of each piece, at least at this point).  I know that there is no "This publisher is the best hands down for ALL COMPOSERS."  Because of this, I figured that it would be worth the money to purchase a book discussing in depth the value of the various editions of many composers. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what I should look for?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[prongated]

There is already a discussion about the best sheet music editions here:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=36444.0

I outlined what I understand (and am informed) to be the best music editions in that thread.

EDIT: And of course, many others did the same there

[stevebob]

I don't know of a book that specifically addresses the merits of specific editions by comparing or contrasting those of various music publishers.  However, I'm aware of a couple of titles about piano repertoire that treat this subject in an ancillary fashion; though their primary concern is describing musical textures, technical issues and difficulty levels, information about the publishers and their editions is generally offered for the composers considered most noteworthy.

Maurice Hinson's Guide to the Pianist's Repertoire is fairly exhaustive, up-to-date and relatively costly.

Music for the Piano by James Friskin and Irwin Freundlich is an inexpensive Dover publication that, in my opinion, belongs on the bookshelf of anyone interested in piano literature of the common practice period.  It was written in the 1950s, though; occasionally an edition they refer to will be out of print, and significant newer editions published since that time aren't mentioned at all.

Keep in mind that the "best" edition is a matter of individual taste and depends on the importance of numerous criteria.  Some people don't mind editorial interventions that go well beyond fingering suggestions, while others strictly insist on urtext.  Elements like typography, paper quality, bindings that lie flat, spaciousness of engraving and consistently logical page turns are important to some pianists—but irrelevant to others.

If you want scores for the purpose of exploration (e.g., sightreading, or reading along while you listen to recordings), I honestly recommend you settle (at least for now) for the various freely downloadable editions for composers whose works are in the public domain.  It's a different esthetic entirely from having nice quality bound editions from a reputable publisher, but it should suffice for music that you don't have imminent plans to learn.  At any rate, there's little point in investing in scores you plan to keep unless you have a very clear sense of what components constitute the best edition for you.