New Beethoven Piano Sonatas Edition

[David]

Beethoven's three early piano sonatas (the 'Electorals') appear to have been recognized & admitted into the Holy Sanctum of Beethoven piano sonatas. The new edition of 35 sonatas by the associated board of the Royal Schools of Music was launched in London in December. Barry Cooper (whose "Beethoven: A Compendium" you probably keep in the book rack in your bathroom) discussed his approach to the new edition, & Martin Roscoe and Andrew Aarons played modern and early pianos.

I assume they are talking about the three piano sonatas WoO 47. What about WoO 51? It's a minor shock to the system. "32" has been the totemic number for so long. How will this work? Numbers 1 through 3 now become 4 through 6? I suspect that, despite all this, the Electorals will continue to be marginalized, & business will continue as usual regarding the traditional body of 32.

There's more information here:
http://www.abrsm.org/?page=newsArtic...em.html&id=420

It says that Cooper has corrected "long-standing errors found in other editions." Are these errors found in the urtext Henle-Verlag or even in other widely respected & used editions, such as Schirmer & Kalmus (the two I happen to own)? In other words, is there good reason (aside from the inclusion of the Electorals) to buy the new edition on the assumption that textual problems have been solved or errors corrected? And are those corrections widely agreed with by the Beethoven academics, or is Cooper flying solo? My Schirmer & Kalmus are tattered & disintegrating, so it's time I bought new Beethoven sonatas. I initially figured I'd get the Henle Verlag (whose Missa Solemnis vocal & piano score is well-built), but will opt for the Cooper if this business is expertly done.