Cooper, Barry: The Creation of Beethoven's 35 Piano Sonatas

Beethoven's piano sonatas are a cornerstone of the piano repertoire and favourites of both the concert hall and recording studio. The sonatas have been the subject of much scholarship, but no single study gives an adequate account of the processes by which these sonatas were composed and published. With source materials such as sketches and correspondence increasingly available, the time is ripe for a close study of the history of these works. Barry Cooper, who in 2007 produced a new edition of all 35 sonatas, including three that are often overlooked, examines each sonata in turn, addressing questions such as: Why were they written? Why did they turn out as they did? How did they come into being and how did they reach their final form? Drawing on the composer's sketches, autograph scores and early printed editions, as well as contextual material such as correspondence, Cooper explores the links between the notes and symbols found in the musical texts of the sonatas, and the environment that brought them about. The result is a biography not of the composer, but of the works themselves.

'A much-needed study of the "story" of Beethoven's piano sonatas. Cooper guides us diligently through the evolution of these cornerstones of the pianist's repertoire.' John Irving, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance ? 'In this remarkable study, a first of its kind, Barry Cooper traces the compositional process of an entire genre, the thirty-five sonatas for the fortepiano, from Beethoven's daring first set of three sonatas composed when he was twelve through the last sonata of 1821-22. The values of such a comprehensive look are clearly evident here, and Cooper supplements the analysis of the sonatas with his deep insights on the composition of the symphonies and other genres. Every pianist and scholar deeply engaged in the sonatas will be both intrigued and enlightened with both the details and long view of Cooper's study.' Will Meredith, San José State University