For over two hundred years, the genius of Ludwig van Beethoven has provided a standard of excellence in solo piano compositions and our goal was to create a library of his greatest sonatas. We chose the Moonlight, Pathetique, Appassionata, Waldstein, and Les Adieux as his five most significant works written for piano and this Highlight Edition contains the most popular movements from each one of them. The intricacies of phrasing, voicing, harmony, and counterpoint combined with the complexity of fingering and subtle challenge in performance are compositional techniques that have provided the foundation for all piano literature. Every movement transcribed from archived editions dated 1872, 1894, and 1902 offer significant benefits not found in any other publication, including a detailed history of Beethoven’s life and inimitable career. Read More Discover the classic melodies that embody the spirit and passion within each sonata, beginning with the romance and haunting eloquence of the Moonlight and Pathetique to the allure and brilliance of the Waldstein and Appassionata culminating with the Les Adieux. Each movement captures the immortal themes that irretrievably link Beethoven to the Masters of Music. This “Highlights” edition, and the five complete works represents three years of careful preparation, analysis, and evaluation of centuries old, published manuscripts. The recorded performances by Craig Stevens accurately represent the articulations, phrasings, and tempos which tend to favor Czerny’s recommendations of strict adherence to the discipline of composition over the interpretation of performance. Santorella Publications continues to lead the way in providing innovative and creative ways to bring new life into the music treasured by past generations and by generations to come.
