A Study of the Beethoven Piano Sonata Opus 111 as Edited by Hans von Bülow with the Comparison of Historical and Critical Editions

Beethoven’s musical descendants, such as Carl Czerny, Franz Liszt, Hans von Bülow (Bülow), and Artur Schnabel, realizing that Beethoven’s music needed more directions, published their own Beethoven sonata editions. Czerny and Liszt tried to retain as much of Beethoven’s manuscript as possible in their editions, but later pianist editors such as Bülow and Schnabel boldly added many indications. Bülow’s Beethoven Sonata edition, which was admired by Liszt and was used by Liszt to teach his pupils in his later years, acquired some notoriety among serious pianists and piano students. The reasons for this notoriety were two-fold. First, Bülow’s additions and alterations were believed to be his own interpretations. Second, Bülow’s Beethoven Sonata edition, which is still in print today contains many misprints. The distinction between these two issues is the focus of this dissertation. In this study, I examine the issue of Bülow’s alterations by extensively researching the following accounts: seven historical sources including Beethoven’s manuscripts and early editions; nine editions edited by Beethoven’s musical descendants, Beethoven scholars and musicologists; and three historical recordings created by Beethoven’s musical descendants. This dissertation compares these accounts with Bülow’s edition, particularly the Allegro movement of Beethoven Sonata Op. 111. The comparative study in this dissertation sheds light on Beethoven’s intent for his composition and clarifies whether Bülow’s alterations in his edition were based on his own interpretation, reflect what he learned from Liszt—a close musical descendant of Beethoven, or are simply misprints.