Complete Piano Sonatas in One Volume

Piano Solo

By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Over the past 20 years I have began to replace my Kalmus editions with Henle Urtext because of the better clarity of the Henle notes and staves. In early 2013, I purchased this volume for a hefty price. Perhaps I was too used to the Kalmus edition of Mozart sonatas...

, but I have really struggled through KV310, 311, 330, 333, 457, 475, 570, and 576 because of some very strange and unfamiliar writing for the left hand - mostly split arpeggios/runs/notes between the two staves, with treble and bass clefs. I might not be explaining this very well; if possible, I urge you to look at these KVs mentioned above, before purchasing. I have made a list of those problematic measures for each of the KVs. They are too extensive to present here. Yes, perhaps, I should have all these sonatas memorized after playing them for 50+ years. I think I am going to go back to my Kalmus edition.

This edition differs from the green Kalmus urtext in layout. The larger 10x13 size of the Kalmus offers more space although the staves are smaller. For example, in the Kalmus the first section of Sonata in A Minor, KV310, up to the first repeat fits succinctly onto two facing pages...

therefore one can read that entire first section without the necessity of turning the page. In spite of this the hardback Henle edition is a book meant more for sitting at the piano and reading comfortably. The Henle Urtext offers larger staves, heavier notes, more space on the slightly smaller page and very useful fingerings. Also the lines are numbered and there are tiny occasional footnotes in German, English, and French. The pages of the Henle are thicker than the Kalmus and there is a pleasant intro with a color print of the portrait of Mozart by J. Lange. There are comments in all three languages in the back of the Henle as well as a fold out insert appendix offering tips on trills.

This is definitely the most accurate, all-around best edition available. It's totally worth it!