Description
The B flat major Sonata No. 11 stands out as a remarkable composition, distinguished from other sonatas by its designation as Opus 22, titled “Grand Sonata.” Beethoven submitted this work to his publisher Hoffmeister in December 1800, describing it as “a large solo sonata” and subsequently cautioned that “this sonata is very taxing.” Notably, this sonata is the earliest among Beethoven's earlier works for which a manuscript exists for the edition. While the manuscript is not in Beethoven's own hand, it is a copyist's version that he reviewed, allowing for the verification of the original edition's accuracy—an editorial advantage that is lacking in sonatas with lower opus numbers. The new edition has been prepared by editors Norbert Gertsch and Murray Perahia, with fingerings supplied by Perahia himself.
