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Scholars' Abstracts, Biographies, & Websites
Beethoven Conference
27-30 March 2026, London
BARRY COOPER
Independent Scholr| Manchester
ABSTRACT: Some Performance Issues in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony
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The source material for the Ninth Symphony is so complex that there are many places where the sources either disagree or are ambiguous. These inconsistencies are carefully documented in the critical commentaries of the two most recent editions, by Jonathan Del Mar and Beate Angelika Kraus. Many are extremely minor, such as the length of a slur, or a possibly missing staccato mark. There are, however, several important places where controversy has still not been resolved and perhaps never will be, as well as some passages where the written text is clear enough but still results in flawed performances today. This paper addresses some of the most important cases, which are of many different types, including issues of tempo (in every movement except the first), pauses, orchestration and even the actual notes. In some of these cases, specific solutions are recommended here, but in others the issue remains open and performers have to decide one way or the other before a performance.
BIOGRAPHY
For the last two years, Barry Cooper has played a key role to the formation of the summit through his insights, critical observations and astute commentary on all things Beethoven. He has been most generous with his time, freely sharing his wide knowledge on the subject, and ever-present clear and probing observations when it came to dealing with the challenges of performance-practice issues of Beethoven’s later years. This involvement in many conversations with our artists and visiting scholars have led to greater insights and sharper focus that will be shared at this first in the series of composer-focused summits.
Born in Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex,[1] Cooper studied piano and composition in his childhood, leading to scholarships at Gordonstoun School and later to University College, Oxford,[1] where he studied organ with John Webster and earned an MA in 1973 and a DPhil in 1974. His musical compositions include an oratorio, The Ascension.[1]
Cooper is best known for his books on Beethoven, as well as a completion and realization of Beethoven's fragmentary Symphony No. 10. Having extensively studied Beethoven's sketchbooks and written a book about them, Beethoven and the Creative Process, Cooper felt confident enough to identify the sketches for the individual movements of the Symphony and put together those for the first movement into a musically satisfactory whole. The realisation was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Wyn Morris.[2] It was then revised and received its public premiere in 1988 by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Walter Weller. In a way, this fulfilled Beethoven's promise of his Symphony No. 10 to the Royal Philharmonic Society, since the premiere was at a concert given by this society. Several recordings are available.
From 1974–1990, Cooper taught at the University of Aberdeen,[1] where he became interested in early printed music in that city, as well as music theory in 18th-century England. He has also discovered rare 17th century French harpsichord music as well as one of the oldest canons now known.[1]
Cooper recently released a new edition of the Beethoven Piano Sonatas (for the ABRSM), incorporating three additional sonatas not normally included.[1] Cooper also wrote the accompanying critical text to the sonatas, detailing the changes made and the many thousands of corrections to the sonatas.
Since 1990, Cooper has taught, latterly as Professor of Music, at the University of Manchester. As well as Beethoven's sketches, Cooper teaches courses in Western music history, editing, bibliography skills, and harmony and counterpoint.
