Please could someone who has this edition (the one edited by Barry Cooper) look something up for me? It’s the first movement of Sonata no 5 (Op 10 #1 in C minor), bars 158-167. Is there any indication in the score that the RH crotchets should be detached? Does it say anything about articulation and phrasing of this passage in the notes?

My old ABRSM edition (Craxton and Tovey) has two phrase marks covering bars 158-162 and 162-167 and no staccato marks, implying everything should be played legato. However the notes say “The bass will mark its rhythm with a soft drum-like staccato while the chords above are detached gently with singing tone, sospirando.” This seems to contradict what is written in the score. Perhaps Craxton and Tovey disagreed about it?

I’ve just listened to Barenboim, Brendel, and Arrau playing it on Youtube. The first two play this passage staccato and Arrau plays it “detached gently”. I have also just discovered Andras Schiff’s lecture on this sonata on the Guardian website. He talks about this passage being “secco - very dry” and plays it almost staccatissimo – but I definitely don’t like his interpretation overall.

I’m hoping someone might find something in the new edition which would explain why Tovey, Brendel et al think it should be played staccato/"detached gently".

"The absence of any legato indication here suggests the upbeat chords should be light and slightly detached from the downbeats".

Thanks very much, sbhoa. That's very helpful. Presumably there is no slur across bars 158-162?

None at all.