- Brahms wrote his second Cello Sonata for cello and piano in 1886, over 20 years after writing his first cello sonata. The piece consists of four movements and is dedicated to cellist Robert Hausmann.
- Hausmann premiered several works by Brahms, and the two performed together at the premiere of Cello Sonata No. 2 in Vienna.1
- The slow second movement of Cello Sonata No. 2, “Adagio affettuoso,” is the best-known, recognizable for its distinctive use of pizzicato.
- Around this same time, Brahms wrote Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major and Violin Sonata No. 3 in d minor during a summer spent by Lake Thun (pronounced “toon”) in Switzerland. Consequently, these works are often referred to as the “Thun” sonatas.2
Sources
- “Cello Sonata No.2, Op.99 (Brahms, Johannes),” IMSLP, accessed September 29, 2025, https://imslp.org/wiki/Cello_Sonata_No.2%2C_Op.99_(Brahms%2C_Johannes).
- John Henken, “Cello Sonata No. 2 in F Major, Op. 99,” Hollywood Bowl, accessed September 29, 2025, https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/musicdb/pieces/1226/cello-sonata-no-2-in-f-major-op-99.
Cut IDs
44993 45321 11750 16035 24134 27583 19677