| Cello Sonata | |
|---|---|
| No. 3 | |
| by Ludwig van Beethoven | |
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| Opus | 69 |
| Period | Classical |
| Composed | 1807–08 |
| Dedication | Ignaz von Gleichenstein |
| Published | 1809 |
| Movements | Three |
| Premiere | |
| Date | 5 March 1809 |
| Location | Vienna |
| Performers | |
The Cello Sonata No. 3 in A major, Op. 69, is the third of five cello sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven. He composed it in 1807–08, during his productive middle period. It was first performed in 1809 by cellist Nikolaus Kraft and pianist Dorothea von Ertmann, a student of Beethoven. Published by Breitkopf & Härtel the same year, it was dedicated to Freiherr Ignaz von Gleichenstein, Beethoven's friend and an amateur cellist. The sonata was successful with audiences from the beginning.
An early print of the composition titled it "Sonata / per il / Clavicembalo con Violoncello / composta / dal Sig=r / Luigi van Beethoven".[1] Beethoven's two early sonatas were, as usual at the time, virtuoso concert pieces for the piano, with the string instrument playing a supporting role. The third sonata has been described as the first cello sonata to give the two instruments equal importance. A model for later compositions in the genre, it has been performed and recorded often, including versions with period instruments.