In 1876, ten years before Cí©sar Francks violin sonata in the same key, Gabriel Faurí© made a major contribution to the first flowering of French chamber music with his A-major Sonata op. 13. He even found a publisher for it right away, namely Breitkopf & Hí_rtel in Leipzig. Both the work and the composer were warmly acclaimed immediately after the publication:This sonata contains everything that appeals to the gourmet: new forms, wonderful modulations, unusual tone colors, unexpected rhythms. The pub lisher seems to have picked out a true gem from Faurí©s oeuvre, for the sonata soon became very popular, and in 1889, Breitkopf & Hí_rtel heightened this popularity by releasing an arrangement for violoncello by Carl Hí_llweck. It is likely that Faurí© not only approved the arrangement, but also proofread it. Long out of print, this edition will once again allowcellists to enjoy Faurí©s violin sonata in a competent period arrangemen t.
