Raff’s Cello Sonata op. 183 appeared in print in late 1873; at a time when Raff’s success was at its zenith with Symphonies Nos. 3 and 5 as well as many chamber works. Little is known about the circumstances of its genesis and possible performances. Since Raff did not dedicate this sonata to any distinguished artist, unlike most of his other chamber works, it apparently lacked a drawing card for distribution.
While Raff composed several well-known works for violin and piano, the present cello sonata is one of his few outstanding works for cello and piano. Incidentally, in the first edition, the score is headed “for piano and cello,” as was quite often the case in the 19th century, for instance also with Brahms’s sonatas. This is also evident in the music: Cello and piano are equal partners that develop the musical material and are challenged both technically and artistically. This current edition contains an Urtext cello part as well as a part with markings by Claus Kanngiesser.