Arrangement for Violoncello and Piano by Carl HüllweckThe gourmet's delightIn 1876, ten years before César Franck's violin sonata in the same key, Gabriel Fauré 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 and Härtel 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. With this work of such modest appearance, Mr. Fauré has leapt to the top ranks of the masters in one bound. Thus wrote Camille Saint-Saëns with pride about his pupil's work. The publisher seems to have picked out a true gem from Fauré's 'uvre, for the sonata soon became very popular, and in 1889, Breitkopf and Härtel heightened this popularity by releasing an arrangement for violoncello by Carl Hüllweck. It is likely that Fauré not only approved the arrangement, but also proofread it. Long out of print, this edition will once again allow cellists to enjoy Fauré's violin sonata in a competent period arrangement.
