《第一、二号大提琴奏鸣曲》(OP.5, no.1&2)于1796年夏天写于柏林,当时贝多芬正在里希诺夫斯基王子(Prince Karl von Lichnowsky)的陪同下在布拉格和德雷斯顿巡回演出。 贝多芬与大提琴演奏家让•路易•杜伯特(Jean-Louis Duport)合作,为普鲁士国王威廉二世表演了这两首曲子(这位皇家大提琴家当年曾与莫扎特合作,并得到了莫扎特最后三首弦乐四重奏的题献)。
《A大调大提琴奏鸣曲》(Op.69)是贝多芬最知名也最迷人的一首,创作于1807-1808年间,这段期间他还完成了第五,六号交响曲。此曲题献给贝多芬的好友格莱钦斯坦(Ignaz von Gleeichenstein),他是一位技巧高超的业余大提琴家,在维也纳帝国战争委员会担任企划官。
《最后两首大提琴奏鸣曲》(Op.102, no.1&2)写于1815年七月和八月间。 后来两首曲子被合并为作品102号,由出版商Simrock在波恩出版。 这两部作品是贝多芬为舒潘齐四重奏组(Schuppanzigh Quartet)的大提琴手约瑟夫•林克(Joseph Linke)所写的,贝多芬将它们献给了他最亲密的朋友之一,玛丽•冯•俄尔多蒂伯爵夫人(Marie von Erdoedy)。此曲被视为贝多芬作品风格转入晚期的代表作,也是贝多芬1815年中最重要作品。不仅风格改变,作曲手法上也有重大的突破,大提琴声部的创作手法,更影响了之后贝多芬所创作的六首弦乐四重奏。
《F大调大提琴变奏曲》(Op.66)是贝多芬根据莫扎特《魔笛》片段的旋律写成两首变奏曲中的其中一首,共有12小段变奏(12 Variations on the Theme "Ein Madchen oder Weibchen" from Mozart's Die Zauberflote for cello & piano in F major)。
曲目列表:
1 Cello Sonata no. 1 in F Major, op. 5, no. 1: I. Adagio sostenuto – Allegro
2 Cello Sonata no. 1 in F Major, op. 5, no. 1: II. Rondo: Allegro vivace
3 Cello Sonata no. 2 in g minor, op. 5, no. 2: I. Adagio sostenuto ed espressivo
4 Cello Sonata no. 2 in g minor, op. 5, no. 2: II. Allegro molto piu tosto presto
5 Cello Sonata no. 2 in g minor, op. 5, no. 2: III. Rondo: Allegro
6 12 Variations in G Major on "See the conqu'ring hero comes" from Handel's Judas
7 12 Variations in F Major on "Ein Mädchen oder ein Weibchen" from Mozart's The Magic Flute, op. 66
8 7 Variations in E-flat Major on "Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen" from Mozart's The Magic Flute, WoO 46
9 Cello Sonata no. 3 in A Major, op. 69: I. Allegro ma non tanto
10 Cello Sonata no. 3 in A Major, op. 69: II. Scherzo: Allegro molto
11 Cello Sonata no. 3 in A Major, op. 69: III. Adagio cantabile
12 Cello Sonata no. 3 in A Major, op. 69: IV. Allegro vivace
13 Cello Sonata no. 4 in C Major, op. 102, no. 1: I. Andante
14 Cello Sonata no. 4 in C Major, op. 102, no. 1: II. Allegro vivace
15 Cello Sonata no. 4 in C Major, op. 102, no. 1: III. Adagio – Tempo d'andante
16 Cello Sonata no. 4 in C Major, op. 102, no. 1: IV. Allegro vivace
17 Cello Sonata no. 5 in D Major, op. 102, no. 2: I. Allegro con brio
18 Cello Sonata no. 5 in D Major, op. 102, no. 2: II. Adagio con molto sentimento d'affetto
19 Cello Sonata no. 5 in D Major, op. 102, no. 2: III. Allegro fugato