Published by Breitkopf & Härtel the same year, it was dedicated to Freiherr Ignaz von Gleichenstein, Beethoven's friend and an amateur cellist.

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.

These two sonatas, composed when Beethoven was age 25, were highly virtuoso concert pieces showing off the pianist, with a cello part of less weight.

[6]: 162  Beethoven's sketches show that he continuously revised passages, and further altered his first autograph manuscript, while the finished composition sounds like the result of spontaneous inspiration.

[6]: 162 Beethoven dedicated the sonata to Freiherr Ignaz von Gleichenstein,[3][7] his friend and an amateur cellist, who also assisted the composer in financial matters.

[6]: 162  A performance of the cello sonata in 1816 was played by Joseph Linke, the cellist in the Razumovsky Quartet,[clarification needed] and Carl Czerny.

The pianist wrote in metronome markings, regarded as approved by the composer, and noted that a slight rubato playing would increase interest and expressiveness.

[3] The work appeared the same year also printed by Artaria, entitled "Sonata / per il / Clavicembalo con Violoncello / composta / dal Sig=r / Luigi van Beethoven".

69 is thinner than in the early cello sonatas ... greater compositional technique allowed Beethoven the possibility of using fewer notes with confidence.

[6]: 163  A bridge passage follows, leading to a second subject played, as John Mangum noted, in "organic relationship" with "the cello and piano interweaving, each gently decorating and elaborating the other's part".

[4] Here, it "creates a wholly individual atmosphere, one that is broadly lyrical and tinged with a sort of dignified sorrow", as Mangum noted.

[12] Cellist Jan Vogler summarised that the sonata "is an aristocratic, temperamental piece, full of musical expression and imagination.

[14] A recording of all cello sonatas was made by Mstislav Rostropovich and Sviatoslav Richter in 1963, which has been regarded as one of the greatest collaborations ever.

[12] Pierre Fournier and Wilhelm Kempff recorded the works in 1965, followed by Casals and Mieczysław Horszowski, Jacqueline du Pré and Daniel Barenboim, Yo-yo Ma and Emanuel Ax, Jean-Guihen Queyras and Alexander Melnikov, Daniel Müller-Schott and Angela Hewitt, and Mischa Maisky and Martha Argerich.

[12] Steven Isserlis and the musicologist Robert Levin played the sonatas on historic instruments, with forte-piano instead of a modern concert grand, to ensure the balance of sound Beethoven had in mind.