Brahms's important output of 24 chamber scores dominated the second half of the 19th century, as that of Beethoven had dominated the first half. His corpus was thus a response to that of Beethoven, his model, and to that of Mendelssohn, who was likewise born in Hamburg and also composed two cello sonatas. In 1890, aged only 57, Brahms resolved to give up composing but he had reckoned without the inspiration that his meeting with the Meiningen clarinettist Richard Mühlfeld was to have on his creative imagination. He subsequently added four scores for clarinet to his output, including this Trio Op. 114.

Louis Schwizgebel-Wang was awarded 2nd prize at the Leeds Piano Competition 2012.