The sonata, Op. 38, was composed by Brahms during the summer months of 1862 and 1865 and is part of every cellist's standard repertoire. The piece is "a greeting to J.S. Bach". In the first movement, Brahms copied the fourth counterpoint from the "Art of the Fugue" in the main motif, as well as the thirteenth counterpoint in the motif of the fugue in the finale. Offered to publishers Breitkopf & Härtel with the composer's comment that it was "quite easy to play for both instruments", it is possible for advanced amateur musicians to perform the sonata - in contrast to its counterpart in F-Major.