Sonata No. 1 op. 19 was composed around 1853 in Cologne. At that time, Franck was working as a teacher of music theory at the Cologne Conservatory, and it is assumed that he composed the sonata mainly for his own concert performances. The work came into being through his acquaintance with the young, highly talented violinist Theodor Pixis (1831–1856), who also premiered the sonata.