Cello and piano: sonatas and pieces by difficulty

Sonatas and shorter pieces for a cellist and a pianist, from short pieces you can read at sight to the big Romantic sonatas, where balance with the piano is half the work.

Approachable

3 pieces

Readable by most amateur players; good for a first session together.

Fauré · Sicilienne, Op. 78

For cello and piano. Also for flute or violin.

Fauré · Après un rêve

For cello and piano. A song; also for voice, violin or flute.

Saint-Saëns · The Swan, from The Carnival of the Animals

For cello and piano

Intermediate

1 piece

Needs a confident amateur on every part, and some practice beforehand.

Fauré · Élégie, Op. 24

For cello and piano

Advanced

2 pieces

Standard repertoire with real technical demands. Prepare your part.

Brahms · Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor, Op. 38 Part by part, tips →

For cello and piano

Schumann · Five Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102

For cello and piano

Very demanding

5 pieces

Conservatory or professional level for at least one part.

Beethoven · Cello Sonata No. 3 in A, Op. 69

For cello and piano

Chopin · Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 65

For cello and piano

Rachmaninoff · Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19

For cello and piano

Schubert · Sonata in A minor, D. 821 “Arpeggione”

For cello and piano. Also for viola.

Shostakovich · Cello Sonata in D minor, Op. 40

For cello and piano

How we rate difficulty

Each piece is rated by its hardest part, so a trio with an easy cello part and a very hard piano part counts as very demanding. Pieces with a link have their own page, with a level for each part and tips for reading it together. It’s our own rough guide; see the full list to filter by instrument and level together.

Find people to play them with

Add the pieces you’d like to play to your music profile, and say whether it’s just for fun or for a performance. We’ll look for players who want the same pieces at the same level. See also our notes on meeting safely.