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Chamber music by difficulty

Easy chamber music

55 pieces, rated by the hardest part

Easy chamber music for amateur players

Pieces rated Approachable or Intermediate: good for a first session with new people, for players coming back after a break, or for reading at sight on an evening off. Each is rated by its hardest part, so nobody in the group gets a nasty surprise.

String quartets

Two violins, viola and cello.

Haydn · String Quartet in B-flat, Op. 1 No. 1 “La chasse”

For 2 violins, viola and cello

Approachable

Hoffstetter · String Quartet in F, Op. 3 No. 5 (with the “Haydn” Serenade)

For 2 violins, viola and cello

Approachable

Mozart · Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525 Part by part, tips →

For 2 violins, viola and cello. Also played with double bass.

Approachable

Puccini · Crisantemi

For 2 violins, viola and cello. Also for string orchestra.

Approachable

Dvořák · Cypresses

For 2 violins, viola and cello

Intermediate

Haydn · String Quartet in G, Op. 76 No. 1

For 2 violins, viola and cello

Intermediate

Haydn · String Quartet in C, Op. 76 No. 3 “Emperor” Part by part, tips →

For 2 violins, viola and cello

Intermediate

Haydn · String Quartet in B-flat, Op. 76 No. 4 “Sunrise”

For 2 violins, viola and cello

Intermediate

Haydn · String Quartet in E-flat, Op. 33 No. 2 “The Joke”

For 2 violins, viola and cello

Intermediate

Mozart · Divertimento in D, K. 136

For 2 violins, viola and cello. Also for string orchestra.

Intermediate

Mozart · String Quartet in B-flat, K. 458 “Hunt”

For 2 violins, viola and cello

Intermediate

Purcell · Chacony in G minor

For 2 violins, viola and cello. Also for string orchestra.

Intermediate

Piano trios, quartets and quintets

Piano with strings.

Haydn · Piano Trio in G, Hob. XV:25 “Gypsy Rondo”

For violin, cello and piano

Intermediate

Mozart · Piano Trio in C, K. 548

For violin, cello and piano

Intermediate

Sonatas and duos

One instrument and piano.

Bartók · 44 Duos for Two Violins

For 2 violins. From very easy to advanced; the early ones suit beginners.

Approachable

Elgar · Salut d’amour

For violin and piano. Also for cello.

Approachable

Fauré · Sicilienne, Op. 78

For cello and piano. Also for flute or violin.

Approachable

Fauré · Après un rêve

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

Approachable

Handel · Flute and recorder sonatas

For flute and piano. Also with harpsichord, or for recorder.

Approachable

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

For cello and piano

Approachable

Schubert · Sonatina in D, D. 384

For violin and piano

Approachable

Telemann · Canonic Sonatas

For 2 flutes. Also for two violins or two recorders.

Approachable

Bach · Flute Sonata in E-flat, BWV 1031

For flute and piano. Also with harpsichord.

Intermediate

Beethoven · Three Duos, WoO 27

For clarinet and bassoon

Intermediate

Dvořák · Romantic Pieces, Op. 75

For violin and piano

Intermediate

Dvořák · Sonatina in G, Op. 100

For violin and piano

Intermediate

Fauré · Élégie, Op. 24

For cello and piano

Intermediate

Kreisler · Liebesleid

For violin and piano

Intermediate

Massenet · Méditation from Thaïs

For violin and piano

Intermediate

Mozart · Violin Sonata in C, K. 296

For violin and piano

Intermediate

Mozart · Violin Sonata in E minor, K. 304

For violin and piano

Intermediate

Saint-Saëns · Oboe Sonata in D, Op. 166

For oboe and piano

Intermediate

Schumann · Three Romances, Op. 94

For oboe and piano. Also for clarinet or violin.

Intermediate

Other string groups

Trios, quintets, sextets and an octet.

Boccherini · String Quintet in E, Op. 11 No. 5 (with the Minuet)

For 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos

Approachable

Schubert · String Trio in B-flat, D. 471

For violin, viola and cello

Intermediate

Winds with strings or piano

Clarinet quintets, horn trio, septet and more.

Mozart · Flute Quartet in D, K. 285

For flute, violin, viola and cello

Intermediate

Winds and brass

Wind quintets, wind trios and brass.

Bach · Chorales for brass quintet

For 2 trumpets, horn, trombone and tuba. Many arrangements.

Approachable

Haydn · London Trios, Hob. IV:1–4

For 2 flutes and cello. Also with violins.

Approachable

Mozart · Five Divertimenti, K. 439b

For 2 clarinets and bassoon. Also for basset horns.

Approachable

Danzi · Wind Quintet in G minor, Op. 56 No. 2

For flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon

Intermediate

Farkas · Early Hungarian Dances from the 17th Century

For flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon

Intermediate

Gabrieli · Canzonas for brass

For 2 trumpets, horn, trombone and tuba. Many editions for four to eight brass.

Intermediate

Voice

Songs and song cycles with piano or instruments.

Purcell · Music for a While

For voice, cello and harpsichord. Also with piano alone.

Intermediate

Schubert · Songs (a first selection: An die Musik, Die Forelle, Ständchen)

For voice and piano

Intermediate

Vaughan Williams · Songs of Travel

For voice and piano. For baritone.

Intermediate

Piano four hands and two pianos

Two pianists, one or two pianos.

Diabelli · Melodious Exercises, Op. 149 (four hands)

For 2 pianos

Approachable

Bizet · Jeux d’enfants, Op. 22 (four hands)

For 2 pianos

Intermediate

Brahms · Hungarian Dances (four hands)

For 2 pianos

Intermediate

Fauré · Dolly Suite, Op. 56 (four hands)

For 2 pianos

Intermediate

Ravel · Ma mère l’Oye (four hands)

For 2 pianos

Intermediate

Schubert · Marches militaires, D. 733 (four hands)

For 2 pianos

Intermediate

Baroque

Trio sonatas and sonatas with continuo (cello and keyboard).

Corelli · Trio Sonatas, Op. 3

For 2 violins, cello and harpsichord. Keyboard part from a figured bass or a realized edition; piano works too.

Approachable

Pachelbel · Canon in D

For 3 violins and cello. Usually with a keyboard too.

Approachable

Handel · Trio Sonatas, Op. 2

For 2 violins, cello and harpsichord. Also with flute or oboe on the top parts.

Intermediate

Vivaldi · Trio Sonata in D minor, RV 63 “La Follia”

For 2 violins, cello and harpsichord

Intermediate

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.

Recommended in the Boston Musical Intelligencer: “Playing With Others Again: A Guide for Boston’s Adult Amateurs”