The pianoquartet and the pianoquintet are no easy jobs. The pianist must be heightly skilled to master the very difficult parts on his or her menu. Especially the late-romantic and contempory works are very exacting. And also he or she has to play on the same soundlevel as the strings. The strings doesn't have a mild task either, but technically the pianist is worst of. For the viola and cello is the pianoquartet quite another matter than combinations for strings only. They have a far greater share of the melodic material. The piano takes over most of the mechanics of the music with which they are otherwise occupied. A nice change.
In comparison to the romantic and later works set the earlier ones relatively to the executors technically a less complicated task, e.g. Danzi, Pleyel, Dussek, Vanhal, Canabich, Louis Ferdiand von Pruissen and Franz Krommer. To begin with are also the sons of Bach, C.Ph.E and J.Chr. Bach, an option. Also Schubert Andante and Rondo, and the four pieces of R. Strauss are a good introduction to playing pianoquartet. I also mention the works of the composers Adam and Gruber. The Mozart- and Mendelsohn-quartets are definitely too difficult to perform for an audiendce by less accomplished musicians.
There are some pieces especially for beginning players: Joel Blahsnik (Andante; level 3-4), Werner Gäbler (Opus 56 Klavierquartett für die Jugend), Heinz Krause-Graumnitz (Klavierquartett für junge Leute), Arpad Pejtsik (Pianoquartet for beginners), Viktor Fortin (Kinder Quartett), J.S. Bach (Air on the G-string, arr. Doris Sarda), Carl Strommen (Sundance), Mikola Leontovich (Carol of the Bells), Alice Kay Kanack (Fun Improvisation for violin,viola,cello and piano; Creative Ability Development Series for children) and the Anthologies, who are listed under A (Anthology).
There are some not complicated short pieces for sightreading or an encore: Birnov, Callert and Grainer.
Please, if you have some critical remarks or additions to make on this observations, mention these to rcgisolf@euronet.nl.
All music mentionned on this page is obtainable at the regular musicshops.