Chopin Mazurka Op. 68 No. 3 for Cello Quartet

Chopin's Mazurka Op. 68 No. 3 is one of his last pieces, written shortly before his death in 1849 and published posthumously. Short, quiet, and unmistakably Polish in character, it's built around a simple melodic line with the lilting rhythmic quality of a mazurka. This arrangement distributes Chopin's piano writing across four cellos, giving the piece a warm, homogenous tone colour that suits its meditative quality.

The melody sits with Cello I for most of the piece, supported by the inner voices carrying Chopin's harmonic shifts and a quiet bass line in Cello IV. 

At just under two minutes, it fits naturally as a concert opener, an encore, or a short piece between larger works. The four-cello scoring gives it an unusual warmth, and Chopin's name is familiar enough that it lands well with almost any audience.

See and hear the difference

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear sense of the engraving quality and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key features

• Instrumentation: Cello quartet (Cello I, Cello II, Cello III, Cello IV)
• Difficulty: intermediate (all parts)
• Duration: approximately 2 minutes
• Format: PDF download, full score and all four parts
• Original: solo piano

Who it's for

This works well for cello quartets looking for something short, atmospheric, and recognisable to open or close a concert; workshops or chamber music days where ensemble listening and matched tone are the focus; and mixed-ability groups where all four parts need to be approachable without being trivial.