Aleatory

Earl Richard Drehmer

ModernObscurefantasy~4 min
H5
Henle (estimated)
RCM 8ABRSM 7

About this piece

Aleatory by Earl Richard Drehmer utilizes elements of indeterminate music to create an expansive, shifting soundscape. It is distinguished by its use of wide-register keyboard writing and harmonic ambiguity.

Teacher notes

Navigating the wide-span arpeggiated figures while maintaining consistent pedaling is the essential difficulty.

Technical focus

arpeggioswide-spanpedalingrubato

Mood

atmosphericmysterious

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Free sheet music on IMSLP

Pieces similar to Aleatory

Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.

Browse all Henle level 5 pieces (Late intermediate) →

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Aleatory by Earl Richard Drehmer?

Aleatory is rated Henle level 5 of 9 — late intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 6–7. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 8.

What level do I need to play Aleatory?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 5 — meaning you can already play level 4–5 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.

How long is Aleatory?

A typical performance of Aleatory lasts about 4 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Aleatory?

Aleatory is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.

What pieces are similar to Aleatory?

Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Gymnopédie No. 1 by Erik Satie, La cathédrale engloutie by Claude Debussy, Gnossienne No. 1 by Erik Satie — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.