Anger Dance

Henry Cowell

ModernSpecialistetudeAllegro4/4~2 min
H7
Henle (estimated)
RCM 9ABRSM 8

About this piece

Cowell's 'Anger Dance' utilizes percussive tone clusters and driving rhythms to create a visceral, aggressive sonic landscape. It is a quintessential example of early 20th-century experimental American piano music.

Teacher notes

Focus on extreme accuracy in striking the clusters to avoid unwanted muddy textures.

Technical focus

speed-agilitydramatic-contrastarticulationlarge-chords

Mood

energeticdramaticpowerful

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Free sheet music on IMSLP

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Browse all Henle level 7 pieces (Late advanced) →

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Anger Dance by Henry Cowell?

Anger Dance is rated Henle level 7 of 9 — late advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grade 8 and above. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 9.

What level do I need to play Anger Dance?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 7 — meaning you can already play level 6–7 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 Anger Dance?

A typical performance of Anger Dance lasts about 2 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Anger Dance?

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

What pieces are similar to Anger Dance?

Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Boléro by Maurice Ravel, Étude in C minor, No. 12 by Frédéric Chopin, Prelude in G minor, No. 5 by Sergei Rachmaninoff — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.