Barafostus Dreame

Thomas Tomkins

BaroqueSpecialisttheme-and-variationsC majorModerato4/4~4 min
H4
Henle (estimated)
RCM 7ABRSM 6

About this piece

This piece by Thomas Tomkins displays his mastery of the variation form and idiomatic virginal writing. It is musically distinctive for its clever use of ground bass and imitative counterpoint throughout the cycles.

Teacher notes

Focus on the articulation of the rapid scale passages to ensure they do not sound blurred on a modern piano.

Technical focus

counterpointornamentationfinger-independencearticulation

Mood

contemplativenarrative

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Free sheet music on IMSLP

Pieces similar to Barafostus Dreame

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

Browse all Henle level 4 pieces (Intermediate) →

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Barafostus Dreame by Thomas Tomkins?

Barafostus Dreame is rated Henle level 4 of 9 — intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 5–6. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 7.

What level do I need to play Barafostus Dreame?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 4 — meaning you can already play level 3–4 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 Barafostus Dreame?

A typical performance of Barafostus Dreame lasts about 4 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Barafostus Dreame?

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

What pieces are similar to Barafostus Dreame?

Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Barafostus Dreame, MB 62 by Thomas Tomkins, Barafostus Dreame by Anonymous, Barcarolle by Mykola Lysenko — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.