Bonheur fugitif

Ernest Patierno

RomanticObscureromance~3 min
H3
Henle (estimated)
RCM 4ABRSM 4

About this piece

Bonheur fugitif is a salon piece by Ernest Patierno characteristic of late 19th-century sentimental piano writing. It relies on a simple melodic line supported by broken chord accompaniment, common in parlor music of the era.

Teacher notes

Focus on maintaining a seamless cantabile melody against the rhythmic accompaniment.

Technical focus

cantabilerubatovoicing

Mood

melancholictender

Listen & watch

No video available for this piece.

Your status

Not in your repertoire

Sign in to track this piece

Free sheet music on IMSLP

Pieces similar to Bonheur fugitif

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

Browse all Henle level 3 pieces (Late beginner) →

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Bonheur fugitif by Ernest Patierno?

Bonheur fugitif is rated Henle level 3 of 9 — late beginner repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 4–5. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 4.

What level do I need to play Bonheur fugitif?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 3 — meaning you can already play level 2–3 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 Bonheur fugitif?

A typical performance of Bonheur fugitif lasts about 3 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Bonheur fugitif?

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

What pieces are similar to Bonheur fugitif?

Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Butterfly Lovers by Shuwen Zhang, Berceuse du petit soldat blessé by Cécile Chaminade, Barcarolle by Samuil Maykapar — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.