A character piece by Théodore Dubois that exemplifies French salon music of the late 19th century. Its nimble melodic lines and light texture effectively mimic the whimsical movement of elves.
At Henle 5 this is a late-intermediate piece — technically substantial, with musical demands to match. The main demands: fine finger independence within the hand; precise articulation — the difference between crisp and blurred is the piece; and fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo.
Beyond that, expect repeated-note passages that require controlled, springy fingerwork.
Maintain a 'leggiero' touch throughout, focusing on clean, crisp finger articulation.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
A level or two down with the same spirit — ideal if this piece is still out of reach.
Where this piece's skills lead: slightly harder works making similar technical demands.
Lesser-known works by the same hand, at a comparable level.
Chœur et danse de lutins (Op.7) is rated Henle level 5 of 9 — late intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 6–7. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 7.
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.
A typical performance of Chœur et danse de lutins (Op.7) lasts about 4 minutes.
Chœur et danse de lutins (Op.7) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.
Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Bergerette by Théodore Dubois, Berceuse by Théodore Dubois, Allegro de bravoure by Théodore Dubois — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.