This variant entry of the Circo-Scherzo No. 2 highlights the composer's whimsical, modern approach to the traditional scherzo form. The piece utilizes sudden, dramatic contrasts to maintain listener engagement.
At Henle 5 this is a late-intermediate piece — technically substantial, with musical demands to match. The main demands: fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo; sharp dynamic and character contrasts held together in one arc; and precise articulation — the difference between crisp and blurred is the piece.
Beyond that, expect rubato that must breathe naturally without losing the pulse.
Pay close attention to the articulation of the rapid passages to ensure clarity.
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.
Circo -Scherzo No.2 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 Circo -Scherzo No.2 lasts about 4 minutes.
Circo -Scherzo No.2 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 Circo-Scherzo No.2 by Giovanni Di Domenico Navone, Alexander's Ragtime Band by Irving Berlin, Rondo capriccioso in E major by Felix Mendelssohn — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.