Sydney Smith was a prolific composer of virtuoso piano salon music in the Victorian era. This piece features expansive textures and bravura passages designed to show off a performer's technical brilliance.
At Henle 6 this is an advanced piece that assumes fluent technique and rewards mature interpretation. The main demands: sweeping arpeggio figures that must stay smooth across positions; fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo; and big chords that need weight without harshness.
Beyond that, expect octave passages that demand a relaxed wrist to avoid tension.
Focus on accurate projection of the melodic line over heavy, wide-spanning chordal accompaniment.
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.
Concert Study No. 2 (Op.148) is rated Henle level 6 of 9 — advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 7–8. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 8.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 6 — meaning you can already play level 5–6 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 Concert Study No. 2 (Op.148) lasts about 5 minutes.
Concert Study No. 2 (Op.148) 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 Bohemian Girl - Brilliant Fantasia by Sydney Smith, Bolero by Sydney Smith, Caprice espagnol by Sydney Smith — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.