A programmatic work by Florent Schmitt depicting a fable, requiring sophisticated command of color and nuance. The writing is highly idiomatic of French early 20th-century piano music.
At Henle 6 this is an advanced piece that assumes fluent technique and rewards mature interpretation. The main demands: sharp dynamic and character contrasts held together in one arc; chord voicing — bringing out one note inside a handful of others; and several simultaneous layers, each needing its own dynamic level.
Beyond that, expect careful pedaling — clarity depends on the foot as much as the fingers.
Managing the complex layered textures to create a clear narrative arc is the primary challenge.
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.
Conseil tenu par les rats (Op.123) is rated Henle level 6 of 9 — advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 7–8. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 7.
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 Conseil tenu par les rats (Op.123) lasts about 4 minutes.
Conseil tenu par les rats (Op.123) 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 Ballade de la Neige by Florent Schmitt, Contes de Fées by Vincent d' Indy, Cadres inauditi by Jean-François Marcoux — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.