Course fantastique, Op. 174, is a virtuoso etude by Edouard Chavagnat designed to test agility across the entire keyboard. It is a quintessential display piece from the French Romantic tradition.
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; sweeping arpeggio figures that must stay smooth across positions; and a left hand with real melodic or rhythmic responsibility of its own.
Mastering the rapid, sweeping arpeggio figurations in the right hand is necessary for structural 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.
Lesser-known works by the same hand, at a comparable level.
Course fantastique (Op.174) is rated Henle level 5 of 9 — late intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 6–7. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 8.
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 Course fantastique (Op.174) lasts about 4 minutes.
Course fantastique (Op.174) 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 Ballet des nymphes by Edouard Chavagnat, Bohemian Dance by Rudolf Friml, Allegretto capriccioso by Robert Volkmann — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.