Roy Agnew was a prominent Australian Modernist whose works often reflect a raw, percussive energy. This piece is harmonically dense and technically demanding, evoking primal intensity.
At Henle 5 this is a late-intermediate piece — technically substantial, with musical demands to match. The main demands: sharp dynamic and character contrasts held together in one arc; fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo; and big chords that need weight without harshness.
Beyond that, expect chord voicing — bringing out one note inside a handful of others.
Developing the physical stamina and rhythmic accuracy required for the percussive chordal sections is the main 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.
Dance of the Wild Men 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 Dance of the Wild Men lasts about 4 minutes.
Dance of the Wild Men 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 Before Dawn by Roy Agnew, Allegro barbaro, Sz.49 by Béla Bartók, Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor by Frédéric Chopin — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.