Karl Wehle was a touring virtuoso whose works were heavily influenced by the bravura style of Liszt. This polonaise is a grand, concert-ready work full of dramatic gestures and octaves.
At Henle 7 this is a late-advanced work — the technical demands are serious and sustained. The main demands: octave passages that demand a relaxed wrist to avoid tension; big chords that need weight without harshness; and fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo.
At roughly 8 minutes, stamina and memory become part of the challenge — plan practice in sections.
The piece demands significant physical stamina and a firm grasp of large-chord technique.
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.
Deuxième grande polonaise (Op.67) is rated Henle level 7 of 9 — late advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grade 8 and above.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 7 — meaning you can already play level 6–7 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 Deuxième grande polonaise (Op.67) lasts about 8 minutes.
Deuxième grande polonaise (Op.67) 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 Piano Sonata No. 21 'Waldstein' by Ludwig van Beethoven, Capriccio alla soldatesca by Charles-Valentin Alkan, Allegro de concert by Camille Saint-Saëns — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.