The second poem by Aleksandr Krein reflects the rich, late-Romantic to early-Soviet harmonic language characteristic of his middle period. It is marked by deep psychological tension and complex, chromatic textures.
At Henle 7 this is a late-advanced work — the technical demands are serious and sustained. The main demands: rubato that must breathe naturally without losing the pulse; chord voicing — bringing out one note inside a handful of others; and sharp dynamic and character contrasts held together in one arc.
Beyond that, expect wide stretches that reward larger hands and clever redistribution.
Mastering the control of dense, dissonant chordal textures is essential for projecting the work's emotional intensity.
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 poème (Op.15) is rated Henle level 7 of 9 — late advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grade 8 and above. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 9.
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 poème (Op.15) lasts about 5 minutes.
Deuxième poème (Op.15) 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 Asturias (Leyenda) by Isaac Albéniz, Piano Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp major by Alexander Scriabin, De Profundis, VL 8 by Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.