Written in the style of late Romantic nocturnes, this piece focuses on long, lyrical melodies over a compound meter accompaniment. It is expressive and harmonically rich.
At Henle 4 this is an intermediate piece that expects secure technique and real attention to phrasing. The main demands: a left hand with real melodic or rhythmic responsibility of its own; a true singing tone, with the melody floating above the accompaniment; and careful pedaling — clarity depends on the foot as much as the fingers.
Beyond that, expect rubato that must breathe naturally without losing the pulse.
Coordinate the rubato between the left and right hands to maintain a flowing, cohesive feel.
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.
Dreaming (Op.17) is rated Henle level 4 of 9 — intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 5–6. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 7.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 4 — meaning you can already play level 3–4 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 Dreaming (Op.17) lasts about 4 minutes.
Dreaming (Op.17) 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 Nocturne in C-sharp minor by Frédéric Chopin, Body and Soul by Johnny Green, Gymnopédie No. 2 by Erik Satie — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.