Zimmermann's work is a jagged, dissonant modernist composition. It utilizes a highly structured approach to rhythm and timbre typical of the mid-20th-century avant-garde.
At Henle 6 this is an advanced piece that assumes fluent technique and rewards mature interpretation. The main demands: precise articulation — the difference between crisp and blurred is the piece; sharp dynamic and character contrasts held together in one arc; and fine finger independence within the hand.
Beyond that, expect fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo.
Precision in rhythm and sharp, varied articulation are essential to capture the modernist aesthetic.
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.
Extemporale is rated Henle level 6 of 9 — advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 7–8. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 9.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 6 — meaning you can already play level 5–6 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 Extemporale lasts about 5 minutes.
Extemporale 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 Cadenza by Rami Bar-Niv, Elegia e Allegro Fugato by Leonid Polovinkin, Piano Sonata No. 8 'Pathétique' by Ludwig van Beethoven — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.