Hermann Adolf Wollenhaupt was a virtuoso pianist whose pedagogical works focus on technical brilliance. This piece utilizes rapid scale passages to evoke movement, typical of German Romantic character pieces.
At Henle 4 this is an intermediate piece that expects secure technique and real attention to phrasing. The main demands: fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo; continuous sixteenth-note figuration that must ripple, not chatter; and precise articulation — the difference between crisp and blurred is the piece.
Beyond that, expect careful pedaling — clarity depends on the foot as much as the fingers.
The primary challenge is maintaining evenness in the rapid sixteenth-note runs without sacrificing clarity.
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.
Lesser-known works by the same hand, at a comparable level.
Fairy Footsteps (Op.71) is rated Henle level 4 of 9 — intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 5–6. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 6.
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 Fairy Footsteps (Op.71) lasts about 4 minutes.
Fairy Footsteps (Op.71) 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 Colinette by Hermann Adolf Wollenhaupt, Fairies Musings by Hermann Adolf Wollenhaupt, Alexander's Ragtime Band by Irving Berlin — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.