This piece by Brent Hakanson explores the sonic potential of the piano to imitate brass fanfares through block chord writing. It features bold, triadic harmonies and a sturdy, march-like rhythmic foundation.
At Henle 4 this is an intermediate piece that expects secure technique and real attention to phrasing. The main demands: big chords that need weight without harshness; chord voicing — bringing out one note inside a handful of others; and sharp dynamic and character contrasts held together in one arc.
The student must ensure precise timing when moving between large, static chord clusters.
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.
Fanfare is rated Henle level 4 of 9 — intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 5–6. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 5.
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 Fanfare lasts about 2 minutes.
Fanfare 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 Columbus March by Thomas "Blind Tom" Wiggins, Die Wachtparade kommt by Richard Eilenberg, Brigadier-Marsch by Béla Kéler — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.