This brilliant fantasy on Gounod's 'Faust' captures the essence of the grand opera in a format idiomatic for the mid-19th-century piano. It makes extensive use of the keyboard's range to mirror the orchestral textures of the source material.
At Henle 6 this is an advanced piece that assumes fluent technique and rewards mature interpretation. The main demands: fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo; sweeping arpeggio figures that must stay smooth across positions; and ornaments that need to sound effortless, not squeezed in.
Beyond that, expect octave passages that demand a relaxed wrist to avoid tension.
At roughly 9 minutes, stamina and memory become part of the challenge — plan practice in sections.
The performer must navigate large-span arpeggios and rapid octave passages while maintaining the dramatic tension of the original work.
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.
Fantaisie brillante on Gounod's Faust (Op.117) is rated Henle level 6 of 9 — advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 7–8. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 8.
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 Fantaisie brillante on Gounod's Faust (Op.117) lasts about 9 minutes.
Fantaisie brillante on Gounod's Faust (Op.117) 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 Fantaisie Brillante on 'Rigoletto' by Sydney Smith, Fantaisie brillante on Verdi's Il Trovatore by Sydney Smith, Fantaisie de concert sur 'Lucrezia Borgia' by Sydney Smith — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.