A transcription of themes from the opera, emphasizing melodic development and expressive decoration. It follows the standard 19th-century formula of introduction, thematic statement, and flashy coda.
At Henle 5 this is a late-intermediate piece — technically substantial, with musical demands to match. The main demands: a true singing tone, with the melody floating above the accompaniment; ornaments that need to sound effortless, not squeezed in; 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.
The main difficulty is achieving a bel canto singing tone throughout the melodic phrases.
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 sur 'La coupe du roi de Thulé' (Op.113) is rated Henle level 5 of 9 — late intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 6–7. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 7.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 5 — meaning you can already play level 4–5 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 sur 'La coupe du roi de Thulé' (Op.113) lasts about 7 minutes.
Fantaisie brillante sur 'La coupe du roi de Thulé' (Op.113) 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 sur une Cavatine de Bellini,op 97 by Friedrich Burgmüller, Fantaisie et valse brillante sur des motifs de Rossini by Friedrich Burgmüller, Fantaisie sur une cavatine de Rossini by Friedrich Burgmüller — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.