Sydney Smith was a prolific composer of salon music, and this fantasy uses Donizetti’s Anna Bolena as the thematic core. It focuses on accessible brilliance rather than deep structural complexity.
At Henle 6 this is an advanced piece that assumes fluent technique and rewards mature interpretation. The main demands: sweeping arpeggio figures that must stay smooth across positions; a true singing tone, with the melody floating above the accompaniment; and ornaments that need to sound effortless, not squeezed in.
Beyond that, expect careful pedaling — clarity depends on the foot as much as the fingers.
Focus on the evenness of the rapid accompaniment patterns against the singing melody.
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 Brilliant on 'Anna Bolena' (Op.151) is rated Henle level 6 of 9 — advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 7–8. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 7.
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 Brilliant on 'Anna Bolena' (Op.151) lasts about 7 minutes.
Fantaisie Brilliant on 'Anna Bolena' (Op.151) 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 'Martha' by Sydney Smith, Etude de concert by Sydney Smith, Com e Gentil, Fantaisie Etude. by Sydney Smith — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.