This Belgian-composed work reflects the influence of the Lisztian tradition combined with late-Romantic lyricism. It is a rare, obscure gem that offers significant room for expressive interpretation.
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; careful pedaling — clarity depends on the foot as much as the fingers; and rubato that must breathe naturally without losing the pulse.
Beyond that, expect a true singing tone, with the melody floating above the accompaniment.
The technical challenge lies in balancing the flowing accompaniment against the lyrical 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.
Fantaisie No.3 (Op.18) 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 No.3 (Op.18) lasts about 7 minutes.
Fantaisie No.3 (Op.18) 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 Derde Fantasie by Peter Benoît, Fantasia No.4 by Peter Benoît, 12 Variations auf die Folie d'Espagne, Wq.118/9 by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.