A flashy exhibition piece by the great virtuoso Anton Rubinstein, based on various Hungarian motifs. It features the aggressive, pianistic writing for which Rubinstein was famous, requiring significant technical stamina.
At Henle 7 this is a late-advanced work — the technical demands are serious and sustained. The main demands: fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo; sweeping arpeggio figures that must stay smooth across positions; and sharp dynamic and character contrasts held together in one arc.
Beyond that, expect precise articulation — the difference between crisp and blurred is the piece.
At roughly 8 minutes, stamina and memory become part of the challenge — plan practice in sections.
Focus on the rhythmic drive and precise execution of the double-note passage 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.
Fantaisie sur des mélodies hongroises is rated Henle level 7 of 9 — late advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grade 8 and above. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 9.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 7 — meaning you can already play level 6–7 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 sur des mélodies hongroises lasts about 8 minutes.
Fantaisie sur des mélodies hongroises 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 by Anton Rubinstein, Fantaisie by Anton Rubinstein, Allegro Appassionato by Anton Rubinstein — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.