This operatic fantasy by Ketterer is typical of the 19th-century salon genre, transcribing popular themes from Pergolesi. It features virtuosic flourishes that transform simple melodies into elaborate piano textures.
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 a true singing tone, with the melody floating above the accompaniment, and careful pedaling — clarity depends on the foot as much as the fingers.
At roughly 8 minutes, stamina and memory become part of the challenge — plan practice in sections.
The primary challenge is maintaining a clean, bell-like clarity in the rapid, upper-register arpeggiated figurations.
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 sur 'La servante maîtresse' (Op.113) 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 sur 'La servante maîtresse' (Op.113) lasts about 8 minutes.
Fantaisie sur 'La servante maîtresse' (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 brillante sur 'Don Carlos' by Eugène Ketterer, Fantaisie sur 'José-María' by Eugène Ketterer, 'Un ballo in maschera', opéra de Verdi, fantaisie brillante. Op. 241 by Eugène Ketterer — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.