Fantaisie sur 'Robin des bois'

Jacques-Louis BattmannOp.357

RomanticObscurefantasy~5 min

About this piece

Battmann was a prolific French composer whose work aimed at providing accessible yet sophisticated-sounding music for the home pianist. This fantasy on Weber's 'Der Freischütz' is designed for accessibility rather than the technical extremes of Lisztian paraphrases.

What makes it challenging

At Henle 3 this is a late-beginner piece — comfortable hands-together playing is assumed, and musical shaping starts to matter. The main demands: a true singing tone, with the melody floating above the accompaniment; sweeping arpeggio figures that must stay smooth across positions; and precise articulation — the difference between crisp and blurred is the piece.

Beyond that, expect careful pedaling — clarity depends on the foot as much as the fingers.

Teacher notes

Ensure evenness and clarity in the flowing accompanimental patterns.

Technical focus

cantabilearpeggiosarticulationpedaling

Mood

elegantgentle

Listen & watch

No video available for this piece.
Too hard right now? Build a path to it

Your status

Not in your repertoire

Sign in to track this piece

Free sheet music on IMSLP

What to play around Fantaisie sur 'Robin des bois'

Similar to Fantaisie sur 'Robin des bois'

Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.

Easier, same character

A level or two down with the same spirit — ideal if this piece is still out of reach.

The next step up

Where this piece's skills lead: slightly harder works making similar technical demands.

More Jacques-Louis Battmann, off the beaten path

Lesser-known works by the same hand, at a comparable level.

Browse all Henle level 3 pieces (Late beginner) →

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Fantaisie sur 'Robin des bois' (Op.357) by Jacques-Louis Battmann?

Fantaisie sur 'Robin des bois' (Op.357) is rated Henle level 3 of 9 — late beginner repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 4–5. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 6.

What level do I need to play Fantaisie sur 'Robin des bois'?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 3 — meaning you can already play level 2–3 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.

How long is Fantaisie sur 'Robin des bois'?

A typical performance of Fantaisie sur 'Robin des bois' (Op.357) lasts about 5 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Fantaisie sur 'Robin des bois'?

Fantaisie sur 'Robin des bois' (Op.357) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.

What pieces are similar to Fantaisie sur 'Robin des bois'?

Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Don Juan de Mozart by Jacques-Louis Battmann, Fantaisie-valse by Jacques-Louis Battmann, Basquaise by Jacques-Louis Battmann — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.