Samuil Feinberg’s Fantasia No. 1 is a cornerstone of his virtuosic output, heavily influenced by the Russian Scriabinesque tradition. It is highly distinctive due to its dense, complex contrapuntal writing and explosive, high-energy technical demands.
At Henle 8 this is concert repertoire: professional-level technique is the entry ticket. The main demands: fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo; polyrhythms that have to lock together without sounding mechanical; and several simultaneous layers, each needing its own dynamic level.
Beyond that, expect octave passages that demand a relaxed wrist to avoid tension.
At roughly 9 minutes, stamina and memory become part of the challenge — plan practice in sections.
The performer faces massive challenges in coordinating polyrhythms between the hands at a very high tempo.
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.
Fantasia No.1 (Op.5) is rated Henle level 8 of 9 — concert repertoire, roughly diploma level. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 10.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 8 — meaning you can already play level 7–8 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 Fantasia No.1 (Op.5) lasts about 9 minutes.
Fantasia No.1 (Op.5) 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 2 Cadenzas to Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.4 by Samuil Feinberg, Fantasia No.2 by Samuil Feinberg, Concert Paraphrase of Rigoletto, by Verdi by Franz Liszt — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.