This modern fantasia for piano by Kristian Oma Rønnes explores darker, more expansive harmonic landscapes. It features dramatic shifts in register and requires significant emotional engagement from the performer.
At Henle 4 this is an intermediate piece that expects secure technique and real attention to phrasing. The main demands: wide stretches that reward larger hands and clever redistribution; sweeping arpeggio figures that must stay smooth across positions; and sharp dynamic and character contrasts held together in one arc.
The performer must navigate the wide-span arpeggios while maintaining an even dynamic control over the dramatic contrast.
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.2 for Piano is rated Henle level 4 of 9 — intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 5–6. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 7.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 4 — meaning you can already play level 3–4 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.2 for Piano lasts about 5 minutes.
Fantasia No.2 for Piano 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 Fantasia No. 4 for Piano by Kristian Oma Rønnes, Fantasia No.1 for Piano by Kristian Oma Rønnes, Die Dämonen by Johann Strauss Sr. — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.