Nikolai Aleksandrov's Fantasia exhibits the virtuosic demands common in Russian romantic piano works of the late 19th century. Its distinctive quality lies in the rapid technical display woven into its expansive formal development.
At Henle 5 this is a late-intermediate piece — technically substantial, with musical demands to match. 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 chord voicing — bringing out one note inside a handful of others.
The performer must navigate rapid arpeggio figures while maintaining intense dramatic focus.
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.
Fantasia (Op.6) is rated Henle level 5 of 9 — late intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 6–7. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 8.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 5 — meaning you can already play level 4–5 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 (Op.6) lasts about 7 minutes.
Fantasia (Op.6) 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 Bohemian Dance by Rudolf Friml, Dance of the Demon by Eduard Holst, Fantaisie Brillante on Verdi's 'Rigoletto' by Ignace Xavier Joseph Leybach — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.