Capriccio in F major, op. 49
Romantic Capriccio Piano solo ~6 min
In brief

This Capriccio in F projects a capricious, sparkling character, alternating lively passages with more songful episodes and sudden accentual turns that keep the listener alert. Technically, it requires control of Tempo rubato (3.1/5) to shape phrases without losing the underlying pulse — here that means subtly delaying phrase openings and tightening phrase endings — and careful use of the sustain pedal (3.1/5) to connect wide harmonic leaps while avoiding a blurred sonority, demanding precise, well-timed pedal changes. The piece belongs to Hummel's lighter romantic piano output, conceived for the salon and expressive virtuosity rather than large-scale symphonic statements.

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Is this the right work?
MusicCoach difficulty
55/100
Intermediate
Likely range : 43–67/100
Confidence : 35% · to confirm
BeginnerIntermediateAdvancedVirtuoso
Exam grade
About grade 6

Estimated from our difficulty score, not taken from an exam syllabus. Checked against 333 works on the ABRSM syllabus: the exact grade is right 7 times out of 10, and within one grade 99 times out of 100.

Difficulty estimate by MusicCoach on a scale of 1 to 100.

Where this work sits
050100

Most works cluster between 45 and 65: a small score gap often marks a real step. The highlighted bar shows this work among those for the same instrument.

The MusicCoach difficulty measures a work's overall demands (technique, reading, stamina) on a shared 0-100 scale, consolidated from editorial and pedagogical reference points (Henle, exam syllabuses, curation) and our own analyses. It measures neither musical value nor the practice time YOU will need: two musicians of the same level can experience the same work very differently depending on their strengths (hands used to octaves, quick sight-reading…). The confidence reflects how many reference points sit behind the score and how well they agree — a lightly documented score is flagged “to validate”. For a truly personal bearing, the diagnostic and your space compare each work to YOUR estimated level, which the score alone cannot do.

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Relative difficulty
36%
Among Johann Nepomuk Hummel
44%
Era Romantic
50%
Genre
Estimated skills
Pedaling
Sustain pedal
1
Style
Romantic style
1
Rhythm
Tempo rubato
1
Technique
Legato
1
Interpretation
Dynamics
1
Interpretation
Phrasing
1
What to play next?

Each suggestion combines difficulty gap, risk, confidence and skill overlap. The first two cards in each column are the most useful pedagogically.

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