Laura Netzel, a Swedish composer, wrote this Ballad in a characteristically Nordic Romantic style. It is defined by its clean, song-like structure and clear tonal language that prioritizes intimacy over sheer power.
Control of the balance between the delicate upper voice and the shifting inner accompaniment is critical.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
Ballad (Op.35) 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 Ballad (Op.35) lasts about 4 minutes.
Ballad (Op.35) 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 Berceuse by Laura Netzel, Berceuse by Laura Netzel, Ballad by Laura Netzel — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.