Bethena is a 'concert waltz' that elevates the ragtime idiom into a sophisticated, highly expressive piano work. It is distinct for its haunting, lyrical melody and a level of harmonic depth rarely found in the genre.
The player must balance the persistent waltz bass with a sophisticated, singing melodic line that requires subtle rubato.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
Bethena is rated Henle level 5 of 9 — late intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 6–7. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 7.
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 Bethena lasts about 5 minutes.
Bethena 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 Solace by Scott Joplin, The Entertainer by Scott Joplin, Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.