This piece is a character miniature utilizing sharp dynamic shifts and rhythmic energy to depict a narrative. It captures the theatrical nature of late-Romantic program music.
The technical challenge lies in executing the sudden dynamic shifts and precise articulations cleanly.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
Billet doux, renvoyé is rated Henle level 3 of 9 — late beginner repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 4–5. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 4.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 3 — meaning you can already play level 2–3 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 Billet doux, renvoyé lasts about 3 minutes.
Billet doux, renvoyé 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 Solfegetto in C minor, H 220 by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Allegro in D minor by George Frideric Handel, Alerta!.. by Chiquinha Gonzaga — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.