Armas Maasalo was a Finnish composer whose works often carry a sense of Nordic introspection. This 'Consolation' piece is characterized by its gentle, folk-like simplicity.
At Henle 4 this is an intermediate piece that expects secure technique and real attention to phrasing. The main demands: a true singing tone, with the melody floating above the accompaniment; careful pedaling — clarity depends on the foot as much as the fingers; and rubato that must breathe naturally without losing the pulse.
Develop a consistent, warm sound across the keyboard in the arpeggiated accompaniment.
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.
Consolation (Op.23) is rated Henle level 4 of 9 — intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 5–6. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 6.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 4 — meaning you can already play level 3–4 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 Consolation (Op.23) lasts about 3 minutes.
Consolation (Op.23) 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 sur le nom de Gabriel Fauré, M.74 by Maurice Ravel, Berceuse sur le nom de Gabriel Fauré by Maurice Ravel, Berceuse - Cradle Song by Armas Järnefelt — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.