This is a character piece titled after the French folklore figure Croquemitaine (a boogeyman). It utilizes sharp, rhythmic articulations to create a somewhat mischievous and spooky atmosphere.
At Henle 4 this is an intermediate piece that expects secure technique and real attention to phrasing. The main demands: precise articulation — the difference between crisp and blurred is the piece; fine finger independence within the hand; and fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo.
The main difficulty is executing the rapid, staccato articulation cleanly throughout the piece.
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.
Croquemitaine 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 Croquemitaine lasts about 2 minutes.
Croquemitaine 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 Chœur et danse de lutins by Théodore Dubois, Black Shadow in the House, CCW2 by Samuel Labrecque, Albumleaf No.14: Wild Orage by Shuwen Zhang — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.