Henri Bertini's Op. 98 is a mid-19th-century salon piece intended for instructional and parlor use. It follows standard Classical-Romantic formal structures with graceful melodic lines.
At Henle 4 this is an intermediate piece that expects secure technique and real attention to phrasing. The main demands: Alberti-bass accompaniment kept quiet and even under the melody; careful pedaling — clarity depends on the foot as much as the fingers; and a true singing tone, with the melody floating above the accompaniment.
Focus on the evenness of the left-hand accompaniment to support the light melodic phrasing.
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.
Episode d'un bal (Op.98) is rated Henle level 4 of 9 — intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 5–6. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 5.
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 Episode d'un bal (Op.98) lasts about 3 minutes.
Episode d'un bal (Op.98) 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 Waltz No. 2 by Dmitri Shostakovich, Waltz in C-sharp minor, No. 2 by Frédéric Chopin, Waltz in A minor by Frédéric Chopin — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.