Representing the Brazilian Romantic tradition, this étude combines European technical frameworks with a distinct melodic charm. It is an excellent example of international Romantic influence.
At Henle 7 this is a late-advanced work — the technical demands are serious and sustained. The main demands: fast passage work that stays light and even at tempo; sweeping arpeggio figures that must stay smooth across positions; and precise articulation — the difference between crisp and blurred is the piece.
Beyond that, expect fine finger independence within the hand, and chord voicing — bringing out one note inside a handful of others.
Clear finger articulation in the high-speed runs is critical to prevent the textures from blurring.
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.
Lesser-known works by the same hand, at a comparable level.
Etude de concert (Op.33) is rated Henle level 7 of 9 — late advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grade 8 and above. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 8.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 7 — meaning you can already play level 6–7 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 Etude de concert (Op.33) lasts about 4 minutes.
Etude de concert (Op.33) 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 Italian Concerto in F major by Johann Sebastian Bach, Waltz in A-flat major by Frédéric Chopin, Bamboula by Louis Moreau Gottschalk — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.