This is an identical work to the previous entry, authored by the same composer under a slightly varying spelling of his first name. It serves as an etude specifically targeting left-hand dexterity and tonal control.
At Henle 5 this is a late-intermediate piece — technically substantial, with musical demands to match. The main demands: a left hand with real melodic or rhythmic responsibility of its own; a true singing tone, with the melody floating above the accompaniment; and precise articulation — the difference between crisp and blurred is the piece.
Beyond that, expect chord voicing — bringing out one note inside a handful of others.
Ensure the left hand melody is projected without harshness by utilizing proper weight distribution.
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.
Etude de la main gauche (Op.9) is rated Henle level 5 of 9 — late intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 6–7. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 5.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 5 — meaning you can already play level 4–5 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 la main gauche (Op.9) lasts about 2 minutes.
Etude de la main gauche (Op.9) 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 Crépuscule by Jules Massenet, Berceuse by Gabriel Pierné, Con Amore by Sydney Smith — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.