This is another of Rafael Joseffy's etudes, characterized by dense, virtuoso writing. It challenges the player to maintain musicality while navigating high-velocity finger work.
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; precise articulation — the difference between crisp and blurred is the piece; and chord voicing — bringing out one note inside a handful of others.
Beyond that, expect sweeping arpeggio figures that must stay smooth across positions.
The challenge is maintaining distinct articulation without sacrificing the intensity of 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.
Etude in A-flat major 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 9.
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 in A-flat major lasts about 3 minutes.
Etude in A-flat major 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 Etude in A-flat by Rafael Joseffy, An der Quelle by Rafael Joseffy, Etude in Ab by Rafael Joseffy — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.