Known as the 'Revolutionary' Etude, this work features a relentless left-hand figuration against a powerful, declamatory right-hand theme. It is a bold statement of technical endurance and emotional ferocity.
The left hand requires immense endurance and a flexible wrist to maintain the constant sixteenth-note motion.
Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.
Étude in C minor, No. 12 is rated Henle level 8 of 9 — concert repertoire, roughly diploma level. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 10.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 8 — meaning you can already play level 7–8 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 Étude in C minor, No. 12 lasts about 3 minutes.
Étude in C minor, No. 12 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 Ballade No.1 by Frédéric Chopin, Ballade No.2 by Frédéric Chopin, Ballade No.4 by Frédéric Chopin — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.