Jadwiga Sarnecka was a Polish composer whose late-Romantic etudes explore deep emotional states. The piece is highly idiomatic to the piano, demanding significant power and tonal depth.
At Henle 7 this is a late-advanced work — the technical demands are serious and sustained. The main demands: big chords that need weight without harshness; wide stretches that reward larger hands and clever redistribution; and sharp dynamic and character contrasts held together in one arc.
Beyond that, expect a true singing tone, with the melody floating above the accompaniment.
Focus on the execution of large, dissonant chords without sacrificing the legato line.
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 F minor 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 F minor lasts about 4 minutes.
Etude in F minor 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 Jadwiga Sarnecka, Ballade No.1 by Jadwiga Sarnecka, Asturias (Leyenda) by Isaac Albéniz — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.