Arensky's etudes are known for their Russian Romantic lyricism and sophisticated piano writing. This piece is distinctive for its singing tone and intricate, interlocking textures.
At Henle 6 this is an advanced piece that assumes fluent technique and rewards mature interpretation. 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 rubato that must breathe naturally without losing the pulse.
Develop a deep, resonant touch to support the long, flowing melodic lines.
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 Op 19 no 1 is rated Henle level 6 of 9 — advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 7–8. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 7.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 6 — meaning you can already play level 5–6 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 Op 19 no 1 lasts about 3 minutes.
Etude Op 19 no 1 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 Barcarolle by Anton Stepanovich Arensky, Etude Op 42 no 3 by Anton Stepanovich Arensky, Quejas, o la maja y el ruiseñor by Enrique Granados — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.