Mazeppa is ranked among the most difficult of the twelve études both musically and technically, perhaps second only to Feux Follets (the fifth in the set). According to G. ... However, it was based on the fourth étude from Douze Grandes Études (S. 137).

Is Mazeppa harder than La Campanella?

To play Mazeppa at a good speed and expression is very tough, much harder than the other pieces. La cap is simple because of its logic, the stretches and jumps are the difficulties initially but with practice they vanish and you are left with only whats easy. "The biggest risk in life is to take no risk at all."

Why is Mazeppa so hard?

Mazeppa is actually not all that difficult to learn the notes, and the technique required - it's really just a lot of standard techniques thrown into a pot and taken to infinity. It's straight forward, but hard. Work on your rolled chords, scales, octaves, staccato repeated chords and jumps, and that's about it.