Campogrande: Suona fortissimo!
Expected to ship in about a week.
- Composer: Nicola Campogrande (1969-)
- Instrumentation (this edition): Piano, Piano Reduction, Suona
- Originally for: Piano, Orchestra, Suona
- Work: Suona fortissimo! (2026) (suona.pno – 3.2.2.2 – 4.3.3.1 – timp.perc(3) – hp – str)
- ISMN:
- Size: 9.1 x 12.0 inches
- Pages: 96
Description
Music allows two people to speak at the same time without disturbing each other. On the contrary, their conversation becomes richer if they are able to express different phrases that blend happily together. Opera singers know this well when they intertwine their voices in a duet. and soloists know it too when performing a Double Concerto, such as Mozart's Concerto for Flute and Harp, Mendelssohn's Concerto for Violin and Piano, Brahms's Concerto for Violin and Cello, and so on.
In this case, I imagined a score in which two soloists intersect, representing through their sound two distant cultures in a majestic way. The suona, which rose to prominence during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) as the instrument par excellence – especially for its use in military music before becoming associated with folk tradition – is undoubtedly the king of traditional Chinese instruments. This is thanks to its ability to evoke, at the same time, power and delicacy, strength and tenderness, clarity and variety. It is somewhat similar to the Italian ciaramella, a kind of oboe, but with a distinctive and inimitable sound.
The piano is the quintessential instrument of Western classical music, thanks to the immense repertoire it has accumulated since the mid-18th century and its completeness, which allows it to perform alone as well as to engage in dialogue with any other instrument. Composing Suona Fortissimo! Concerto for Suona, Piano and Orchestra meant, for me, weaving a dialogue between two cultures by starting from their distant roots and inventing a way to intertwine them, much like weaving a wicker basket. At times, Chinese tradition guided the process, with scales and rhythms of Eastern origin. At other times, the primary reference was Western. On many occasions, the specific timbre of the suona and its tendency to produce glissandi between notes, together with the modal scales of the Asian world, suggested a shift toward jazz. Jazz thus revealed itself as a beautiful cultural bridge, an additional thread to weave – perhaps blue – for this joyful, intense meeting of civilizations.
(Nicola Campogrande, April 2026)
Publishers use a lot of words to describe what they sell, and we know it can be confusing. We've tried to be as clear as possible to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. Below are descriptions of the terms that we use to describe the various formats that music often comes in.
Choral Score
A score for vocalists that only contains the vocal lines. The instrumental parts are not there for reference. Generally, cheaper than a vocal score and requires multiple copies for purchase.
Digital Download
Digital, PDF version of the score.
Facsimile
Reproductions of the original hand-written scores from the composer.
Full Score
For ensemble music, this indicates that the edition contains all parts on a single system (there are not separate parts for each player). In larger ensembles, this is for the conductor.
Hardcover
Hardbound. Generally either linen-covered or half-leather.
Orchestral Parts
Similar to a wind set, this is a collection of parts. In the case of strings, the numbers listed are the number of copies included, though generally these are available individually (often with minimum quantities required).
Paperback
When publishers offer multiple bindings (e.g. hardcover) or study scores, this is the "standard" version. If you're planning to play the music, this is probably what you want.
Performance / Playing Score
A score of the music containing all parts on one system, intended for players to share. There are not separate parts for each player.
Set of Parts
For ensemble music, this indicates that there are separate individual parts for each player.
Solo Part with Piano Reduction
For solo pieces with orchestra, this is a version that contains a piano reduction of the orchestra parts. For piano pieces, two copies are typically needed for performance.
Study Score
A small (think choral size) copy of the complete score meant for studying, and not playing. They make great add-ons when learning concertos and small chamber works.
Vocal Score
A score prepared for vocalists that includes the piano/organ part or a reduction of the instrumental parts.
Wind Set
For orchestral music, this is a collection of wind and percussion parts. The specific quantities of each instrument are notated.
With Audio
In addition to the printed music, the edition contains recordings of the pieces. This may be an included CD, or access to files on the internet.
With / Without Fingering (Markings)
Some publishers prepare two copies - a pure Urtext edition that includes no fingering (or bowing) suggestions and a lightly edited version that includes a minimal number of editorial markings.
Campogrande: Suona fortissimo!
