Schuttenhelm: Rechordatio
Expected to ship in 1-2 weeks.
Shipping Policy- Composer: Thomas Schuttenhelm
- Editor: Cristiano Porqueddu (1975-)
- Instrumentation: Guitar
- Size: 8.9 x 12.0 inches
- Pages: 8
Description
Rechordatio is both an act of remembrance and a gesture of gratitude. The piece grows from two musical relationships that have been deeply meaningful to me: my encounters with the Italian composer Angelo Gilardino and my long-standing admiration for the Sardinian guitarist Cristiano Porqueddu.
I first met both artists in 2009 at the Guitar Foundation of America summer festival in Ithaca, New York, where Gilardino was inducted into the Hall of Fame. I had traveled there specifically to meet him, already aware of his importance as a central figure in modern guitar composition. At that same festival, I heard Porqueddu perform selections from Gilardino's extensive catalogue. His playing made an immediate impression: an extraordinary command of color, timbre, and dynamic nuance, combined with an interpretive clarity that seemed to reveal the inner life of the music.
In the years that followed, I corresponded with Gilardino and was fortunate to visit him at his home in Vercelli. Our conversations centered on composition. At the time, he was working on his Sette Preludi, and I remember listening with him as he described his process in detail.
Porqueddu has since become one of the most important advocates for Gilardino's music, both in performance and on record. His recordings—particularly his landmark interpretation of Gilardino's Studi di virtuosità e di trascendenza set an exceptional standard. in live performance, his playing takes on an almost otherworldly quality, where precision and imagination are held in rare balance.
The immediate impetus for Rechordatio came after hearing Porqueddu perform at Carnegie Hall in October 2022. That concert, and our time together afterward, remained vivid in my memory. The following morning, I began sketching this piece as a way of bringing these two figures: composer and performer, into a single musical space.
At the core of the work is a simple but generative idea: the pitches A–G–E, derived from Angelo's name and realized here as A♭–G–E. This three-note cell functions as both harmonic and motivic seed. It is first heard as a chord in the opening measure: the "Angelo chord", and returns throughout the piece in varied forms, acting almost as a refrain. in this way, the music continually recalls its origin, much as memory itself returns, reshaped but persistent.
The title Rechordatio reflects this idea of remembrance. While recordatio (Latin: recollection) would be the conventional form, the added "h" foregrounds the chord, the sounding object through which memory becomes audible. The piece thus becomes not only a memorial, but an ongoing act of recollection in sound.
More broadly, the work reflects my engagement with Gilardino's musical language, especially his approach to polyphony. His writing expands the expressive possibilities of the guitar through finely controlled layers of line and color, often shaped by subtle changes of string and position. in Rechordatio, these ideas are not imitated but absorbed and reimagined.
The piece is offered in homage to Gilardino, whose legacy continues to resonate, and to Porqueddu, whose artistry ensures that this legacy remains vividly alive in sound.
— Thomas Schuttenhelm, May 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.
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.
Digital Download
Digital, PDF version of the score.
Schuttenhelm: Rechordatio
