The collaboration with the composer of the third movement was via videocall, as the first movement, in which the composer explained his compositional idea to me.

First meeting

The final part follows, a little, the same line as the introduction, as if it were an echo, but this time using the hymn dedicated to Garibaldi. Once again, scales are created, but this time without extraneous notes. Instead, clusters of notes emerge, subtly referencing the main theme.

The structure in general will therefore be an A-B-A1. The idea, however, is not cyclicality, but rather evolution and transformation. The idea of the structure could be imagined as a battlefield before and after the war. The first section represents the moment before the war, a moment of great tension, of instability. A camp still quiet, but preparing for war; the central part, the battle, is represented by the Tarantella. The final part instead represents the end of the battle, wanting to represent a sort of stability that brings Garibaldi uniting the kingdom. In this part the idea is give already senses the instabilities that will develop in the following years (southern question).

During this meeting, I proposed to the composer the possibility of inserting a quote from Sicily’s lost anthem, that is, "play the trumpet" by Bellini, already seen in the first chapter of this thesis. The intrigued composer told me he would think about it.

On February 6th I received the first real draft of the song which includes only the tarantella part with the demo track.

Document 22. Marco Zappia, Draft 1 of the third movement of Sikelia  - central section

Example 100.  Marco Zappia, First audio example of the central section of the third movement of Sikelia, February 6, 2025.

Second meeting

The second update meeting took place on February 17th, during which the composer updated me on the writing of the final and initial parts.

The introduction reaffirms the idea of preparing for battle, melodically evoking Paisiello’s Hymn, previously mentioned in the first meeting as the anthem of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. This section is characterized by the use of extended techniques, including xylophonic effects on the harp, harmonics, and the whispering technique. The musical character is marked by rhythmic anticipations, which will fully emerge in the following tarantella. However, in this initial phase, these elements appear in a slowed-down form through the technique of augmentation, with a progressive lengthening of rhythmic values.

The third section, serving as a conclusion or coda, takes place after the battle. Structurally, it draws inspiration from Garibaldi’s Hymn, as previously anticipated in the first meeting, but this time through the use of more tonal scales, upon which clusters are built to maintain a sense of dissonance. This section has a static, dramatic, and resigned character, symbolizing Sicily’s fate after the unification of Italy—relegated to the margins, marked by the rise of brigandage3 and the so-called Southern Question.4

Melodically, fragments of Sicily’s "missing anthem" emerge within the sonic texture, with the trumpet evoking this theme, thus confirming the adoption of the suggestion proposed during the first meeting. Extended techniques are once again predominant in this section, this time with a harsher character, including effects such as the thunder effect, sharp pizzicatos, or plucked notes played with the fingernail.

The last update dates back to February 21, the day on which the composer announced that he had completed the movement and that he would send the piece once reviewed by Professor Capister. Overall it confirms what was discussed in previous meetings, delving into some details.

In the first part, for example, he recreated a dreamy and ethereal atmosphere, a detail that he managed to reveal once the part was completed. In the conclusion he applied the same approach as the beginning but using Garibaldi's hymn, followed by Bellini's unfinished hymn "Suoni la tromba". He created real sound bands: in Garibaldi's hymn he preserved the original notes and rhythm but extended them to form clusters, with the harp underlining some effects. Here, for example, he used 'nail and pliers' playing techniques and also considered incorporating the effect of playing high on the string, although this was later discarded, once I sent him some videos showing him the result (video).

The harp mirrors the trumpet, playing the same notes and rhythm but at different pitches, alternating between normal playing and the use of harmonics. Meanwhile, the wind instruments hold static chords, as the theme is carried by the harp. Percussion, on the other hand, plays a supporting but also impactful role, enhancing the overall structure, for example by playing the suspended cymbal with the fingertips and using other distinctive effects.

The composer sent me a MIDI audio track to listen to the result of it and a video in which he explains a bit the concept of the movement.

Video 11. Francesca Campo, playing high on the string, compering to play in the center.

Example 101: Marco Zappia, Demo recording of the thirdmovement of Sikelia, February 21, 2025. 

Video 12. Marco Zappia, Explanation of the concept of the third movement of Sikelia, March 1, 2025.

Document 23. Marco Zappia, Scrusciu, Sikelia - third movement, February 27, 2025.