Despite It is a contemporary work by Davide Verotta, showcasing a refined, introspective harmonic language. Its distinctiveness lies in its sparse texture and careful use of dissonance to create a modern atmospheric soundscape.
At Henle 4 this is an intermediate piece that expects secure technique and real attention to phrasing. The main demands: chord voicing — bringing out one note inside a handful of others; careful pedaling — clarity depends on the foot as much as the fingers; and rubato that must breathe naturally without losing the pulse.
Precision in pedal usage is required to clarify the harmonic shifts without blurring the textures.
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.
Lesser-known works by the same hand, at a comparable level.
Despite It, O.104 is rated Henle level 4 of 9 — intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 5–6. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 5.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 4 — meaning you can already play level 3–4 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 Despite It, O.104 lasts about 4 minutes.
Despite It, O.104 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 Bronze Chasm No.1, O.49 by Davide Verotta, Bronze Chasm No.2 by Davide Verotta, Bronze Chasm by Davide Verotta — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.