Ciro Roberto Passilongo's Epigramma Sepulcralis II is a somber, experimental work that explores the piano's lower registers. It relies on dissonance and broad, sonorous chords to create a funeral, sepulchral atmosphere.
At Henle 6 this is an advanced piece that assumes fluent technique and rewards mature interpretation. The main demands: big chords that need weight without harshness; wide stretches that reward larger hands and clever redistribution; and careful pedaling — clarity depends on the foot as much as the fingers.
Beyond that, expect sharp dynamic and character contrasts held together in one arc.
The main challenge is executing the large chordal shifts with consistent weight and proper pedal timing.
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.
Epigramma Sepulcralis II° is rated Henle level 6 of 9 — advanced repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 7–8. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 8.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 6 — meaning you can already play level 5–6 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 Epigramma Sepulcralis II° lasts about 5 minutes.
Epigramma Sepulcralis II° 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 Epigramma Sepulcralis I° by Ciro Roberto Passilongo, Eine Gebirgs-Phantasie by Zygmunt Noskowski, Déploration sur la mort de M. Castillo by Juan Antonio Pedrosa — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.