Also, Johannes said it makes a difference to string players whether it's "sfp" or "fp." Maybe he could elaborate on what that difference is? I'm still not exactly clear what the audible distinction is between all of the markings under discussion (sfz, sfp, sfzp, fp), versus a plain old wedge accent (>). For instance, if you had a long note with an accent (>) and an "fp" indication below, how is that different from "sfp" or "sfzp"?
As others have pointed out, whatever the various conventions, taken literally, sforzando, ( or sforzato), or variant is an accent: "forcing (forced)." I would normally take it as meaning accented in relation to the surrounding attacks. While fp on a single note is equivalent in the thinking of most people as a sudden change of dynamic from a louder attack to a softer sustain, sfp (or sfzp--really, with this kind of modern combination, how can anyone argue for a difference with or without the z?) would indicate an especially strong attack, accented in relation to the previous attacks, with a change to piano after the attack. Indeed, sf, sfz, or sfzp could exist in within a passage that is otherwise marked p. In the case of [p--------sfp--------], the accent might not rise to the level of forte in terms of relative dynamic (as fp would), but would just be an accent, with a reminder to the performer to return to piano.
BTW, I prefer sf-p for clarity.
Tim
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