Rossini spent his final years in Paris where he wrote numerous short piano pieces arranged in 13 volumes, which he jokingly called Péchés de vieillesse (Sins of Old Age), that juxtapose irreverence and seriousness. Volume VI, Album for Smart Children , includes diverse movements whose titles, whether ironic or deeply sincere, reflect their stylistic range. The eleventh (Étude asthmatique ) will be included in a future album. Alessandro Marangoni’s highly praised recording of Volumes VII & IX is available on Naxos 8.570590-91.