Peter Ritzen is part of a long composer-pianist tradition, and his artistry is already represented in fine recordings of his own and César Franck’s Piano Quintets on Naxos 9.70142, as well as his Piano Concerto ‘The Last Empress’ (8.223969) and Chinese Requiem (8.223980). Ritzen surprises and delights audiences with improvised encores after his performances, and here he brings his trademark gift to the recording studio. This is a fascinating series of pieces which explores the sonorities and colours of the piano, reflecting Ritzen’s deep affinity with China, with lyrical expression and rich orchestral textures, and with composers such as Scriabin, Franck and Rachmaninov.