Rossini considered the ‘mezzo’ voice to be his ideal, stating that ‘the contralto is the norm against which the other voices and instruments of the composition must be gauged.’ Containing numerous premiere recordings, this penultimate release in Alessandro Marangoni’s acclaimed traversal of Rossini’s complete piano music is vibrant with national colours from France, Italy and Spain, and rich in emotions of sadness and love, from the tragic Adieux à la vie! sung on a single note, to the sustained operatic embellishments of Questo palpito soave.