Vittorio Rieti’s admission that his musical style was largely neo-Classical belies a cosmopolitan openness to influences that range from Les Six, the Second Viennese School and Stravinsky. This recording shows a youthful and at times mischievous approach – Rieti frequently puts a smile on the face of his music, united with a fondness for brevity, and melodies reminiscent of the atmosphere of Parisian clubs. The Chess Serenade has a whiff of New York Broadway about it, and the dance character in many of these pieces reflects Rieti’s successful work for the stage. Following on from the critically acclaimed first volume (GP921), Giorgio Koukl – described as ‘one of the five or six greatest living pianists today’ by The Art Music Lounge – is once again joined in the works for piano duo by the prize-winning pianist Virginia Rossetti.