One of the humbling things about reviewing new recordings is realizing just how much great music has been created over the centuries and how much of it is relatively unknown. Bottiroli - Complete Piano Works 4 - Mementos has been one such eye-opener - at least for me! José Antonio Bottiroli (1920-1990) was the grandson of Italian immigrants to Argentina who composed his first works for the piano in 1955. In addition to his piano music, Bottiroli composed works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, and choirs; he was also a poet. One of the things that make this album and the three volumes that preceded it unique is that Fabio Banegas met Bottiroli when he was fourteen and became one of his students. He obviously knew the composer very well and brings a great deal of insight to the music. The previous albums in the series are Waltzes (Vol. 1), Nocturnes (Vol. 2) and Elegies (Vol. 3). (I have not heard those recordings yet, but I plan to very soon.) Not all of the music on this album is solo piano. Banegas performs twenty of the twenty-six tracks; the The Brno Philharmonic, one of the largest Central European orchestras, appears on one track and was conducted by Francisco Varela; members of the same orchestra appear on two other tracks; Antón & Maite Piano Duo played on five; and Duo du Rěve (flute and piano) perform on one. The variety in the music as well as the instrumentation make this a fascinating listening experience!

Fabio Banegas is an award-winning Argentine-American classical pianist and music publisher who has performed solo and with orchestras all over the world. He has released albums on the Naxos, Grand Piano and Guild Music labels, and has presented World Premiers of many works both solo and with orchestras as well as on recordings and live performances. He studied at the National University of Rosario and earned a Master of Music degree from California State University, Fullerton; he also studied journalism at UCLA. Banegas has appeared in several Hollywood film and TV productions as a pianist.

There are too many tracks on the album to mention them all. The musical styles vary widely with some pieces that are light-hearted and spirited while others are darker and more pensive.

The album begins with “Symphonic Impressions for Piano and Orchestra On Some Themes by Mario Tarenghi” (1955), a bright and optimistic piece that gives the album a “Wow!” factor while setting the stage for what follows. “Como Es… in E Minor” (1979) is a soulful piano solo with a powerful beginning that slows and becomes more introspective before the lively first section returns to bring it to a close - a favorite! “Triste in F Minor” (1977) indicates the influence of JS Bach. Very dark yet beautifully melodic, it’s a heartfelt stand-out. “Toccata in E Minor” (1977) also suggests a Baroque influence but feels much more modern - also a favorite. “Adagio in C Minor - Ritornel” (1980) weaves together a number of diverse themes in its almost 7 1/2 minute playing time, expressing a range of moods and emotions that often include a touch of mystery. “Melodia Para Flauta y Piano, Memento” (1985) is an elegant piece for flute and piano that suggests the freshness of springtime; it is the most-recent piece on the album. “Six Piezas Para Piano” (1980) is a group of six short piano solos that range from gentle and delicate to bright and more powerful. The last three tracks are “Suite for 2 Pianos in Bb Major - Argentina” (1980), performed by Antón and Maite Piano Duo, an internationally-acclaimed Spanish duo - again, quite diverse and beautifully performed.

Bottiroli - Complete Piano Works 4 - Mementos is available on CD, to download and to stream on Amazon; to stream and download on Apple Music/iTunes; and on many streaming services including Spotify and Pandora. If you’re feeling musically adventurous and looking for something different, be sure to check it out!