For the seventh volume in his complete Granados survey on Naxos, pianist Douglas Riva uncovers no less than five previously unrecorded works. The 10 Valses Sentimentales are intimate, nostalgically tinged character pieces whose modest demands might attract pianists looking for an alternative to Schumann's Kinderszenen. Though primarily valuable for pedagogical purposes, a group of seven short studies serve as delightful thumbnail sketches for the following--and previously recorded--Six Expressive Studies in the Form of Simple Pieces. The Minuetto exudes rococo charm, with a main theme that evokes the opening strain of Paderewski's Minuet in G. Perhaps the most substantial discovery here is La Gondola (its manuscript came to light in 2001). The work's outer sections are characterized by lilting sonorities, offset by a turbulent central episode. Granados' mellower side always brings out the best in Douglas Riva, whose quiet authority and poetic instincts are well captured by Naxos' slightly distant yet full-bodied pickup. As usual, Riva's succinct annotations are scholarly and informative. [9/13/2004]

--Jed Distler