Joseph Moog (who I last heard on disc in Rachmaninov and Anton Rubinstein) offers a selection from Scarlatti’s 555 keyboard sonatas along with what he aptly describes as the ‘creative offshoots’ of Tausig, Friedman and Gieseking, all three legendary pianists. And whether you consider Scarlatti ‘illuminated’ or obscured, you will surely delight at such enterprise and performances as finely shaded and imaginative as they are dextrous.

With Tausig you note a romantic thickening of textures and voices, and whether in the gentle elaboration of his ‘Pastorale’ Kk9 or in the wildly chattering spin (complete with surprise, perky end) of Kk519 you will surely sense a virtuoso gloss of affection rather than perversity. Friedman’s way with Kk466 is like Scarlatti seen through Brahms; and if the odd man out is Gieseking, his take on Kk32 is certainly intriguing – a hallucinatory, quasi-impressionistic slant that for many will be more monstrous than delectable. As Moog puts it, Bach inspired a immense range of responses whereas Scarlatti prompted a limited reaction, making his recording of exceptional interest. Finely recorded, he ends on a sombre rather than exuberant note (Kk32), a return to reality after several irrepressible high jinks.