There can be few better ways of getting to know Scott Joplin’s Piano Rags than through this disc. Alexander Peskanov gives us a lively and invigorating selection of Rags that includes some of Joplin’s best known works. In the Maple Leaf Rag, The Entertainer and The Easy Winners his playing has a suitably relaxed, jaunty feel. The Strenuous Life sounds, quite rightly, far from strenuous; it’s laid-back and indulgent, all the while retaining its elegance. Overall, this recording is a fine addition to anyone’s collection, either to boost a Joplin collection or to initiate one!

Reviewed by Ruth Squire