What is 'French' about French composers and players? In these recordings we can hear virtuosity, tangy tone colours, and a sheer joie de vivre that can be missing from some more careful modern performances. Tempos are breakneck, especially from pianist/composer Francis Poulenc and in the Trio by Georges Auric; but there is a Debussy-like sensuousness in Albert Roussel's Divertissement. The oboist in that piece is Pierre Pierlot, who can also be heard in the solo oboe part of Andre Jolivet's Serenade, and in a Sonata by Jacques Hotteterre.

Two lesser-known composers here are Marguerite Roesgen-Champion with a delightful Pastorale and Pierre-Octave Ferroud, with an original and virtuosic Trio. Other oboists featured include Louis Bas, Louis Bleuzet, Roland Lamorlette and Myrtile Morel.

Includes a 24 page booklet, with oboist and scholar Geoffrey Burgess writing about the milieu that produced this fertile outpouring of French wind writing and playing.

Contents:
Francis Poulenc:
- Trio (written 1926, recorded 1928)
Roland Lamorlette (oboe), Gustave Dherin (bassoon), Francis Poulenc (piano)

Ludwig Thuille:
- Gavotte from the Sextet (written 1887, recorded 1929)
René Le Roy (flute), Louis Bas (oboe), Achille Gras (clarinet), Edouard Hénon (bassoon), Jules Vialet (horn) with Erwin Schulhoff (piano)

Georges Auric:
- Trio (written c.1938, recorded 1938)
Myrtile Morel (oboe), Pierre Lefebvre (clarinet), Fernand Oubradous (bassoon)

Albert Roussel:
- Divertissement, op.6 (written 1906, recorded 1955)
Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute), Pierre Pierlot (oboe), Jacques Lancelot (clarinet), Paul Hongne (bassoon), Gilbert Coursier (horn), Robert Veyron-Lacroix (piano)

Marguerite Roesgen-Champion:
- Pastorale (recorded 1936)
Louis Bleuzet (oboe), Auguste Cruque (cello), Marguerite Roesgen-Champion (piano)

Jacques Hotteterre:
- Suite/Sonata in D (written 1715, recorded 1950)
Pierre Pierlot (oboe), Pauline Aubert (harpsichord)

Pierre-Octave Ferroud:
- Trio (written 1933, recorded 1936)
Myrtile Morel (oboe), Pierre Lefebvre (clarinet), Fernand Oubradous (bassoon)

Igor Stravinsky:
- Pastorale (written/arranged 1907/1933, recorded 1933)
Louis Gromer (oboe), Georges Durand (cor anglais), André Vacellier (clarinet), Gabriel Grandmaison (bassoon), Samuel Dushkin (violin)

André Jolivet:
- Sérénade pour quintette à vent avec hautbois principal (written 1945, recorded 1958)
Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute), Pierre Pierlot (oboe), Jacques Lancelot (clarinet), Paul Hongne (bassoon), Gilbert Coursier (horn)

Jules Massenet:
- “La Troyenne regrettant sa patrie” from Les Erinnyes (written 1873, recorded 1931)
Louis Gaudard (oboe), Maurice Marechal (cello), with orchestra conducted by Elie Cohen