France's contribution to the genre of the Baroque solo concerto seems late and tentative, but it is fascinating to see how French composers celebrated the arrival of the violin and combined Italian robustness and French elegance in their works. Johannes Pramsohler and Ensemble Diderot take a journey to the origins of this hybrid form, presenting here the very first violin concertos by French composers, with two world-premiere recordings of concertos by Jean-Marie Leclair and Andre-Joseph Exaudet at the heart of this virtuosic and exciting programme.

"Pramsohler, violinist and founder of Ensemble Diderot, has given careful thought to the construction and originality of his programmes" - BBC Music Magazine

"[this is] music that would shine through even in merely adequate performances, but Ensemble Diderots one-to-a-part readings on original instruments are truly superb...."- Gramophone Magazine