The oboe has held a special place in France's culture since the time of Louis XIV, and on Bienvenue en France the oboist François Leleux, partnered by pianist Emmanuel Strosser, performs works originating from the 20th century. The composers are Debussy, Saint-Saëns and Dutilleux, the lesser-known Pierné, Bozza and Sancan, and the contemporary Thierry Pécou. This music could not find a more eloquent advocate than Leleux, praised by The Scotsman as "a remarkably charismatic, flamboyant performer, matching immaculate technique with a dazzlingly vivid identification with his music