le Petit Violon

Even on its first record "L'Escapade" (1974), Mona Lisa appeared as a dedicated follower of the theatrical, emotional and melodramatic rock created by Ange. The emphasis, the sensibility, the vocal subtlety of Dominique Le Guennec goes beyond the usual style. He "lives" his lyrics and surprises the listener by performing an expressive and suggestive music that evoke Genesis. The group got better with each album. "Grimaces" and especially "Le Petit Violon De Monsieur Grégoire" are two different landmarks of their technical maturity, that is evident thanks to a Steve Hackett style of guitar and the growth of the singer's vocal power and charisma. A true landmark of the Seventies French Progressive rock scene.

This set includes two of the rarest and hardest to find of all recordings: the 1958-59 version of the Bach Cello Suites by Janos Starker – the one everyone says his later recordings cannot match – and the extremely beautiful performance of Bach's unaccompanied violin sonatas and partitas – the one that Japanese collectors pay 3-digit dollar prices for – in outstanding EMI Digital Re-Masterings.

Founded in 1973, in Orleans, this is a symphonic band in the style of Genesis, but with a distinctively French flair (Because of it's peculiar stage show they are labeled as French Theatric Symphonic in some sources)…