Faure: Requiem/Pelleas Et Melisande/Pavane
A fine French touch is evident in this collaboration between the Swiss- born conductor Charles Dutoit and his Canadian orchestra. They give a highly  polished performance of the standardPelléas et Mélisande Suite,a  reading both suave and supple that is characterized throughout by a remarkable  beauty of sound. Emphasizing the idyllic aspect of Fauré's conception, Dutoit is  at his best in the suite's inner movements. The recording is ideally atmospheric  and well detailed, and, combined with Fauré's Requiem, is the preferred one.--Ted Libbey