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 standard Pell�as et M�lisande Suite, a reading both suave and supple that is characterized throughout by a remarkable beauty of sound. Emphasizing the idyllic aspect of Faur�'s conception, Dutoit is at his best in the suite's inner movements. The recording is ideally atmospheric and well detailed, and, combined with Faur�'s Requiem, is the preferred one. --Ted Libbey