Before the arrival of Simon Rattle, Louis Frémaux had sharpened the abilities of England's CIty of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra during his decade of tenure as music director. Appropriately enough, some of his highest accomplishments were in the French repertory, but under his attention, the CBSO became a flexible and stylish ensemble in a wider repertory and began closing its distance from the five London orchestras. Indeed, Frémaux's penchant for clarity of sound served all of his orchestras well, from Monte Carlo to Sidney, Australia. While a student at Valenciennes Conserv...