My vote for favorite flutist of all time goes to:

Doriot Anthony Dwyer.

I realize that this is personal, and many members of the forum will have opposing opinions, but my vote goes to Doriot Anthony Dwyer.

If there has been ever been a more remarkable flutist, regarding tonal sonority, response, technical facility, projection, vibrato --- and a lovlier "sound" brought to the flute than Mrs Dwyer's playing --- then I would like your opinion(s) to oppose this.

Please listen to her playing (Google search) or recordings.

James Galway may well, indeed, be the de facto (pre-eminent)
flutist of our time, but it is he who emulated and patterned his style of playing after Doriot Dwyer's. You can "hear" this on his interview with Mrs Dwyer, on the 'net. "Doriot Dwyer."

Appreciate hearing just whom is YOUR favorite flutist.

Regards, Jim Millen

Like I said in the last thread, I could not pick a favorite. I can say that two of my favorites are...

Don Bailey (I LOVE the CD he put out!!!)
He is such a super sweet guy too!! I have had the pleasure of talking to him in email a couple of times.
http://donbailey.net/

And none other than...
Rhonda Larson!
She is also an amazing person and so wonderful with her fans. I have also had a wonderful experience talking with her through email.
http://www.rhondalarson.com/

Ian Anderson

I would have to say Sharon Bezaly!! Hard decision though, there certainly are some other super-great flutists that would be difficult to put into order.

I also have to say Ian Anderson. Not because he's the best. Far FAR from it. I've heard people on the streets in Ireland who are better than he'll ever be.

It's because he helped push the established genres in the 60s and 70s into modern and rock music as well. Plus, he's damn funny and entertaining to see in person - a really nice and eccentric guy who doesn't take himself half as seriously as most flute players.

Of course, there's also Ian Anderson's inspiration......


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb3UlZ5dbEs

the reason I mentioned Ian Anderson is for the following reason; the goal of music is to express yourself, in our case with the flute, IMHO, Ian does this in an amazing way in a unique genre, as do any great players...

I would say that Ian Anderson is very gifted. Isn't he basically self-trained?

As opposed to someone like Greg Pattillo who was touted in Flute Talk as possibly the next Anderson. BUT it says in the article that he was in fact trained at C.I.M. by Josh Smith....

I also have to say Ian Anderson. It was Ian who inspired me to take up the flute. I've just got my tickets to see him again next year

Yes, Ian is 100% self-trained. He evidently obtained a flute early in his career in trade for some equipment or such and decided to add it to the band's dozen so oddball instruments.

Experimenting with sounds from around the world was very much the "in" thing in music in the 60s. But in his case, not knowing anything about playing flute actually helped him.(there's an enormous amount of baggage most trained musicians have to un-learn to do modern music)

My vote goes to Irena Grafenauer. It's not easy finding recordings of her, though.

I never cared for the tone of either of the two "most famous" flutists, though. Galway and Rampal both just have too... uh, hard & edgy a sound for my taste.

Jim Millen is the greatest flute player of ALL time

ME

Please don't pick on Jim Millin.

You have obviously not heard him play so let's be kind.

You guys are so incredibly cruel to others here on this forum. In reality you are just a bunch of losers with nothing better to do than type away at 3:15 am.

Oh wait, that's me...

I just can't believe that Kara didn't pick James Galway. What happened?? Did I MISS something??!!?