is he really all that he`s cracked up to be?
(that`s the general question of this thread..opinionated of course by the nature of the question, and if you want to be immature about it, then by all means...i`m not offended..i just find it absolutely childish)

my opinion on this: he can double tongue and has commendable tone. otherwise i don`t find him impressive at all. (i`m assuming the guy can circular breathe because i don`t hear him stop for this one piece...but i may be wrong) i feel that he doesn`t have any emotions when he plays. and frankly, some of the phrasing that he does on some pieces is really horrible. (personal opinion once again)

I personally find him very talented and I hear a lot of passion in his playing. That is not to say that there are not other professionals that are equally talented. He was able to market his talent and he had a talent to market.

I think it is really a matter of taste. Just as in choosing a flute. What I think sounds good may not sound as good to another persons ears.

I personally would love it if Sir James would visit my state. I would want to be sitting in a front row seat.

Kim

he was here for a concert but i wasn`t in town or i would have definitely gone and seen it. Emmanual Pahud is my idol though! i missed his master class when i was in Aspen because i didn`t have my flute

I`ve never heard him more live than watching him in a Christmas concert on TV this past December ... he plays really well

It`s also a little bit dependent on your musical tastes, as well. Most of Galway`s music I`ve heard has been in the context of performing along with the Chieftains (a well-renowned Irish traditional music group). He is very well suited to that genre, and thus, as far as I`m concerned, he`s one of the best out there (in my opinion, anyways).

I enjoy his playing. I think he goes overboard sometimes playing with almost too much power. In some of his bach songs he performed it`s too much trying to sing it all out if that makes sense and not delicate at all. Yet at times this can be great and what I like about him. If you listen to his movie theme cds it`s great because that`s the nature of the piece big and draumatic probably why I love movie soundtracks versus classical peices. I also enjoy romantic era peices over any time period. But yeah I feel lots of peices he plays the same all the time. And sometimes I feel his vibrato is WAY too much like spitting out pellets incessantly. Like I keep saying overboard. I still really enjoy his works and have cds and listen all the time. I just wish other soloists had as much exposure and recording deals as he does. We need more comercialized flute stuff, varied and GOOD flute stuff. Rhonda Larson plays nicely. Galway seems to play things technically very very well but yeah it is alot of times seems the same. And all his irish peices are phenominal but that`s his main thing and those are nice!

James Galway’s main thing is Irish pieces! I think not mysticalwaters1. Most of his CD’s are Classical as are his concerts
http://www.superflute.com/newdisk.htm


http://www.superflute.com/bio.htm

Try the two links. Have fun.

Having heard Sir James (on recordings) when he was Principal Flute of the Berlin Philharmonic (at some disgusting young age), I felt he was a phenomenal musician. But hearing him now play things such as "Wind Beneath My Wings", et al, is a waste of his ability. Although I think it`s cool he`s brought his Irish music/ancestry to the eyes and ears of newer generations. I agree with the comment re: vibrato - it seems a little too much (but I have always been a firm believer that sometimes the most beautiful tone is the simple one - even with no vibrato at times). I had heard a while ago that in a masterclass, he expected people to play their scales up to the 4th octave! (All you who think High C is the highest note, take note!) And made some young flutists cry because he was extremely demanding. But, he IS James Galway, probably the most famous flutist to even non-musicians. The most phenomenal flutist/musician I have EVER heard at this point is Thomas Robertello (Prof at Indiana University)- after 20 years of playing and listening, I heard him do the most beautiful and extraordinary things! Perhaps a new thread on the great flutists would be cool?

Latest tour dates for Galway lovers, note no Irish music but lots of Mozart, my favourite.

http://www.superflute.com/tour.htm

I didn`t mean he plays only irish i mean when he plays them they sound great geeze.

I would say yes. My flute studio went to see him in houston a couple of weeks ago, and he was great!! We sat in the FRONT ROW, and when he came out, we were DIRECTLY in front of him (so key we could see the C# trill key, the other other engraved keys and his embouchure placement .. like steel!) ... it was awesome, he kept winking at us, so cool ( I still get excited thinking about it!). Major inspiration for me, he was the first "world professional" player I`ve ever heard. We were the only ones to get a picture with him, and he talked to all of us for quite some time ... besides his flute playing, he has a charisma that shines ... a natural charmer!! He isn`t the only one, though, he was lucky enough to get marketed, and took advantage of it (wouldn`t you?) Hey fluteloops, I think I know which song you`re talking about. My professor told me that he sneaks in his breaths rather well, but she heard from somewhere they did some editing, not sure it this is true, though. So, James Galway - Yes!! There are others, though. Take time to listen to as many professional flute players as you can. It sure did change me and my view of playing.

of course take oportunity to get recording deals I really enjoy james galway I`m just stating I love flute so much I want MORE!

he played the flute solo in Fantastia on Greensleeves very well ... it was really pretty