BRAVO! He must be approximately 76 years old in this performance. He knows it isn't technically perfect and he knows he has some arthritis in his fingers, but until some of you younger critical writers below (shame on you) experience aging, you won't know what it is like to have your heart STILL burning with your passion and in Galway's case, unbelievable musical ability, albeit in an aging body that limits his ability to continue express it. The basic elements of the one and only "Galway" were still present in his performance. I know that made his own heart jump as well as at least some of those enlightened in the audience. Aging is part of life! He was at a School in Birmingham England, not Carnegie Hall! Again, BRAVO!
I recently participated at the Galway Flute Festival and I can tell you all that Sir James still has the speed in his fingers. I can only wish I still have that at the age of 84!!!! This man is a legend !!
@@THEBOSS47MLG must agree... I feel like a lot of the feeling is lost because he plays it too fast. He is my favorite Flautist and my inspiration. But he doesn't play my favorite song the best :)
I didnt know Galway was still alive. Its wonderful to hear Chaminade. She really writes well. Contemporary for her time without being ironic or violent.
Anyone else spot that B nat - B flat thumb slide at about 2:07? My teacher (the amazing Edward Walker FRAM, FRCM) would have given me grief for that. Still, what an awesome performance from the master! The tone and technique still just blow me away. Inspirational genius.
@@yishihara55527 I'm sure you haven't heard of him - but I suspect from your comment that you don't play the flute either. If you did, you might know that it is far more difficult to control the transition from B to Bb sliding your thumb than it is to use your 1st finger and it is something that serious students are encouraged to avoid. We've all done it of course but I'm willing to bet that it isn't something that Galway would advocate. Maybe if you keep at it, you'll figure out what I'm talking about one day - and it has nothing to do with "standard fingerings".
As I said before, you stuck up Brits know more and more about less and less. Check this out, chap: Question: Do you ever slide the thumb from B natural to Bb? Answer: Yes, there are some passages where this makes a nice effect if you do it well. It is a good technique to know, but it must be practiced to work out the gymnastics. The person who answered the question is a French bloke...not sure if you ever heard of him...Jean-Pierre Rampal. So why don't you stick that in your royal pipe and smoke it!
To be honest, as a flutist myself I understand what you mean, but at the same time there might’ve been more convenience for him to slide his finger to thumb B flat at that spot instead of having to use his right index finger because of the measures that followed that contained B flats. Personally, I’ll use this method as well when playing pieces and seeing that there may be a B flat a few notes ahead. I think we also have to take into consideration his hand/finger size and how they are generally larger, so the transition may have also been easier due to that. Though, I do think it’s just preference because I know I’ll do some weird stuff with my fingers (that work for me) in my pieces that my flute teacher would give me grief for as well haha.
@@natalietoledo212 When you are young, it's best to stick with standard fingerings because this creates a solid foundation. It later years when standards become extremely high, you will need to "cheat" here and there for superior musical results.
@@natalietoledo212 There's nothing wrong with sliding from B to Bb per se, but in this example your arguments don't really stack up with what he does here. In other chromatic sections of comparable tempo he used his 1st finger - which of course gives greater accuracy, since you know exactly when the Bb hole will close, which you don't really get when you slide your thumb. Having said that, I closed my eyes over that section and can't honestly say I hear any lack of evenness; But he's Galway so that's hardly surprising. Maybe he was sight reading? Incidentally, whilst looking for an example of where he uses his first finger (3:37), I came across another naughty slip at around 6:02. Do you spot it? - and 4:57 makes me realise that he is indeed human.
@@fabriciorodriguezsampaio4601I mean I hate dictatorial camera work. I don't want to see what someone thinks is interesting. I want to just see the objective truth that I see add a concert or I am free word whatever grabs my attention when I am trying to learn English at a concert, where I am free to watch whatever grabs MY attention. When I am trying to learn the fingering of a flute part I don't want to suddenly cut to a face shot during the rest of the most interesting musical passage. This video was perfect for fellow flute players. We could learn from the Master, not be led around by a cynical person more interested in advertising than art.
I can't see this flute playing anywhere less than a miracle. If I played, it will blow like whistle atleast in one or other higher notes. Is it a flute problem or my problem or what ,everything is a reason.
no, it could be a flute problem but most likely you just need to practice more in your embrochure. it takes thousands of hours of practice to get anywhere near the level of control he has on those high notes.
At earlier stages of learning the flute, in order to hit high notes one must blowwww a crazy amount. The note is produced, but it sounds screechy and awful. In order to hit the high note while also making it sounds good is really difficult. You could try different things such as increasing the speed of your air, roll the flute out a little bit or push your bottom lip forward which alters where the air direction will go. These all work very well. They make the note less screechy and more balanced. But they take years to master, so practice!!!!!
I’m a classically trainer flutist and I have full lips that has nothing to do with sound. It’s like a singer when they depress the tongue for their high notes and they push from the diaphragm the same with the flutist. The depressing of the tongue opens the throat to allow for the full tone to produce with all the flow of breath. You have to practice everyday for 30 min tone development exercises by Marcel Moyse. In 6 months you will hear the improvements in your tone. It take discipline and consistency however you will get there.
I know after he broke both his arms back in late 2009 he has never played at his best since. He couldn't play for ages and so his tone deteriorated as you can see in this video. He also has an eye condition called nystagmus which I think would have added to the difficulty. The fact is that Galway is just getting old. It's sad to see and must be hard on him not being able to play as well as he used to, but it was bound to happen eventually. A humbling fact for all of us that rely on our mortal bodies for work. He has now started putting more emphasis into his teaching with the academy as it's still possible for him to teach even though he can no longer perform at a world class level. The next generation of flautists will take his place and he is at that stage in life where he will make it his priority to nurture them and pass on all that he has learned.
The fact is that this performance, though not JG’s best, is still inspirational when you consider his age. Most flute players could not hope to play that well when so advanced in years. Every time he muffs up just notice how quickly he recovers and carries on. He is a fabulously consistent player. He’s always been an inspiration in my life and always will be.
I have to say that both he and Emmanuel Pahud play this piece as if they were on runaway trains. I never understood what the rush was all about. The melodies are lovely and lilting and need to be played as such, and the drama needs to be better accentuated. One can't when playing at a brake neck pace.
It's like he only practiced the fast passages and forgotten about tone studies. I can't believe such a fan pull guy would crack in the middle register like that.
@@jondishmonmusicandstuff2753 We have two issues. One, the disrespectful people in the comments who are delusional and think they can do better. The other issue is older artists not retiring when they should.
I disagree. I didn't read it all I just got to he hasn't played as well and more less think u lose your technique. Notes on flute depend on not only rolling out a little but raising our top lip. He still plays awesome to me. I have that peice memorized. I'm 42 now and I've had it memorized since I was 15. I quit practicing gave up let life hit whatever u want to call it. But when it comes to music it's a gift. And I can't still play that peice perfect. So yes I believe he's still number 1 with lizzo. My name is Liz o. But spelled dif. No hard feelings please.
To say something good about the pianist. It is simply impossible to follow Mr. Galway. There is no consistent, logical or understandable tempo through the whole piece. I can't understand, what he is doing. And no orchestra of the world could follow and accompany. And in bar 132 you can hear the aggression of the lady. And I can understand her. 😊
@@cjf5521 sorry, that's NOT the way. It is a piece for flute and orchestra, and if you play it with a piano reduction, it's not enough to just hammer down the notes.I played it as a flutist when I was 17 for my Premier Prix exam, and I made a transcription for grand organ and flute that I recorded , this time playing the organ that became my professional concert instrument.I guess I know the piece extremely well....
Some people say WTF ! Means that sound is good ! If you don’t understand flute , don’t judging! Because you guys don’t know what kind of flute sound is good, what kind of sound is bad ! You guys only know he is a famous , he played so fast! That’s it ! Famous is not mean good ! Fast not means good ! I Agree he is a famous guy ! But he is not a good flute player! In my 30 year flute playing experience!
