The Man with the Golden Flute: Sir James, a Celtic Minstrel - Hardcover

by James Galway (Author), Linda Bridges (With)

The internationally acclaimed, widely beloved flutist reflects on his storied career

Sir James Galway is one of the top musicians of our time, with a dazzling career that has spanned five decades and many genres of music. Now he celebrates his seventieth birthday with a look back on his incredible career, during which he has traveled around the world many times over and made countless friends, including legends from the worlds of classical and popular music. He reflects on the challenges he faced coming from the poverty of working-class Belfast and making the decision to go solo as a flutist, as well as the triumphs as he made his way to the top of his profession.

• Offers a rare, personal glimpse at the life of a modern musical master whose work has ranged across the musical spectrum with collaborators as diverse as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Chieftains, John Denver, and Pink Floyd
• Includes delightful stories from Galway's career of more than fifty years
• Shares the challenges of touring and of melding public and private life

By turns witty and informative, engaging and inspiring, The Man with the Golden Flute is a captivating read for fans of Galway and his music.

Front Jacket

How did a young man with few resources rise from a poverty-stricken, working-class neighborhood, cheek by jowl with the Belfast shipyards, to become the most celebrated flute player and the most televised and recorded classical artist performing today? Practice? Of course. But as Sir James Galway reveals in this highly entertaining and moving autobiography, it took a great deal more than that.

In "The Man with the Golden Flute," Sir James looks back on a long life in the pursuit of music and the many people who helped him along the way, and tells the story of his great adventure from the very beginning. He reflects on the challenges he faced coming from one of the poorer sections of Belfast, becoming a leading orchestral musician, and then making the decision to go solo, as well as the milestones he reached as he made his way to the top of his profession. He shares delightful stories from his more than fifty-year career, during which he has traveled around the world many times and made countless friends, including legends in the music world, both classical and popular.

Sir James begins with reminiscences of his youth, when his parents, avid musicians both, encouraged and guided his development as a flute player and made great sacrifices to make sure he had the instruments and the training he needed. He also recalls fond memories of his first full-time professional position, his first recording session, and his awkward response to the stranger who accosted him on the street to offer him the position of first flute in the London Symphony Orchestra. He reveals how a dispute with the legendary Herbert von Karajan at the Berlin Philharmonic opened the door to his solo career; how he met and courted a young flute player named Jeanne Cinnante and has been touring with her ever since; and how he became known as "the man with the golden flute." He also recalls the terrible accident that very nearly cost him his life and, without question, changed it forever.

This stirring account is also a valuable resource for aspiring musicians. Sir James offers insights into what it takes to become an outstanding player and how to keep growing and developing as an artist long after your formal schooling is over. He also has plenty of tips on dealing with fellow musicians, orchestra managers, and fans.

Complete with charming, sometimes hilarious tales of Sir James's performances with collaborators ranging from Mstislav Rostropovich to Henry Mancini to the Empress of Japan, "The Man with the Golden Flute" is a must-read for Galway fans, music lovers, and anyone who is fascinated by the life and times of the world's most popular classical musician.

Back Jacket

The Internationally Acclaimed Flutist Reflects on His Storied Career

Sir James Galway is one of the top musicians of our time, with a dazzling career that has spanned five decades and many genres of music. Now he celebrates his seventieth birthday with a look back on his incredible career, during which he has traveled around the world many times over and made countless friends, including legends from the worlds of classical and popular music. He reflects on the challenges he faced coming from the poverty of working-class Belfast and making the decision to go solo as a flutist, as well as the triumphs as he made his way to the top of his profession.

Author Biography

Sir James Galway, nicknamed "the man with the golden flute," is widely regarded as both a supreme interpreter of the classical flute repertoire and a consummate entertainer whose appeal crosses all musical boundaries. As the most televised and recorded classical artist performing today, Sir James has made himself a legend, a modern musical master whose virtuosity on the flute is equaled only by his limitless ambitions and vision.

Linda Bridges is coauthor with John R. Coyne Jr. of "Strictly Right: William F. Buckley Jr. and the American Conservative Movement."