Sir James Galway breathes easily at Ham Hall

Marilyn LaRocque

Monday, March 29, 2004 | 8:05 a.m.

When: Friday.

Where: UNLV's Artemus Ham Hall.

Rating (out of five stars: *****

World-renowned flautist Sir James Galway dazzled an appreciative audience at Artemus Ham Hall at UNLV on Friday night.

His wife, Lady Jeanne Galway, another flautist with international stature, joined him for sparkling duets. They were accompanied by pianist Phillip Moll, who also has a successful career as a soloist and ensemble member.

It was a brilliant musical evening.

Galway immediately established audience rapport with affable banter about what he was about to play, beginning with J.S. Bach's "Sonata in B Minor."

"Bach originally wrote it for the oboe," Galway revealed, then quipped, "but he changed it because he knew I was going to play it more often than the oboe players."

He described it as a "very, very difficult crossword puzzle, like the Sunday New York Times," which you "can't get through before breakfast."

The first movement, "Andante," showcased Galway's superb tone and technique as themes chased each other in perpetual motion, first on the flute, then the piano. Crisp, crystal-clear rapid passages were complemented by mellow, lyric phrases, then punctuated by light, floating staccato sections.

The second movement, "Largo e Dolce," lived up to its name, with sweet sounds and a leisurely pace.

With the third movement, "Presto," which also included a jig, Galway was off and running again in a lively game of musical tag, exhibiting amazing breath control. The bouncy, perky jig conjured images of dancers performing on the village green at a festival.

Introducing the next selection, four short pieces by Claude Debussy, Galway remarked that he and Moll had had a hard time deciding what to program after the showy Bach work. They chose the Debussy because of the change in tone and pace.

The four pieces were tranquil musical pictures.

Galway has such a soft breathing technique that the notes appear to be effortless. They glide from his instrument and float into the air, a perfect interpretation of the Debussy.

"Le Petit Berger" the small shepherd depicted a young sheepherder watching his flock on a hillside. The plaintive character of the full, rich lower tones contrasted eloquently with the wistful sighs of those in the upper register. "La Jeune Fille aux Cheveux de Lin" (young girl with the flaxen hair) was similarly evocative.

Familiar as it is, "Clair de Lune" (light of the moon) shimmered with a new freshness with Galway's interpretation.

Galway described the fourth piece, "En Bateau" (on a boat), as his favorite because he grew up in the town where the Titanic was built (Belfast, Ireland).

"There was nothing wrong with her when she left the shipyard," he observed, then questioned, "Had that guy ever driven a ship before? Or was it his first gig?"

Galway's boat had smooth sailing.

Although program information specified holding applause until the end of a work, the audience had repeatedly applauded between multiple movements.

Galway had smiled amiably; but, before the last work prior to intermission, he remarked, "Clap whenever you want, but not in the middle of a movement. Wait 'til I'm done."

He then suggested a good opportunity was after the Scherzo (second movement) of the next selection, the "Suite Op. 34 No. 1" by Charles-Marie Widor, "since it goes like the wind."

He was right. It was a lilting romp of scales and arpeggios, which Galway interpreted with an enchanting, light touch and the audience applauded enthusiastically afterward.

Lady Jeanne Galway joined her husband for two selections after intermission. The "Hungarian Fantasy for Two Flutes and Piano Op. 35," by Franz and Karl Doppler, was the first.

Galway commented that it was a "fun salon piece dedicated to Hungary." The duet resembled "dueling flutes," with the instruments in parallel harmony, then opposed in melody and obligato. Intricate fingering a nd double and triple tonguing, with notes fleeing up and down the flute's range at a breakneck speed, concluded the piece.

The second duet, "Five Easy Pieces" by Nino Rota, was another tour de force. It began innocently, with a quiet "La Passagiata di Puccettino," then launched into a "Serenata" of brilliant musical gymnastics, played only by Galway.

The last section, "Il Soldatino," was an effervescent duet of agile fingering and flutter tonguing with the two flutes soaring and twittering like birds.

"That's a test piece for the end of the term exams at the Paris Conservatoire," Sir James said. "I hope I passed."

Throughout the evening, he had referred to the grand master of flautists at the Conservatoire, Paul Taffanel. His "Grand Fantasy on Themes from Mignon" -- a musical Reader's Digest version of an opera by Ambroise Thomas -- ended the program in a triumphant finale of musical fireworks.

Marilyn LaRocque writes performing arts previews and reviews for the Sun.