| At
14 Jimmy went to London to study with John Francis. For three years
he lived with John and his wife, the harpsichordist Millicent Silver
in their home in St. John's Wood. Compared to Belfast, London seemed
out of this world, but Jimmy soon found his way around with the
help of his trusty bike. John Francis became an important influence
in Jimmy's life, introducing him to the world of great thinkers
and writers as well as helping his technical ability and insisting
on his learning pieces from memory.
Many
friends entered Jimmy's life in London. Some old friends and some
newer ones come together now to play a favourite piece of Jimmy's.
William
Bennett came into Jimmy's life shortly after he went to live with
John Francis. Wibb was about three or four years older than Jimmy
and Jimmy thought he was just the bee's knees. He was a real flute
maniac and whereas Jimmy might leave off long enough to eat a meal,
Wibb was such a zealot that he would try to cram a steak between
his teeth while making an embouchure on the flute.
Wibb
and Jimmy knocked about together for many years. When Wibb made
his first seven quid he took Jimmy out to a Greek restaurant in
Soho for a terrific kebab.
Wibb
and Jimmy often got up to pranks. Once they pinched some wigs from
the Sadlers Wells wardrobe and walked out into the street wearing
them. When they went into a restaurant, Wibb took off the wig and
hung it on a peg, startling the life out of half the customers.
Then Wibb dragged Jimmy into a chemist's shop and told the assistant
that he'd had an electric shock which had turned his hair grey and
was there any ointment or other treatment she could suggest to help
him.
Whilst
at the Royal College of Music Jimmy played in the London Schools
Symphony Orchestra. They were quite a merry bunch in the orchestra.
Daphne Webb on cello, Ruth Davis on viola, Brenda Cullity on violin,
Clifford Bevin on trombone, Terry Leahy on trumpet and Harry Green
on piano. Here he met Elmer Cole.
Jimmy
transferred from the Royal College to the Guildhall and shared a
flat in Notting Hill with his friend Robert Dawes. He then studied
with Geoffrey Gilbert at the Guildhall, who was another major influence
on Jimmy's playing, helping to develop his own style and personal
way of playing.
During
this period, while he was studying at the Guildhall and taking lessons
from Geoffrey Gilbert, he was already doing all sorts of little
gigs here and there. One day somebody rang him up and asked him
if he would do a gig in Manchester. Jimmy was due to take a lesson
from Geoffrey, but rang up his wife and said that he had diarrhoea,
a favourite excuse in those days with students. The gig was to play
second flute for the BBC Northern Orchestra and to Jimmy's horror,
just as everyone settled into place, who should stride on to the
platform to give a solo performance of the Nielsen Concerto, but
Geoffrey. He took his bow, then turned to Jimmy and said, 'Oh, there
you are, I thought you were ill?' 'I am, as a matter of fact,' he
managed to stutter, wishing the floor would open under him. 'Well,
you'd better come for your lesson tomorrow morning, don't you think?'
After
this spell in London Jimmy went to study at the Paris Conservatoire.
Tony Mayer, the cultural attaché to the French Embassy asked
him round to his office and asked, 'Look, Jimmy, do you really want
to play the flute? You wouldn't like to be a conductor or something?'
At the time, the idea of his conducting a bus was preposterous enough;
the idea of him conducting a full symphony orchestra sounded like
science-fiction. How things change!
In
the end the Conservatoire was to prove the most substantial disappointment
of his career. He was only twenty one, desperately idealistic, looking
for all the answers in a single word. And he was in Paris. And the
word never came. Nor any of the answers, either. Within eight months
Jimmy was ready to quit. And, in fact, he did quit.
Although
he left the Conservatoire, Jimmy loved Paris and practised and practised
and when he wasn't practising, he was picking up the odd bob or
two busking in the Metro.
However,
Jimmy decided to leave Paris and return to Sadler's Wells.
When
his son Stephen was on the way he was delighted to land a job with
the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He was then offered the job of first
flute with the London Symphony Orchestra and his salary doubled
to £100 a week.
After
this Jimmy joined the Royal Philharmonic but Herbert Von Karajan
and the Berlin Philharmonic beckoned.
In
1975, after 6 years with the Berlin Philharmonic, Jimmy decided
to establish a solo career. Within a year he had recorded his first
4 L.P.s and played more than 120 concerts. In 1979 he was awarded
the Order of the British Empire. Since then his solo career has
been a phenomenal success story. He has done so much to promote
flute playing.
Jimmy's
multitude of concert and recital performances, TV appearances and
classical recordings, added to his crossover recordings and willingness
to explore new areas of repertoire, have helped to raise the profile
of the flute to new heights.
Jimmy
has strived hard to raise the standard of flute playing amongst
students of all ages and he is, of course, renowned for his sense
of humour.
Jimmy's
and Jeanne's support of Flutewise is unstinting. They have a genuine
love of young people and their music making. This is a birthday
tribute to you, Jimmy, from all the Flutewise members here today.
Go
to:
Introduction
James
Galway Life Story Part 1 James Galway - his early life
James
Galway Life Story Part 2 James Galway - professional flute
player
Party
Programme A Birthday Tribute
People
that took part Our thanks to those who gave their time
Messages
Happy Birthday messages from around the world
Big
Thanks A VERY BIG THANK YOU |
