Sir James Galway in Pittsburgh

Tonight, it's the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra with Sir James Galway as the flute soloist for Mozart's 2nd Flute Concerto, a “Carmen Fantasy” by Bizet and other works.

Leonard Slatkin guest conducts. Also on the program Haydn's 67th Symphony and Alan Hovhaness' 2nd Symphony, "Mysterious Mountain".

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Leonard Slatkin, cond.; *Sir James Galway, flute
HAYDN: Symphony No. 67
HOVHANESS: Symphony No. 2, "Mysterious Mountain"
[PSO fill: *OVERTON, David: “Galway’s Fair”;  *MANCINI: “Penny Whistle Jig”; and “Pink Panther Theme”]   *MOZART: Flute Concerto No. 2   *BIZET: Carmen Fantasy

Host Jim Cunningham speaks at length with Sir James at points in the program. Sir James Galway is clearly a virtuoso, but he's also a great interview (-V.Trauth)

If you don't know Alan Hovhaness' Symphony No. 2, "Mysterious Mountain" (1955) I highly recommend it. The work was written on commission from conductor Leopold Stokowski for the Houston Symphony. After hearing the performance in Houston, Hubert Roussel wrote of it in the Houston Post: "Hovhaness produces a texture of the utmost beauty, gentleness, distinction and expressive potential. The real mystery of Mysterious Mountain is that it should be so simply, sweetly, innocently lovely in an age that has tried so terribly hard to avoid those impressions in music". (courtesy of liner notes to CD Delos 3157 Seattle Symphony/Gerard Schwarz recording of Hovhaness' 2nd Sym. by Neil Stannard) (- V. Trauth)

(photo property: nola.com)