KHACHATURIAN (ARR. JAMES GALWAY): VIOLIN CONCERTO. ADAGIO...

KHACHATURIAN (ARR. JAMES GALWAY): VIOLIN CONCERTO. ADAGIO OF SPARTACUS AND PHRYGIA, FROM “SPARTACUS.” WALTZ FROM “MASQUERADE.” SABER DANCE FROM “GAYANEH.” James Galway, flute; Myung-Whun Chung conducting Royal Philharmonic. RCA Red Seal Compact Disc. RCD1-7010. Galway is bringing new riches to the flute repertory: first Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons,” then Franck’s Violin Sonata, now Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto. And all arranged for the flute with such ingenuity and musicality that the finished product sounds as if the composer himself created the music for that instrument. Few flutists can match Galway’s persuasiveness as an arranger, and his sweet, lyrical style is perfectly suited to Khachaturian’s limpid melodies, especially the three encores (the Saber Dance has never sounded less abrasive or more elegant). The digital sound seems made for the flute’s particular timbre.