If you had to pick between your top three flutists recording today, who would you pick? Mine would be (in this order) Carol Wincenc, Emmanuel Pahud, and Marina Piccinini.

All three of them play Brannen-Cooper flutes.

My favorite right now is Pahud, I just bought 5 of his CDs including the Complete Bach Flute Sonatas which I love.

I have lots of other CDs by Rampal and Galway, but I wouldn't say that they are my favorite right now. I do like the Galway Mercadante Concerti though.

Carol used to play on brannens, but now she plays on a burkart. She is my absolute fave Her sound is very unique and different, it makes me just want to keep listening to her. I LOVE HER

I'm an old-timer... I have several Rampal recordings (on vinyl! ). I also have a couple recordings of James Galway (on CD).

I've got the Rampal Vivaldi Concerti on vinyl too - it was a boxed set :-)

My Dual direct drive turntable is in the closet now. Haven't used it for many years.

I have Rampal doing the Bach sonatas. they are nice, but i realize he does take them a bit fast.

Emmanuel Pahud - technique and tone
Jacques Zoon - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDJuTkhHQso - pure tone and expression
James Galway - technique and vibrato

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Patrick Gallois is also good
Rampal is not bad, but many recordings are a bit too fast.

Emmanuel Pahud, Julius Baker, Rampal (Mozart + Bach)...I'm also leaning towards Sharon Bezaly, yes I love her dark sound...Marina Piccinini...

Nicolet for the Bach Sonatas if you can find them.
Denis Bouriakov for a few YouTube performances (Esp a BAch Violin Transcription)
Josh Smith has some of the Bach Sonatas out and the 12 Telemann Fantasias are very expressive.

I have Baker's live C.D. that has the Poulenc, the Muczynski, and others.... I really like well LOVE his sound, but he distorts all of the rhythms and it just sounds really amateur (and this could have been because he was older when the record was made) but I love when he plays the Mozart Concerto in G

and I have Sharon Bezaly doing the Ibert Concerto, and I really do enjoy that, but that is the only thing of hers that I have....