When I met James Galway's charming Swiss wife at RCA's reception in late January to celebrate the flautist's return after recuperating from injuries received in an accident which happened to him near his home in Lucerne last August, she told me that it happened on one of the very rare occasions when he had gone out for a walk without her. 'His mentor, Marcel Moyse, who is in his late eighties, was giving a series of masterclasses near Lucerne, and Jimmy thought he ought to go to see him again before he left the city. I stayed home – and it was on his way that the accident occurred'. 

Galway was run into by a motorcyclist. He had stepped on to the grass verge to avoid the machine but, as he says: 'He went into me rather than passing me by. I had a broken arm and two broken legs. I was quite conscious as I was rushed to hospital, and realized right away what had happened'. 

Six months, and one serious operation later the arm has now quite mended, and the legs are well repaired , so that at the time of writing he hoped that he would be able to walk again by this month. The accident and long spell in hospital have not dampened the familiar high spirits, the leprechaun twinkle in the eye. Quite the contrary; Galway seems even more full of fun and quips than ever, while at the same time gaining spiritual sustenance from his unhappy experience. It has, he feels, brought him closer to God: 'In the past I have dithered with various beliefs. Now I feel that I've really got somewhere, into a really concrete contact with the Almighty. I recall the week after my operation, I was reading the Scripture Union notes as I am accustomed to do. There I came across Verse 8 of Proverbs III about refreshing one's bones. When I read that, I nearly fell out of bed. I mean that's getting the message straight'. 

As soon as he could move his arm again Galway was practising, and as anyone who saw the recent BBC 'World of Music' programme will know, he showed no ill effects from the accident, and he has now resumed his concert career. This month he is in Britain playing with the Zagreb Soloists, with whom he has recorded a disc of Bach concertos. 'I play as naturally in the studio as in a recital. I like to record a work in a single go – no fiddling around with say take 492! That's when you get the boring results.' 

On the stocks is another 'Showcase' album the Mozart Flute and Harp Concerto with the LSO and Levine, and Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata arranged by Galway for the flute: 'Schubert wrote it in three octaves. I just move some of the music up an octave, and there are other changes to accommodate the music to the flute, but quite in the character of the piece. You know that I've often done it in public recitals, though not in England, and people seem to like it. It's an absolute winner – I can feel people relaxing into the music'. 

Then Rodrigo is writing a Concerto pastorale specifically for Galway. 'I wanted something to go on the reverse side of my transcription of the Concierto de Aranjuez. I've still got to do that. I should have done it while I was incapacitated, but I was always so busy talking to nurses and visitors in hospital, and playing chess, that I just didn't get down to it'. 

Further in the future is a possible record of Bach sonatas with Kyung-Wha Chung and Raymond Leppard. "I always enjoy working With Leppard. He adds a particular stimulus to whatever is the work in hand. As soon as he puts his hands on the keyboard, the music seems to leap off the page. He's a wonderful partner, and I'm looking forward to this further Cooperation with him.' 

The TV show was light-hearted. Galway felt that , though he played adequately, he hadn't quite got back to top form. 'I hope to turn on the full power soon' was his typical comment. 'I think I'm really on my way again'. 

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