Free Flute Sheet Music

Tune of the Day: Santianna

This shanty is popularly supposed to have been started by British seamen who jumped ship to serve with Mexican general Antonio López de Santa Anna in the Mexican-American War (1846–1848). Tension between the USA and Britain was still high, and Santa Anna became a hero-figure to those countries opposing the US.

A French-language version of the song, “Santiano”, was popularized first in the early 1960s by Hugues Aufray, then in 2005 when it was successfully covered by Star Academy 5. It is now by far the most well-known shanty in France.

Thanks to Guillaume for suggesting this tune!

Tune of the Day: Air varié by Demersseman

Today we propose a cheerful piece for flute and piano by French flutist and composer Jules Demersseman. It is composed of two parts, a 6/8-time Andante and a 2/4-time Allegro.

Thanks to Bruno for contributing this piece!

Tune of the Day: Carillon by Bizet

This is the fourth and last piece from the first of the two suites taken from the incidental music that Georges Bizet composed for Daudet's theatrical play L'Arlésienne. this “Carillon” features a repeating bell-tone pattern on the horns, mimicking a peal of church bells. It is interesting to observe that the central Andantino is an actual flute duet in the original arrangement.

Thanks to Leah for suggesting this piece!

Tune of the Day: Study in B minor by Köhler

This étude in B minor is taken from the first book of Twenty Easy Melodic Progressive Studies by Italian flutist and composer Ernesto Köhler. It mainly focuses on articulation, and at the beginning you will find the indication molto staccato, demanding for a very sharp staccato.

Tune of the Day: The Midlothian Pipe Band

This 6/8-time march was composed by Farquhar Beaton, who was Pipe Major of the 48th Highlanders of Canada from 1900 to 1913. Pipe Major Beaton experimented with part-playing on Highland bagpipes, and is responsible for introducing the playing of parts in pipe bands in Canada.

Thanks to Ronald for suggesting this tune!

Tune of the Day: Adagio by John Ranish

This Adagio is the opening movement of Sonata No. 3 in B minor from John Ranish's XII Solos for the German Flute, Op. 2, first published in London in 1744.

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Scherer

This is the opening Allegro of a Sonata in G major written for three German flutes by Johann Scherer, a German composer of the 18th century.

Thanks to Joyce Kai for suggesting this piece!

Tune of the Day: Study in D minor by Berbiguier

Here is the fourth étude from 18 exercices pour la flûte traversière by French Romantic composer Benoit Tranquille Berbiguier. You will probably find it a little more challenging than the other ones we have posted.

Tune of the Day: Le Cabriolet

This French country dance tune appears in the 1757 contradance book (tunes with dance instructions) of Robert Daubat (who styled himself “Robert d'Aubat de Saint-Flour”), a French dancing master who taught at several schools and theaters in Gent, Belgium.

Tune of the Day: Adagio in A minor by Albinoni

No, this is not that Adagio by Albinoni, which by the way is not by Albinoni at all. (The infamous Adagio in G minor was composed by Remo Giazotto in 1958, and is still subject to copyright.) Instead, this is an actual Baroque composition, the third movement of an A-minor sonata written by Tomaso Albinoni around 1712.

Tune of the Day: Largo by Scherer

Here is the relatively slow second movement of a Sonata in G for three flutes written by Johann Scherer in the 18th century.

Tune of the Day: By the Seaside

This étude is No. 21 of Ernesto Köhler's 25 Romantic Studies, Op. 66. It is also known under its French title “Au bord de la mer”, and as the indication at the beginning of the piece says, it should be played imitating the sound of the waves crashing on the shore.

Tune of the Day: The Fairhaired Boy

This Dorian-mode tune, which dates back to at least the first half of the 19th century, also goes by the titles “The Freheen Jig” and “The Boys from Carrickroe”. The title “The Fairhaired Boy” is sometimes seen as a reference to Bonnie Prince Charlie Stuart, who was known by the allegorical name “The Fair Lad“ (“An Buachall Bán”).

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Albinoni

This lively Allegro in A minor is the second movement of the sixth Sonata from the Trattenimenti armonici collection by Italian Baroque composer Tomaso Albinoni, who originally composed it for violin and basso continuo.

Tune of the Day: Duet in F-sharp minor by Köhler

Today's piece is duet No. 10 from the first volume of Ernesto Köhler's Twenty Easy Melodic Progressive Studies.

Tune of the Day: Study in B-flat major by Berbiguier

This is the fifth technical étude from 18 exercices pour la flûte traversière by French Romantic composer Benoit Tranquille Berbiguier. To be played with metronomic regularity.

Tune of the Day: General Elliot's Delight

This melody first appeared in print in a 1765 country dance collection published in London by Charles and Samuel Thompson. The title refers to General George Augustus Elliot (c. 1718–1790), a military officer renowned for his intellect, self-discipline, and his skillful handling of troops.

Tune of the Day: Grave by Platti

This is the opening movement of a Sonata for flute and basso continuo in G major, composed around 1743 by Italian Baroque composer Giovanni Platti.

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Scherer

This is the third movement of a Sonata in G for three flutes written by the 18th-century German composer Johann Scherer.

Tune of the Day: Study in A major by Köhler

This 4/8-time étude in A major is taken from the first book of Twenty Easy Melodic Progressive Studies by Italian composer Ernesto Köhler.

Tune of the Day: Centennial Waltz

This B-flat-major waltz was composed by fiddler Don Messer, probably in honor of the Canadian Centennial in 1967. Messer became widely popular throughout Canada as a result of his radio broadcasts and long-running television show, Don Messer’s Jubilee.

Tune of the Day: Little Serenade

Today we propose the melody of a short piece for solo piano attributed to the great Austrian composer Franz Joseph Haydn. The piece appears in at least a couple collections of piano pieces, but unfortunately none of these books seems to mention an opus number for it. It is actually quite possible that the piece was not composed by Haydn, especially given its resemblance to the famous Serenade by Roman Hofstetter, which also used to be attributed to Haydn.

Thanks to Henry for suggesting this piece!

Tune of the Day: Menuet by Scherer

This Menuet and its accompanying Trio constitute the closing movement of a Sonata in G major written for three flutes by Johann Scherer, a German composer of the 18th century.

Tune of the Day: Study in G minor by Berbiguier

This study in triplets is taken from 18 exercices pour la flûte traversière by French Romantic composer Benoit Tranquille Berbiguier.

Tune of the Day: Holden's March

This march tune appears in the music manuscript book of James Findlay, dated 1841. Findlay was originally from Scotland, but emigrated with his brothers to Australia, where he settled on a farm in the Upper Murray. His manuscript was found in an old sea chest at the family homestead in 2000 by his grand-daughter, Ada Findlay.

Tune of the Day: Larghetto by Albinoni

This Larghetto in A minor is the opening movement of the sixth Sonata from the Trattenimenti armonici collection by Italian Baroque composer Tomaso Albinoni.

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Scherer

This is the first movement of the second Sonata for three flutes by Johann Scherer.

Thanks to Joyce Kai for contributing this piece!

Tune of the Day: Study in F-sharp minor by Köhler

Here is a new étude from the first book of Twenty Easy Melodic Progressive Studies by Italian flutist and composer Ernesto Köhler.

Tune of the Day: Campbell's Farewell to Redcastle

The Campbell referred to in the title is probably Captain Robert Campbell of Glenlyon, who led troops in the massacre of Glencoe Pass in 1692. Redcastle is a village on the north side of Beauly Firth, approximately 100 miles from Glencoe; its castle, built in 1179, is now in a state of ruinous disrepair, but it was until relatively recently one of the oldest inhabited houses in Scotland.

The Scots Guards Standard Pipe Settings suggests that “The Sweet Maid of Glendaruel” follow “Campbell's Farewell to Redcastle”. The march also found its way across the Atlantic, where it's played in Old-Time and Bluegrass circles.

Tune of the Day: Giga in E minor by Platti

This is the final movement of a Sonata for flute and basso continuo in E minor, composed around 1743 by Italian Baroque composer Giovanni Platti.

Thanks to Nina for suggesting this piece!