Free Flute Sheet Music

Tune of the Day: President Madison's March

Alexander Reinagle was born in Portsmouth, England, but in 1786, at the age of 30, he settled in New York and began teaching music. He soon moved to Philadelphia, where he revitalized concert music and became a popular musician. Reinagle demonstrated his patriotism for his adopted country by composing several works based on American scenes and patriots. He is even thought to have taught George Washington's adopted daughter.

In 1802 Reinagle wrote “Madison's March” to honor of James Madison, then Secretary of State. In 1809, Madison became the fourth president of the United States, and he was the first president to host an official inaugural ball. When he and his wife, Dolley, entered the ballroom filled with over 400 guests, the band played “President Madison's March”.

Thanks to Maddie for suggesting this piece!

Tune of the Day: Sally Magee

This jig first appeared in Francis O'Neill's collection Dance Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1907. It is however related by its first strain to another tune, similarly known as “Sally McGee”, which was published in O'Farrell's Collection of National Irish Music for the Union Pipes about a century earlier.

Tune of the Day: Study in B minor by Andersen

Here is another étude by Joachim Andersen. This 3/4-time Adagio in B minor is study No. 6 from Twenty-Four Etudes for Flute, Op. 33. It will let you revise many different rhythmic patterns.

Tune of the Day: L'ho perduta, me meschina!

The title of this aria literally means “I have lost it, woe is me!”. It is taken from the very beginning of Act IV of Mozart's opera Le nozze di Figaro, and is sung by Barbarina, Susanna's cousin. Terribly upset, Barbarina is searching the garden for something that she has lost. When Figaro arrives with his mother Marcellina and asks the weeping girl what's wrong, she replies that she has lost the pin that the Count gave her to deliver to Susanna as a token of their tryst. Angry, but pretending that he already knows all about it, he plucks a pin from Marcellina's dress and gives it to Barbarina, who goes off to give it to Susanna. Figaro collapses into his mother's arms, then rage overtakes him as he vows to avenge all deceived husbands.

Tune of the Day: Serenade

Les millions d'Arlequin (or Harlequinade) is a ballet in two acts with libretto and choreography by Marius Petipa and music by Italian composer Riccardo Drigo. It was first presented in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1900.

Drigo's score spawned the popular salon repertory piece known as the “Serenade”, which the composer later rewrote as a song called “Notturno d'amore” for the Italian tenor Beniamino Gigli. The piece has since been arranged for every conceivable instrument, particularly the violin and piano.

Tune of the Day: The Man in the Moon

There are many traditional Irish tunes known under the title “The Man in the Moon”. This particular one is taken from Francis O'Neill's Dance Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1907.

Tune of the Day: Pasquinade

This lively study is the sixth piece from French flutist Johannes Donjon's Huit Études de Salon (“Eight Parlour Studies”) for solo flute.

Thanks to Jane for suggesting this piece!