Friday 6 March 2026
from “Carmen” by Georges Bizet, arranged for Flute solo
This piece originally came just before Act 2 of Bizet's famous opera Carmen. It's a little march, later sung by Don José, concerning his military platoon. The lighthearted air was later also included as an instrumental piece in Carmen Suite No. 1, where the theme is introduced by the bassoons, and then, as usual, distributed among the woodwinds for its few repetitions.
Thursday 5 March 2026
Traditional Irish jig
This jig first appeared in Francis O'Neill's celebrated collection Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903. However, its first strain is clearly part of the same family as “The Creel of Turf”.
Wednesday 4 March 2026
from “30 Caprices for Flute Solo”
Today's piece is the ninth étude from Sigfried Karg-Elert's 30 Caprices: a “Gradus ad Parnassum” of the modern technique for flute solo.
Tuesday 3 March 2026
from Sonata for Two Flutes No. 1
This Largo in B minor is the fourth movement of the first of Jean-Baptiste Loeillet's Six sonatas of two parts, made on purpose for two German flutes, composed in 1720.
Monday 2 March 2026
aka “Song of the Seashore”
Japanese composer Tamezo Narita composed this beautiful yet pacific song in 1916, two years after entering the Tokyo Music Academy. In recent times, James Galway popularized the song among flutists, including it in many of his albums.
Thanks to Johann from Sri Lanka for suggesting this piece!
Sunday 1 March 2026
Traditional Irish jig
Under the title “Ellis' Jig”, this tune first appears in Francis O'Neill's collection Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903. However, it has very strong similarities with the Scottish song “The Roses Blaw”, which probably dates back to the late 18th century.
Saturday 28 February 2026
from “Thirty Easy and Progressive Studies”
This study in syncopation is Etude No. 26 from Italian Romantic composer Giuseppe Gariboldi's collection of 30 Etudes faciles et progressives.