Friday 16 January 2026
Traditional Irish jig
The earliest appearance of this tune is in the 5th volume of James Aird's Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs, published in Glasgow in 1797.
The word ‛wad’ at one time signified (a bundle of) straw, so that the title means “Moll in the straw” (possibly meaning “after childbirth”), although ‛wad’ has also been taken to mean ‛wood’. Barry Callaghan (2007) identified Moll i' the Wad, or Mother Goose, as a popular pantomime figure of the late 18th century. There are also nursery rhymes and old songs called “Moll in the Wad”.
Thursday 15 January 2026
from “30 Caprices for Flute Solo”
This is the third étude from Sigfried Karg-Elert's 30 Caprices: a “Gradus ad Parnassum” of the modern technique for flute solo.
Wednesday 14 January 2026
Traditional air arranged for three flutes and guitar
The wonderful arrangement for flute trio and guitar that we present today was kindly contributed by Chris. The piece is an old Japanese air known as “Sakura Sakura”, or simply “Sakura”.
Tuesday 13 January 2026
from J.S. Bach's Flute Sonata in B minor
This is the slow middle movement of Johann Sebastian Bach's B-minor sonata for Flute and Harpsichord. It encompasses two beautifully simple themes, which contrast the complexity of the preceding and following movements.
Monday 12 January 2026
Traditional Irish jig
This jig is taken from Francis O'Neill's collection Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903. O'Neill obtained the tune from Chicago Police Sergeant James Cahill, a uilleann piper originally from County Kildare, Ireland.
Sunday 11 January 2026
from “Thirty Easy and Progressive Studies”
This is étude No. 20 from Italian Romantic composer Giuseppe Gariboldi's collection of 30 Etudes faciles et progressives.
Saturday 10 January 2026
from Canonic Sonata for Two Flutes No. 4
This Presto is the third and last movement of Georg Philipp Telemann's Canonic Sonata No. 4. It is mostly in the key of D minor, but it features a central section in D major. Although the time signature is 4/4, it is probably more natural to think of it in cut time (2/2).
