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Tune of the Day: Fantasia for Solo Flute No. 8

Here we are again with a new Fantasia for Solo Flute. This is No. 8, and it's in the key of E minor. It starts off with a slow, elegant Allemande full of large intervals. You will also find some rarely-heard chromatic lines, which give a very peculiar character to this movement. Rameau once wrote that the key of E minor is never merry, even in an allegro. His remark is certainly apt here: the central Spirituoso is way too agitated to be considered happy. The last movement is in the style of a Polonaise, a Polish dance in which the second beat should be played softer than the first one, and the third beat should gently lead to the next measure.

Tune of the Day: Open the Door for Three

An early version of this tune first appeared in the 2nd edition of John Playford's Dancing Master (London, 1652) as “Winifred's Knot, or Open the Door to Three”.

The melody must have become popular in Ireland, because Smollett Holden later included it in his Collection of Favourite Irish Airs (London, 1806).

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

Today we present the twelfth study from Italian composer Giuseppe Gariboldi's Etudes mignonnes (Dainty Studies), Op. 131.

Tune of the Day: Largo by Loeillet

This Largo in G major is taken from Belgian Baroque composer Jean-Baptiste Loeillet's second book of Six sonatas of two parts, made on purpose for two German flutes, first published in London in 1720.

Thanks to Joyce Kai for contributing this piece!

Tune of the Day: Giga from Il Pastor Fido

This lively dance in 6/8 time is the last movement of Sonata No. 1 in C major from the collection of six sonatas titled Il pastor fido (“The Faithful Shepherd”).

This collection has always been attributed to Antonio Vivaldi until recently. According to modern scholars, however, in 1737 French composer Nicolas Chédeville made a secret agreement with Jean-Noël Marchand to publish a collection of his own compositions as Antonio Vivaldi's Il pastor fido. Chédeville supplied the money and received the profits, all of which was attested to in a notarial act by Marchand in 1749. This may have been an attempt to give his instrument, the musette (a sort of bagpipe), the endorsement of a great composer which it lacked.

Thanks to Béatrice for suggesting this piece!

Tune of the Day: Drops of Brandy

This tune is very old, and although it has always been very popular in Ireland, it might have first originated in Scotland. Its earliest known appearance is in the Scottish Drummond Castle Manuscript, which is inscribed “A Collection of Country Dances written for the use of his Grace the Duke of Perth by Dav. Young, 1734”.

“Drops of Brandy” is also the name of a specific country dance known throughout the British Isles. O'Neill's Irish Minstrels and Musicians (1913) tells us that in Ireland “a special dance was performed to the melody”, and indeed, “Drops of Brandy” is a favorite tune for solo step dancing competitions.

Tune of the Day: Study in A-flat major by Kummer

This is the thirteenth study from German flutist and composer Caspar Kummer's 32 Etudes amusantes et instructives, Op. 129, first published in 1858.