Free Flute Sheet Music

Tune of the Day: Cahill's Workshop

This jig first appears in Francis O'Neill's collection Dance Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1907.

The title probably refers to Chicago police Sergeant and uilleann piper James Cahill, a member of O'Neill's Irish Music Club in Chicago at the turn of the 20th century and a contributor of tunes to the O'Neill volumes. O'Neill writes:

Sergeant Cahill, unassuming as he was, possessed many quaint tunes from County Kildare, where he was born, and besides being an Irish piper, he was an expert wood-turner. In a shop in the basement of his residence he made many chanters equal to Taylor's work in tone and finish. Even as a reed-maker he had few equals, and what was still better, his liberality and assistance were never appealed to in vain.

Tune of the Day: Study in E major by Karg-Elert

This “very lively, sparkling” étude is the nineteenth piece from Sigfried Karg-Elert's 30 Caprices: a “Gradus ad Parnassum” of the modern technique for flute solo.

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: Fantasia for Solo Flute No. 5

Telemann's Fantasia No. 5 for Solo Flute is in the key of C major. It starts with a Presto in which the flutist seems to play both the melody and a pedal tone. This fast introduction alternates twice with a slow Adagio, then leaves the place to the fugato writing of the second movement, an Allegro in 9/8 time. Another Allegro, this time in the style of a canarie (a fast dance from the Renaissance and Baroque eras), ends the Fantasia.

Tune of the Day: Carbray's Frolics

This jig first appeared in Francis O'Neill's collection The Dance Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1907. It was obtained from an Edison recording by fiddler James Carbray, from Québec, Canada, who later moved to Chicago, and since the tune was previously unnamed, O'Neill named it in honor of his source.

Tune of the Day: Double Tonguing

This is étude No. 14 from Ernesto Köhler's 25 Romantic Studies, Op. 66. As the title suggests, it is intended to be a study in double tonguing, a fairly advanced technique which enables flutists to repeat the same note rapidly, but may take a lot of practice to master.

Tune of the Day: Andante by Köhler

This basic flute duet in G major is taken from Volume I of Ernesto Köhler's Forty Progressive Duets. In this piece the main melody is given to the first flute, while the second flute plays an accompaniment role.