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.
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!
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.
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.
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”.
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.
This prelude opens the second section of the 55 Easy Pieces collection by French Baroque composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier.
Thanks to Paolo for contributing this piece!
Today we propose étude No. 27 from Italian Romantic composer Giuseppe Gariboldi's collection of 30 Etudes faciles et progressives.
This jig first appears in Francis O'Neill's Music of Ireland (Chicago, 1903). Collector George Petrie, whom Paul de Grae believes is O'Neill's source for the tune, describes it as a “rebel's march in 1798”, a reference to the Irish Rebellion of 1798 against the British Crown.
This is the fourth and final movement of Handel's Sonata in G minor for Recorder. Handel later reused this movement for his Flute Sonata in E minor, making only a few changes to the melody.
This Allegro in D major is the fifth and last movement of the first of Jean-Baptiste Loeillet's Six sonatas of two parts, made on purpose for two German flutes, composed in 1720.
Today's piece is the tenth étude from Sigfried Karg-Elert's 30 Caprices: a “Gradus ad Parnassum” of the modern technique for flute solo.
This variant of the famous “Greensleeves” tune is taken from Francis O'Neill's collection The Dance Music of Ireland (Chicago, 1907). Its title was a common name for the red-coated British Army (which always had a large number of Irish conscripts), but also refers symbolically to the union of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Under the title “The Bunch of Currants”, a very similar tune had previously appeared in R.M. Levey's First Collection of the Dance Music of Ireland (1858).
The Goldberg Variations are a set of an aria and 30 variations for harpsichord composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. First published in 1741, the work is named after Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, who may have been the first performer.
The aria is a slow sarabande in 3/4 time, and features a heavily ornamented melody. It is played at the beginning of the Variations, and then repeated at the end of the work. It is also found in Book II of the 1725 Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, copied by Bach's wife herself. In this instance, the aria bears neither the name of the composer nor the title of the piece: it is therefore possible that the author of this wonderful piece is anonymous. However, as musicologist David Schulenberg has pointed out, “the Aria is neither Italian nor French but specifically German galant in style, and certain details point directly to Bach, especially the beautiful broadening out of the rhythm into steadily flowing notes in the last phrase”.
This is the third duet in E minor from the 55 Easy Pieces by Baroque composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier. The French title “La Seduisante” can be translated as “The Seductive One”.
Thanks to Paolo for contributing this piece!
Today we propose étude No. 28 from Italian Romantic composer Giuseppe Gariboldi's collection of 30 Etudes faciles et progressives.
“Kalina Malina” is a traditional Polish folk and military song dating back to the 1800s. While its author is unknown, it probably originated in the regions of western Mazovia, where it enjoys great popularity.
As with many folk songs, the lyrics are not quite set in stone, but they usually feature a young girl or lover talking to a guelder-rose (kalina) and a raspberry (malina) bush, with themes of love, nature, and sometimes war. The song is a staple of Polish wedding music, and is often played during receptions.
Thanks to Martin for suggesting this tune!
“La donna è mobile” (“Woman is fickle”) is the cynical Duke of Mantua's song from Giuseppe Verdi's 1851 opera Rigoletto. The inherent irony is that it is the callous playboy Duke himself who is mobile (“inconstant”) This canzone is famous as a showcase for tenors, and has been recorded by Enrico Caruso, Mario Lanza, Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and hundreds of others. Before this song's first public performance, which took place in Venice, it was rehearsed under tight secrecy: a necessary precaution, because it proved to be catchy and soon after its first public performance every gondolier in Venice was singing it!
This is the second movement of an A-minor sonata composed by Jean-Baptiste Loeillet around 1710. The sonata, originally written for recorder and continuo, has been arranged for two flutes.
Thanks to Lauryn for suggesting this piece!
This light and fast 4/8-time piece is the twelfth étude from Sigfried Karg-Elert's 30 Caprices: a “Gradus ad Parnassum” of the modern technique for flute solo.
This jig first appeared in Francis O'Neill's collection Music of Ireland, published in 1903. O'Neill's source for the tune was Chicago Police Sergeant and fiddler James O'Neill (no relation), originally from County Down in Ireland.
It's been a while since we last posted a Telemann Fantasia, so here we are.
Telemann's Fantasia No. 4 for Solo Flute is in the key of B-flat major. It is structured like a “modern” sonata in three movements, slow-fast-fast. More precisely, it starts with an Andante which has many jumps between the first and second register, then switches to a triple-time Allegro, and finally ends on a Presto in da capo form.
Here is the fourth duet in E minor from the 55 Easy Pieces by Baroque composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier. The French title “L'Indiscrète” means “The Indiscreet One”.
Today we propose étude No. 29 from Italian Romantic composer Giuseppe Gariboldi's collection of 30 Etudes faciles et progressives.
This jig appears to be unique to Francis O'Neill's early-20th-century collections Music of Ireland (1903) and The Dance Music of Ireland (1907), both published in Chicago, where O'Neill was working as Police Captain.
Today we are very happy to propose a piece which was kindly contributed to our collection by its composer, Cheryl Cleveland-Kannianen.
“A Holy Praise” is an original composition for alto flute and piano appropriate for worship or recital. It begins and ultimately circles back to the bright and traditional Christian hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy”, but the majority of this work is a creative exploration of expanded melodies, textures and key signatures. The piece is characterized by an upbeat beginning, with a middle section which turns pensive before returning to a pleasant cheerful pace. It then closes with a majestic and strong ending, taking full advantage of the alto flute voice.
Full duration of this piece is 4.5 minutes. If a shortened version is needed, it is possible to create a satisfying 3-minute version by retarding at measure 59 and holding the chord on beat 3 as an ending.
Dr. Cheryl Cleveland-Kannianen is a retired scientist who is now pursuing a Music Degree at Meredith College in Raleigh, NC, with a focus on composition. Music has long been her therapeutic hobby; she has served as an active member of the Music Ministry of several churches throughout her adult life. Cheryl is also an avid flute player and has been a participant in various flute choirs within the Raleigh Area Flute Association (RAFA) for over a decade. This piece is her first offered composition for alto flute and piano.
Sebastiano Festa was an Italian composer of the Renaissance period. While his musical output was small, he was one of the earliest composers of madrigals, i.e. secular (as opposed to religious) songs that were arranged for several vocal parts.
One of Festa's madrigals, “O passi sparsi”, based on a sonnet by Petrarch, acquired some fame beyond Festa's limited circle. It was copied in many manuscripts up to mid-century, and appeared in instrumental arrangements as well.
Thanks to Doug for suggesting this piece!
This is the thirteenth étude from Sigfried Karg-Elert's 30 Caprices: a “Gradus ad Parnassum” of the modern technique for flute solo. It is marked quasi 2 flauti, meaning that it should almost sound as if it were played by two flutes; which is why it is written as two distinct voices.
This jig is taken from Francis O'Neill's collection Dance Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1907. It is one of the earliest tunes that O'Neill remembered hearing from his boyhood in County Cork, Ireland.
Probably the oldest appearance of this jig is in Alday's Pocket Volume of Airs, Duets, Songs, Marches, etc. (Dublin, 1800), where it is listed under the title “Go to the Devil and Shake Yourself”, although that is also the name of a different 18th-century British tune.
This piece appeared in the second of two volumes of works that Johann Sebastian Bach presented to his wife Anna Magdalena. A number of the compositions in this second volume are of questionable authorship, though they are often listed on J.S. Bach's works list. Other family members, including Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, are known to have written some of the pieces, one of which might have been this charming March in D major. The piece has a playful melody, and shows that kind of irresistible charm and bouncy exuberance that has typified so much of Mozart's early keyboard works.
This is the very first movement from a collection of twelve sonatas by Jean-Baptiste Loeillet, first published around 1710.