Telemann's sixth Fantasia is in the key of D minor. It starts off with a lyrical slow movement marked “Dolce” (which is Italian for “sweet”), divided into two parts, each repeated. Therefore, if you plan to add Baroque embellishments, it is better to save them for the repeats. The middle movement is a fast Allegro in fugal style, which leads into a rapid “Spirituoso” resembling a rondeau.
This is the third movement of an A-minor sonata written by Belgian Baroque composer Jean-Baptiste Loeillet of Gant around 1710.
This 11/8-time étude is the seventh piece from Sigfried Karg-Elert's 30 Caprices: a “Gradus ad Parnassum” of the modern technique for flute solo. The marking “Un poco mosso, umoristico” means “A little agitated, with humor”.
This syncopated jig appears to be unique to Francis O'Neill's collection The Dance Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1907. The first strain is in the major mode, while the second strays into Dorian mode before returning to the major.
“Vesti la giubba” (“Put on the costume”) is a famous tenor aria performed as part of the opera Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo. It is sung at the end of the first act, when Canio discovers his wife's infidelity but must nevertheless prepare for his performance as Pagliaccio the clown because “the show must go on”.
Since the first performance of Pagliacci in 1892, this aria in particular has ingrained itself well into popular culture, and has often been featured in many renditions, mentions, and spoofs over the years. The 1904 recording by Enrico Caruso was the first million-selling record in history.
Today's piece is duet No. 8 from the first volume of Ernesto Köhler's Twenty Easy Melodic Progressive Studies.
Thanks to Bruno for contributing this piece!
This is étude No. 13 from Ernesto Köhler's 25 Romantic Studies, Op. 66. It alternates a 6/8-time Moderato in D minor and a 3/4-time Allegretto in D major.
This jig is taken from Francis O'Neill's Music of Ireland (Chicago, 1907), but the same melody had previously appeared, in a different key and under the title “Good Night, Good Night and Joy Be with You”, in George Petrie's Ancient Music of Ireland (Dublin, 1855). Petrie writes that the title “is common to several tunes of a similar character, and indicates the purpose to which they were applied, namely, as farewell dance, or march-tunes, played on the breaking up of festive meetings; and I believe this is, or, perhaps, was, the tune commonly played on such occasions in the province of Connaught.”
This famous waltz was written in 1835 and dedicated to Maria Wodzińska, with whom Chopin had fallen in love; however, her father did not want her to marry a young, poor musician. That's why this is also known as “The Farewell Waltz”.
The beginning theme of the piece, marked con espressione (“with expression”), is melancholic and nostalgic, and reaches a small high point with a fast flourish. The second part is marked con anima (“with soul”) and is somewhat more cheerful that the previous theme, but soon gives way to the same first theme. After this second rendition of the first theme is a third, more playful theme, marked as dolce (“sweet”).
This is the fourth and final movement of an A-minor sonata composed by Jean-Baptiste Loeillet around 1710. Originally written for recorder and continuo, the work has subsequently been arranged for two flutes.
This is the seventeenth étude from Sigfried Karg-Elert's 30 Caprices: a “Gradus ad Parnassum” of the modern technique for flute solo. It is marked “Leggero veloce, giocoso”, which translates as “Light, fast and playful”.
This lively jig first appeared in George Petrie's The Complete Collection of Irish Music, published in London in 1905. Petrie notes this is “A Munster single jig from Ned Goggin. From (the Irish collector) Mr. Joyce”.
This is the fifth and last movement of Handel's Sonata in C major for Recorder. It's a jaunty Allegro with a very active bass line, and a solo melody that lends itself well to ornamentation. The piece is made up of two sections, of 16 and 48 bars respectively.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Today's tune was kindly contributed to our collection by guest composer Paul Merkus.
This simple yet enjoyable atmospheric piece opens with a soothing melody accompanied by seventh chords in the piano, followed by a contrasting, faster intermezzo in triple meter. The opening theme returns in the end, albeit in a different key and with subtle variations.
This is duet No. 9 from the first volume of Twenty Easy Melodic Progressive Studies by Ernesto Köhler. It is composed of three parts: an Allegretto moderato, a plaintive (flebile) central section, and a final restatement of the opening theme.
This is étude No. 19 from Ernesto Köhler's 25 Romantic Studies, Op. 66. Can you imagine insects dancing?
This variant of the famous “Greensleeves” tune is taken from Chicago Police Captain Francis O'Neill's collection The Dance Music of Ireland, published in 1907.
It was with “Semper Fidelis” that John Philip Sousa had his first runaway hit, in the process creating what is arguably the prototype for the great American march. Sousa wrote the march in 1888, in response to a request by President Chester A. Arthur for something more appropriate than “Hail to the Chief” for use at official functions. Unfortunately, Arthur died without ever hearing “Semper Fidelis”.
Sousa considered this to be his “most musical” march, and it became the official march of the U.S. Marine Corps, whose motto “Semper Fidelis” is Latin for “Ever Faithful”.
This is the opening Allegro of a Sonata in G major written for three German flutes by Johann Scherer, a German composer of the 18th century.
Thanks to Joyce Kai for suggesting this piece!
This is the twentieth étude from Sigfried Karg-Elert's 30 Caprices: a “Gradus ad Parnassum” of the modern technique for flute solo.
This Dorian-mode jig is taken from Francis O'Neill's collection Dance Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1907. His source for the tune was accordion player Johnny O'Leary, from the Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border.
George Petrie (1855) had previously identified the melody as “a Munster jig”, and remarked that “it had a peculiar kind of dance”.
Johann Sebastian Bach's Sonata in E minor for Flute and continuo, BWV 1034 is in the usual four-movement, slow-fast-slow-fast sonata da chiesa format. The first movement, marked “Adagio ma non tanto” (“Slowly, but not much”), is usually performed at a fairly deliberate pace despite the Composer's admonition.