Tuesday 1 October 2013

Tune of the Day: The Cuckoo and the Nightingale

 from Köhler's “25 Romantic Studies”

This birdsong-like piece is étude No. 22 from Italian flutist and composer Ernesto Köhler's 25 Romantic Studies, Op. 66.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 2 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Hare's Maggot

 Traditional English tune

This English country dance tune was first published in 1701; it later appeared as “Up with Aily” in 1703. The musical meaning of ‛maggot’ is a short tune, probably from the ancient Italian word maggioletta, meaning a plaything.

Categories: Dance tunes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Thursday 3 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Albinoni

 from “Trattenimenti armonici”

This Allegro in E minor is the second movement of the eighth Sonata from the Trattenimenti armonici collection by Italian Baroque composer Tomaso Albinoni.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 4 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Adagio by Blavet

 from Sonata for two flutes in D major

This Adagio is the opening movement of a Sonata in D major for two flutes by French Baroque composer Michel Blavet. It was first published in 1728.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 5 October 2013

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

 from “30 Caprices for Flute Solo”

This 7/16-time piece, to be played as fast as possible, is the twenty-fourth étude from Sigfried Karg-Elert's 30 Caprices: a “Gradus ad Parnassum” of the modern technique for flute solo.

Categories: 20th century Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Sunday 6 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Portsmouth Rout

 Traditional English tune

This jig appears to be unique to London publisher Charles and Samuel Thompson's Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, published in 1765.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Monday 7 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Allegro by John Ranish

 from Flute Sonata in G minor

This Allegro is the central movement of Sonata No. 11 in G minor from John Ranish's XII Solos for the German Flute, Op. 2, first published in London in 1744.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 8 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Prélude in G major

 Flute duet by J.B. de Boismortier

This prelude opens the third section of the 55 Easy Pieces collection by French Baroque composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier.

Categories: Baroque Written for Flute Difficulty: easy
Wednesday 9 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Trills and Appoggiaturas

 from Köhler's “25 Romantic Studies”

This is étude No. 17 from Ernesto Köhler's 25 Romantic Studies, Op. 66. As the title says, it is intended to be a study in ornaments and grace notes, with particular attention to trills and short appoggiaturas (also known as acciaccaturas).

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 10 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Two Mile Bridge

 Traditional Irish double jig

The title of this Irish double jig probably references the town of Two Mile Bridge in Dungarvan, County Waterford, because piper O’Farrell (in whose Pocket Companion, published c. 1806, the tune appears earliest) had a close connections with the county.

Categories: Celtic Music Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Friday 11 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Presto by Handel

 from Flute Sonata in B minor

This is the third movement of a sonata in B minor for flute and harpsichord, sometimes referred to as HWV 367b, by George Frideric Handel. It was originally composed around 1712 as a recorder sonata in D minor, version that is now known as HWV 367a.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 12 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Blavet

 from Sonata for two flutes in D major

This Allegro is the second movement of a Sonata in D major for two flutes by French Baroque composer Michel Blavet. It was first published in 1728.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 13 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Study by Karg-Elert

 from “30 Caprices for Flute Solo”

Today we propose the twenty-sixth étude from Sigfried Karg-Elert's 30 Caprices: a “Gradus ad Parnassum” of the modern technique for flute solo. The quintuplets should at first be practiced as if they were made up of two sixteenth notes followed by a triplet; later, the five notes must be equally balanced.

Categories: 20th century Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Monday 14 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Governor Littleton's Delight

 Traditional English tune

This country dance tune is unique to London publishers Charles and Samuel Thompson's Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, published in 1765.

Categories: Dance tunes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Tuesday 15 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Vivement by Naudot

 from Flute Sonata in A major

This is the fourth and final movement of a flute sonata in A major by Jean-Christophe Naudot, a French composer and flutist of the early 18th century.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 16 October 2013

Tune of the Day: La Piteuse

 Flute duet by J.B. de Boismortier

This is the second duet in G major from the 55 Easy Pieces collection by French Baroque composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier.

Categories: Baroque Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 17 October 2013

Tune of the Day: The Spinning Wheel

 from Köhler's “25 Romantic Studies”

Today we propose étude No. 15 from Italian flutist and composer Ernesto Köhler's 25 Romantic Studies, Op. 66. You should give the impression that this piece is played by two flutists, one playing the melodic phrase and the other playing the accompaniment.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 18 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Father John MacMillan of Barra

 Traditional Scottish tune

This pipe march, very popular in the Scottish Highlands, was composed by Norman MacDonald, compiler of the Skye Collection, a compilation of over 400 fiddle tunes published in 1887.

Thanks to Ronald for suggesting this tune!

Categories: Celtic Music Marches Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 19 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Adagio in G major by Albinoni

 from “Trattenimenti armonici”

This Adagio in G major is the third movement of the eighth Sonata from the Trattenimenti armonici collection by Italian Baroque composer Tomaso Albinoni. It has absolutely nothing to do with the infamous Adagio in G minor once attributed to Albinoni.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 20 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Larghetto by Blavet

 from Sonata for two flutes in D major

This is the third movement of a Sonata in D major written for two flutes by Michel Blavet. It was first published in 1728.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 21 October 2013

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

 from “30 Caprices for Flute Solo”

This piece, to be played “a little bit agitated, but well-phrased”, is the twenty-seventh étude from Sigfried Karg-Elert's 30 Caprices: a “Gradus ad Parnassum” of the modern technique for flute solo.

Categories: 20th century Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Tuesday 22 October 2013

Tune of the Day: The Jovial Dancers

 Traditional English tune

This jig appears to be unique to London publisher Charles and Samuel Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, published in 1765.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Wednesday 23 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Minuet by John Ranish

 from Flute Sonata in G minor

This minuet is the closing movement of Sonata No. 11 in G minor from John Ranish's XII Solos for the German Flute, Op. 2, first published in London in 1744.

Categories: Baroque Minuets Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 24 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Les Chi-en-lit

 Flute duet by J.B. de Boismortier

This is the third duet in G major from the 55 Easy Pieces collection by Baroque composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier. The French title “Les Chi-en-lit” refers to a typical character of the Paris Carnival, an event that has been held at least since the 16th century.

Categories: Baroque Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 25 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Study in D major by Kummer

 from “32 Etudes amusantes et instructives”

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

Categories: Classical Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 26 October 2013

Tune of the Day: The Circassian Circle

 Traditional dance tune

This English/Scottish country dance tune and reel appears in Howe's 1,000 Jigs and Reels, published around 1867.

Categories: Dance tunes Reels Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Sunday 27 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Adagio by Handel

 from Flute Sonata in B minor

This is the fourth movement of a sonata in B minor for flute and harpsichord, sometimes referred to as HWV 367b, by George Frideric Handel. It was originally composed around 1712 as a recorder sonata in D minor, version that is now known as HWV 367a.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: easy
Monday 28 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Blavet

 from Sonata for two flutes in D major

This Allegro is the fourth movement of a Sonata in D major for two flutes by French Baroque composer Michel Blavet. It was first published in 1728.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 29 October 2013

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

 from “30 Caprices for Flute Solo”

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

Categories: 20th century Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Wednesday 30 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Hook's Contra Dance

 Traditional dance tune

This contra dance tune, possibly of American origin, appears in the music manuscript copybook (dating from around 1810) of Ann Winnington, a resident of New York City. The title probably refers to James Hook, a prolific English composer who held tenure at several of London's fashionable tea gardens as organist.

Categories: Dance tunes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Thursday 31 October 2013

Tune of the Day: Gravement by Naudot

 from Flute Sonata in E minor

Today we propose the opening movement of a flute sonata in E minor by Jean-Christophe Naudot, a French composer and flutist of the early 18th century.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate