Thursday 1 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Sarti

 from Flute Sonata No. 1 in G major

This charming 3/8-time Allegro is the closing movement of a Sonata in G major for flute and continuo, written around 1750 by Italian Classical composer Giuseppe Sarti.

Categories: Classical Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 2 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Invention in E major by J.S. Bach

 arranged for two flutes

Johann Sebastian Bach's Two-Part Inventions are a collection of fifteen short keyboard compositions, originally written as musical exercises for his students.

Today we present the sixth of the inventions in an arrangement for two flutes by Wilhelm Schönicke, originally published in 1902. Because of its syncopated rhythms, this duet demands great concentration.

Categories: Baroque Difficulty: advanced
Saturday 3 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Study in G major by Drouet

 from “72 Studies for the Boehm Flute”

This gentle Andante is the thirtieth piece from French flutist and composer Louis Drouet's 72 Studies on Taste and Style for the Boehm Flute, published in 1855.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 4 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Miss Clark's Hornpipe

 Traditional American tune

This G-major hornpipe is taken from the third volume of George P. Knauff's Virginia Reels, originally published in Baltimore in 1839.

Categories: Hornpipes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Monday 5 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Minuetto by Wanhal

 from Sonata in C major

This minuet and its three accompanying variations constitute the third and final movement of a Sonata in C major for flute or violin written by Czech Classical composer Johann Baptist Wanhal.

Categories: Classical Minuets Sonatas Variations Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 6 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Modérément by Boismortier

 from “Petites sonates à deux flûtes traversières”

This “Moderato” is the opening movement of the twelfth sonata from a collection of 12 “little sonatas” for two flutes by the prolific French Baroque composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier. At its end it features a slow 4-bar coda in 3/2 time.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 7 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Study in F major by Boehm

 from “24 Etudes for solo flute”

The study we present today is the third piece from a collection of 24 studies for the flute by Theobald Boehm, the German inventor who perfected the modern Western concert flute and improved its fingering system.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 8 October 2015

Tune of the Day: The Dark Slender Boy

 Traditional Irish air

This moving slow air is usually played on the Uilleann pipes (the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland), but if properly ornamented it can sound lovely on the flute as well. The present version of the melody is taken from O'Neill's Music of Ireland, published in 1903.

In the lyrics that are sometimes sung to this tune, the singer bemoans the dark slender bottle of whiskey, the cause of his misfortunes.

Thanks to Fred for suggesting this tune!

Categories: Celtic Music Slow airs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Friday 9 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Danza del villano

 for Two Flutes and Piano

This very nice piece for two flutes and piano was kindly contributed to our collection by Spanish composer Pablo Toribio.

The “Dance of the Villain” is part of a set of compositions for two flutes and piano titled La Princesa de la Media Luna (“The Princess of the Half Moon”). Since these compositions are based on a medieval legend that takes place in the so-called Montes Torozos (Valladolid, Spain), old Hispanic harmonies have been used. In the first part of this piece (tempo a piacere) the harmonic scheme known as “La Folia” (I-V-I-VII-III-VII-I-V) is used, which was an old compositional resource used in Spain. The second part (presto tempo) constitutes a musical metaphor of a kind of paloteo, a dance with sticks very common in the villages located in Montes Torozos. The clicking of sticks is symbolized by a rhythmic-imitative game played by the flutes. We suggest that, at this point, the flutes do not remain too close together to create a “stereo” effect.

Categories: Contemporary Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 10 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Duet in F major by Hugues

 from “School of Flute”

Today we propose duet No. 13 from the second volume of Luigi Hugues's La scuola del flauto (The School of the Flute).

Thanks to Paolo for contributing this piece!

Categories: Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 11 October 2015

Tune of the Day: I Lo'e Nae a Laddie but Ane

 Traditional Scottish jig

The title of this tune appears in Henry Robson's list of popular Northumbrian song and dance tunes (The Northern Minstrel's Budget), which he published circa 1800.

Thanks to Ronald for suggesting this tune!

Categories: Celtic Music Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Monday 12 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Study in E minor by Drouet

 from “72 Studies for the Boehm Flute”

This study on E minor scales is the thirty-first piece from French flutist and composer Louis Drouet's 72 Studies on Taste and Style for the Boehm Flute, published in 1855.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 13 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Cantabile by Sarti

 from Flute Sonata No. 3 in G major

This Baroque-style Cantabile is the opening movement of a Sonata in G major for flute and continuo, written around 1750 by Italian Classical composer Giuseppe Sarti.

Categories: Classical Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 14 October 2015

Tune of the Day: The 14th of October

 Traditional English tune

This English country dance tune first appears in print in the second volume of Alexander Stuart's Musick for Allan Ramsey's Collection of Scots Songs, published in 1724. According to Joseph Ritson's 1794 collection Scottish Songs, the title refers to the birthday of the popular Scottish King James VII.

Categories: Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Thursday 15 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Invention in E minor by J.S. Bach

 arranged for two flutes

Johann Sebastian Bach's Two-Part Inventions are a collection of fifteen short keyboard compositions, originally written as musical exercises for his students.

Today we present the seventh of the inventions in an arrangement for two flutes by Wilhelm Schönicke, originally published in 1902.

Categories: Baroque Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 16 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Study in D minor by Boehm

 from “24 Etudes for solo flute”

This agitated study is the second piece from a collection of 24 studies for the flute by Theobald Boehm, the German inventor who perfected the modern Western concert flute and improved its fingering system.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Saturday 17 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Dumbarton's Drums

 Traditional Scottish air

The lyrics of this song appear in print as early as 1724, and a tune was published in 1733. But it was not this tune! The present slow air, which probably also dates back a couple centuries, was made popular by the New York folk group The Beers Family in the 1960s.

Dumbarton's drums they sound sae bonnie
And they remind me o' my Johnnie,
Such fond delight doth steal upon me
When Johnnie kneels and kisses me.

There is also a male version of the lyrics, with “Johnnie” changed to “Jeannie”, which has notably been recorded by The Corries.

Categories: Celtic Music Slow airs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Sunday 18 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Prélude by Franck

 arranged for flute and keyboard

Today we propose the first movement of Belgian organist and composer César Franck's Prélude, Fugue et Variation, Op. 18 for organ. It was written between 1860 and 1862, and dedicated to composer Camille Saint-Saëns.

Thanks to Dawn for suggesting this piece!

Categories: Romantic Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 19 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Courante by Boismortier

 from “Petites sonates à deux flûtes traversières”

The courante we present today is the second movement of the twelfth sonata from a collection of 12 “little sonatas” for two flutes by the prolific French Baroque composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: easy
Tuesday 20 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Study in D major by Drouet

 from “72 Studies for the Boehm Flute”

This arpeggiated study in D major is the thirty-second piece from French flutist and composer Louis Drouet's 72 Studies on Taste and Style for the Boehm Flute, published in 1855.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 21 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Blue-Eyed Molly

 Traditional Irish hornpipe

This Irish hornpipe is taken from Harding's All-Round Collection of Jigs, Reels and Country Dances, published in New York in 1905.

Categories: Hornpipes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 22 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Adagio by Wanhal

 from Sonata in G major

This Adagio is the central movement of a Sonata in G major for flute or violin written by Czech Classical composer Johann Baptist Wanhal.

Categories: Classical Sonatas Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 23 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Ricercare n. 2

 Flute trio by Corrado Cristaldi

This flute trio was kindly contributed to our collection by its composer, Corrado Cristaldi from Italy. The piece was born as a useful study for intonation, but has also been performed in recitals. It features a couple of extended techniques, namely harmonics and “suono soffiato” (a.k.a. aeolian sound or son soufflé), where the flutist has to produce a very airy sound (this effect is not present in the MIDI and MP3 previews, sorry about that).

The main theme is loosely based on an Italian Catholic song by A. Marani, “Il Signore è la mia salvezza”. The literary quotations in French are a tribute to the travellers/writers who have described Italy in the eighteenth century.

Categories: Contemporary Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Saturday 24 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Study in B-flat major by Boehm

 from “24 Etudes for solo flute”

The study we present today is the fifth piece from a collection of 24 studies for the flute by Theobald Boehm, the German inventor who perfected the modern Western concert flute and improved its fingering system.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 25 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Agincourt Carol

 Traditional English folk song

The Agincourt Carol (sometimes known by its chorus and central words, “Deo gratias Anglia”) was written some time in the early 15th century. It recounts the Battle of Agincourt, in which the English army led by Henry V of England defeated that of the French Charles VI in what is now the Pas-de-Calais region of France. The battle took place on October 25, 1415, so today marks its 600th Anniversary!

Thanks to Steve for suggesting this song!

Categories: Medieval Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 26 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Minuet in G minor

 Traditionally attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach

This piece appears, together with the more famous Minuet in G major, in the Notebook for Anna Magdalena, a notebook which Bach offered to his wife Anna Magdalena in 1725 and which was to be filled with favorite selections of the members of the Bach family. Both pieces have traditionally been attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach until the 1970s, when the Minuet in G major was identified as a piece from a harpsichord suite by Dresden organist Christian Petzold.

Thanks to Samaa for suggesting this tune!

Categories: Baroque Minuets Difficulty: easy
Tuesday 27 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Invention in F major by J.S. Bach

 arranged for two flutes

Johann Sebastian Bach's Two-Part Inventions are a collection of fifteen short keyboard compositions, originally written as musical exercises for his students.

Today we present the eighth of the inventions in an arrangement for two flutes by Wilhelm Schönicke, originally published in 1902.

Categories: Baroque Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 28 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Study in B minor by Drouet

 from “72 Studies for the Boehm Flute”

This “Allegro moderato ma agitato” is the thirty-third piece from French flutist and composer Louis Drouet's 72 Studies on Taste and Style for the Boehm Flute, published in 1855.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 29 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Ned Naughton's Hornpipe

 Traditional Irish hornpipe

This hornpipe is taken from the 1903 edition of Francis O'Neill's Music of Ireland. The reported source for this melody is one of O'Neill's collaborators, Chicago Police Sergeant James O'Neill.

Categories: Celtic Music Hornpipes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 30 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Sarti

 from Flute Sonata No. 3 in G major

This agitated Allegro is the second movement of a Sonata in G major for flute and continuo, written around 1750 by Italian composer Giuseppe Sarti.

Categories: Classical Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 31 October 2015

Tune of the Day: Non nobis Domine

 Traditional canon, arranged for three flutes

This celebrated canon is based on a short Latin hymn used as a prayer of thanksgiving and expression of humility. English historians used to be unanimous in describing “Non nobis Domine” as the composition of William Byrd; however, it is not to be found in any volume of his published works.

Shakespeare's Henry V has the king proclaim the singing of “Non nobis Domine” after the victory at Agincourt (1415). The canon is sung in the 1944 film of Henry V starring Laurence Olivier, though we now know that this version was not in existence when Shakespeare wrote his play. A completely different musical setting of the hymn was composed (and sung) by Patrick Doyle for the 1989 film adaptation by Kenneth Branagh.

Thanks to Steve for suggesting this tune!

Categories: Canons Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy