Friday 1 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Vivace by Locatelli

 from Flute Sonata in D major

This rhythmically varied Vivace is the opening movement of the fifth of 12 sonatas for flute and continuo that Italian composer Pietro Antonio Locatelli published in Amsterdam in 1732.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Saturday 2 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Gay by Montéclair

 for two flutes

This cheerful (“gay” in Old French) piece is the sixth movement of the fifth of six Concerts à deux Flutes Traversières sans Basse by the French Baroque composer Michel Pignolet de Montéclair. Here the French word concert is a synonym of “suite”, and has nothing to do with the Italian concerto.

Categories: Baroque Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 3 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in E major by Andersen

 from “24 Etudes for Flute”

Today we propose the ninth study from Twenty-Four Etudes for Flute, Op. 21, by Danish flutist Joachim Andersen. It was first published in 1886.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 4 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Shuter's Hornpipe

 Traditional English hornpipe

The earliest known appearance of this tune is in William Vickers's 1770 Northumbrian music manuscript, where it is attributed to “Morgan”. It is one of four tunes in his large manuscript collection attributed to him, although the tune is not attributed to Morgan in any other publication.

This hornpipe was once quite well-known, but is not heard often today. It might be named after the 18th-century comic actor, Ned Shuter (1728–1776).

Categories: Hornpipes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Tuesday 5 November 2019

Tune of the Day: The Sun, Whose Rays Are All Ablaze

 from “The Mikado”, arranged for flute and piano

This song is sung by Yum-Yum at the beginning of Act II in Gilbert and Sullivan's 1885 comic opera The Mikado.

The Sun, whose rays are all ablaze with ever-living glory,
Does not deny his majesty — he scorns to tell a story!
He won't exclaim “I blush for shame, so kindly be indulgent.”
But fierce and bold, in fiery gold, he glories all effulgent!

I mean to rule the earth as he the sky—
We really know our worth, the Sun and I!

Thanks to Phil for suggesting this piece!

Categories: Opera excerpts Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 6 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Post Horn Waltz

 Traditional tune, arranged for two flutes

This version for two flutes of the traditional Post Horn Waltz is taken from Blake's Young Flutist's Magazine, published in Philadelphia in 1833. The arrangement is attributed to a “Nicholson”; probably English flutist and composer Charles Nicholson (1795–1837), the author of a number of tutors for flute-playing which were published throughout the 19th century.

Categories: Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 7 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in A major by Prill

 from “30 Studies in All Keys”

This study in triple-tonguing is the seventh piece from 30 Etüden in allen Tonarten für Flöte (“30 Studies in All Keys for Flute”), Op. 6, by German flutist Emil Prill. It was first published in Leipzig in 1894.

Categories: Double tonguing Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 8 November 2019

Tune of the Day: The Dorsetshire Hornpipe

 Traditional English tune

This traditional English hornpipe is taken from Thomas Wilson's A Companion to the Ball Room, which was published in London in 1816.

Categories: Hornpipes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Saturday 9 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Vivace by Boismortier

 from Flute Sonata No. 3 in G major

This is the opening movement of the third sonata from Six Sonates pour la Flûte traversière avec la Basse, Op. 44 by the prolific French Baroque composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier. These sonatas were originally published in Paris in 1733.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 10 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Sarabande by Montéclair

 for two flutes

This sarabande is the seventh movement of the fifth of six Concerts à deux Flutes Traversières sans Basse by the French Baroque composer Michel Pignolet de Montéclair. Here the French word concert is a synonym of “suite”, and has nothing to do with the Italian concerto.

Categories: Baroque Sarabandes Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 11 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in C-sharp minor by Andersen

 from “24 Etudes for Flute”

Today we propose the tenth study from Twenty-Four Etudes for Flute, Op. 21, by Danish flutist Joachim Andersen. It was first published in 1886.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 12 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Whiteside's Hornpipe

 Traditional Irish hornpipe

This hornpipe is taken from Francis O'Neill's collection Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody, published in Chicago in 1922. O’Neill says of his source: “James Whiteside, the ‘Bard of Bray’, County Wicklow, was a genius—scholar, poet, musician, composer. Born in County Monaghan in 1844, he retired after 40 years service as a schoolteacher at Bray. His playing of the violin won two first honors at two Feiseanna [traditional Gaelic festivals].”

Categories: Hornpipes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Wednesday 13 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Largo by Locatelli

 from Flute Sonata in D major

This Largo is the central movement of the fifth of 12 sonatas for flute and continuo that Italian composer Pietro Antonio Locatelli published in Amsterdam in 1732.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 14 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Go Forget Me

 arranged for two flutes

This piece was originally an arrangement for voice and piano of a tune from Mozart's celebrated opera Don Giovanni, with words by Irish poet Charles Wolfe.

Go, forget me: why should sorrow
O'er that brow a darkness fling?
Go, forget me; and tomorrow
Brightly smile and sweetly sing;
Smile -though I shall not be near thee,
Sing -though I shall never hear thee.
May thy soul with pleasure shine,
Lasting as the gloom of mine.

The present transcription for two flutes appeared in Blake's Young Flutist's Magazine, published in Philadelphia in 1833.

Categories: Opera excerpts Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 15 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in F-sharp minor by Prill

 from “30 Studies in All Keys”

This is the eighth piece from 30 Etüden in allen Tonarten für Flöte (“30 Studies in All Keys for Flute”), Op. 6, by German flutist Emil Prill. It was first published in Leipzig in 1894.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 16 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Boys of Ballycastle

 Traditional Irish hornpipe

This Irish hornpipe is taken from Francis O'Neill's collection Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody, published in Chicago in 1922. O'Neill cites the “Pat. Dunne manuscript” as his source.

Categories: Celtic Music Hornpipes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Sunday 17 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Boismortier

 from Flute Sonata No. 3 in G major

This is the second movement of the third sonata from Six Sonates pour la Flûte traversière avec la Basse, Op. 44 by the prolific French Baroque composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier. These sonatas were originally published in Paris in 1733.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 18 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Gigue by Montéclair

 for two flutes

This gigue “in the French style” is the eighth movement of the fifth of six Concerts à deux Flutes Traversières sans Basse by the French Baroque composer Michel Pignolet de Montéclair. Here the French word concert is a synonym of “suite”, and has nothing to do with the Italian concerto.

Categories: Baroque Jigs Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 19 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in B major by Andersen

 from “24 Etudes for Flute”

Today we propose the eleventh study from Twenty-Four Etudes for Flute, Op. 21, by Danish flutist Joachim Andersen. It was first published in 1886.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 20 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Shanahan's Hornpipe

 Traditional Irish tune

This hornpipe is contained in the circa-1890s music manuscript collection by London dancing master Patrick D. Reidy, originally from Castleisland, County Kerry. Reidy was employed to demonstrate and teach Irish dancing at Gaelic League events in London around the turn of the 20th century, and is credited with introducing the country dances Walls of Limerick and Siege of Ennis into the repertory. He was also a correspondent with the famous tune collector, Captain Francis O'Neill of Chicago.

Reidy credits this tune as “a grand hornpipe by Michael Buckley Shanahan”, although his attributions seem to refer to his sources rather than to the actual tune composers.

Categories: Hornpipes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 21 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Locatelli

 from Flute Sonata in D major

This Allegro is the third and final movement of the fifth of 12 sonatas for flute and continuo that Italian composer Pietro Antonio Locatelli published in Amsterdam in 1732.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 22 November 2019

Tune of the Day: We Part to Meet No More

 by John Davy, arranged for two flutes

This piece was originally sung as a duet in the 1803 musical drama Rob Roy. The present arrangement for two flutes appeared in Blake's Young Flutist's Magazine, published in Philadelphia in 1833. Although the piece is marked as “Scotch” in this collection, the music was actually written by English composer John Davy (1763–1824). It is true, however, that Davy drew heavily from familiar Scottish songs, which makes sense considering that the work was about the famed Scottish folk hero Rob Roy MacGregor.

Forlorn and broken hearted,
I weep my last adieu,
And sigh o'er joys departed,
That time can ne'er renew

Categories: Celtic Music Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 23 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in E major by Prill

 from “30 Studies in All Keys”

This is the ninth piece from 30 Etüden in allen Tonarten für Flöte (“30 Studies in All Keys for Flute”), Op. 6, by German flutist Emil Prill. It was first published in Leipzig in 1894.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 24 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Miss Carroll's Hornpipe

 Traditional Irish tune

This traditional Irish hornpipe is taken from O'Farrell's Collection of National Irish Music for the Union Pipes, published between 1792 and 1804.

Categories: Celtic Music Hornpipes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Monday 25 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Adagio by Boismortier

 from Flute Sonata No. 3 in G major

This Adagio is the third movement of the third sonata from Six Sonates pour la Flûte traversière avec la Basse, Op. 44 by the prolific French Baroque composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier. These sonatas were originally published in Paris in 1733.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 26 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Gigue by Montéclair

 for two flutes

This gigue “in the Italian style” is the ninth movement of the fifth of six Concerts à deux Flutes Traversières sans Basse by the French Baroque composer Michel Pignolet de Montéclair. Here the French word concert is a synonym of “suite”, and has nothing to do with the Italian concerto.

Categories: Baroque Jigs Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 27 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in G-sharp minor by Andersen

 from “24 Etudes for Flute”

Today we propose the twelfth study from Twenty-Four Etudes for Flute, Op. 21, by Danish flutist Joachim Andersen. It was first published in 1886.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 28 November 2019

Tune of the Day: The Spry Young Lad

 Traditional Irish hornpipe

This Irish hornpipe was collected by Chicago police captain Francis O'Neill, who included it in his collection Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody, published in 1922.

Categories: Hornpipes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Friday 29 November 2019

Tune of the Day: Largo by Locatelli

 from Flute Sonata in G minor

This Largo is the opening movement of the sixth of 12 sonatas for flute and continuo that Italian composer Pietro Antonio Locatelli published in Amsterdam in 1732.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 30 November 2019

Tune of the Day: The Plain Gold Ring

 by Carl Maria von Weber, arranged for two flutes

This piece was originally part of the 1821 opera Der Freischütz (usually translated The Marksman or The Freeshooter) by German Romantic composer Carl Maria von Weber.

The present arrangement for two flutes is taken from Blake's Young Flutist's Magazine, published in Philadelphia in 1833.

Categories: Opera excerpts Romantic Rondos Difficulty: intermediate