Sunday 1 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Tom Clair's Maggie

 Traditional Irish reel

This reel is taken from Francis O'Neill's collection Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody, published in Chicago in 1922. O'Neill notes that “the first part of Mr. Clair's tune differs but little from ‛Drowsie Maggie’ in common circumstances.”

Categories: Celtic Music Reels Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 2 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Siciliana by Boismortier

 from Flute Sonata No. 1 in D major

This Siciliana is the third movement of the first 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 Sicilianas Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 3 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Sarabande by Montéclair

 for two flutes

This sarabande is the eighth movement of the third 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
Wednesday 4 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in B-flat minor by Terschak

 from “Exercices journaliers”

Today we propose the twenty-sixth and last piece from Exercices journaliers pour la flûte (or Tägliche Studien in German, i.e. “Daily Exercises”) by Austro-Hungarian composer Adolf Terschak. It was first published in 1867.

The author notes that this study is to be played “with the tip of the tongue to the palate (pronounce tu-tu-tu)”.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 5 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Ebenezer

 Welsh hymn tune

“Ebenezer” (meaning “stone of help”), also known as “Ton-y-Botel” (“tune in a bottle”) is a famous Welsh hymn tune composed by organist Thomas John Williams in 1896. The tune is named after Ebenezer Chapel in Rhos near Pontardawe, South Wales, which Williams attended while composing the tune.

The myth that the tune was discovered in a bottle on a Llyn Peninsula beach in North Wales was published in the Daily Mail in 1902; it has affectionately been known as “Ton-y-Botel” ever since.

This tune is set to many hymn texts, including “Love Like The Oceans”, “Once to Every Man and Nation”, “Oh the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus”, “Come, O Spirit, Dwell Among Us”, “God hath Spoken by the Prophets”, “Let My People Seek their Freedom”, “Singing Songs of Expectation”, “Thy Strong Word did Cleave the Darkness”, and “Who is This, With Garments Gory”.

Thanks to Rebekah for suggesting this tune!

Categories: Christian music Hymn tunes Difficulty: easy
Friday 6 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Arioso lamentoso by Quantz

 from Flute Sonata in A minor

This is the opening movement of Johann Joachim Quantz's Sonata in A minor for flute and continuo, QV 1:149. It is one of many works for flute that Quantz composed for his student and patron Frederick II, King of Prussia.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 7 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Row Gently Here

 arranged for flute duet

This song was published in the 1822 collection National Airs by the famous Irish poet, singer and songwriter Thomas Moore.

Row gently here, my gondolier; so softly wake the tide, That not an ear on earth may hear, but hers to whom we glide. Had Heaven but tongues to speak, as well as starry eyes to see, O, think what tales ’t would have to tell of wandering youths like me!

Now rest thee here, my gondolier; hush, hush, for up I go, To climb yon light balcony’s height, while thou keep’st watch below. Ah! did we take for heaven above but half such pains as we Take day and night for woman’s love, what angels we should be!

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

Categories: Barcarolles Difficulty: easy
Sunday 8 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in C major by Andersen

 from “24 Etudes for Flute”

Today we propose the very first 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 9 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Frisky Fanny

 Traditional Irish reel

This reel is taken from Francis O'Neill's Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody, published in Chicago in 1922. In the collection, O'Neill cites himself as the source for this melody.

Categories: Reels Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Tuesday 10 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Boismortier

 from Flute Sonata No. 1 in D major

This Allegro is the fourth and final movement of the first 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
Wednesday 11 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Fugue by Montéclair

 for two flutes

This fugue is the ninth and final movement of the third of six Concerts à deux Flutes Traversières sans Basse by 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 Fugues Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 12 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in C major by Prill

 from “30 Studies in All Keys”

This is the very first 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
Friday 13 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Paddy's Pet

 Traditional Irish reel

This reel is taken from O'Neill's Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody, published in Chicago in 1922. The source for the tune was Patrick Stack, a Chicago fiddler originally from County Kerry, Ireland. The tune appears to be a variant of Mama's Pet.

Categories: Reels Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 14 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Adagio by Locatelli

 from Flute Sonata in G major

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

Thanks to Maria for suggesting this piece!

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 15 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Le petit tambour

 Traditional French tune, arranged for two flutes

This arrangement for two flutes of the old French air “Le petit tambour” (“The little drummer”) appeared in Blake's Young Flutist's Magazine, published in Philadelphia in 1833.

Categories: Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Monday 16 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in A minor by Andersen

 from “24 Etudes for Flute”

Today we propose the second 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 17 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Jimmy O'Brien's Reel

 Traditional Irish reel

The only known appearance of this tune in print is in Francis O'Neill's collection Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody, published in Chicago in 1922. The title most likely refers to Swinford piper James O'Brien (1823–1885), a source of many tunes for O'Neill.

Categories: Celtic Music Reels Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Wednesday 18 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Monologue II by Paul Merkus

 for solo flute

Today's piece is a new contribution from our guest composer, Paul Merkus. It is an extension of the earlier opus 48, which includes the first “Monologue” for flute solo.

This second “Monologue” is less brief than its predecessor, and consists of three parts. In the first part of the piece we find ever higher sliding motives with quite some chromaticism, while the central part features whirling upward movements, which finally culminate in a reprise of the opening slides.

Categories: Contemporary Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 19 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Prélude by Montéclair

 for two flutes

This is the opening 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
Friday 20 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in A minor by Prill

 from “30 Studies in All Keys”

This is the second 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 21 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Fiddlers' Frolic

 Traditional Irish reel

This reel is taken from Francis O'Neill's Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody, published in Chicago in 1922. The source for the tune was Patrick Stack, a Chicago fiddler originally from County Kerry, Ireland.

Categories: Celtic Music Reels Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Sunday 22 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Allegro assai by Quantz

 from Flute Sonata in A minor

This is the central movement of Johann Joachim Quantz's Sonata in A minor for flute and continuo, QV 1:149. It is one of many works for flute that Quantz composed for his student and patron Frederick II, King of Prussia.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 23 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Together Let Us Range

 arranged for two flutes

This duet was originally part of English composer and organist William Boyce's Solomon. Composed in 1742, Boyce's Solomon is not, like Handel's, a biblical oratorio about a wise king; it is a secular serenata (a type of Baroque cantata performed outdoors in the evening) with words based on the Song of Solomon.

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

Categories: Baroque Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 24 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in G major by Andersen

 from “24 Etudes for Flute”

Today we propose the third 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 25 September 2019

Tune of the Day: The Scholar

 Traditional Irish reel and hornpipe

This tune is popularly attributed to James Hill (1811–1853), a fiddler from Tyneside, England famous for his hornpipes. The piece appears in his collection of tunes under the title “The South Shore”, but the attribution to him is not firm. Set as a reel, “The Scholar” is still a popular piece in Irish sessions, and, commencing in the early 20th century, it has also become a favorite of accordion players.

Categories: Celtic Music Hornpipes Reels Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 26 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Vivace by Boismortier

 from Flute Sonata No. 2 in B minor

This is the opening movement of the second 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
Friday 27 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Badinage by Montéclair

 for two flutes

This is the second 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
Saturday 28 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Study in G major by Prill

 from “30 Studies in All Keys”

This is the third 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 29 September 2019

Tune of the Day: The Leinster 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. The tune was supplied by Francis E. Walsh, a correspondent of O'Neill's from San Francisco.

Categories: Celtic Music Hornpipes Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 30 September 2019

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Locatelli

 from Flute Sonata in G major

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

Thanks to Maria for suggesting this piece!

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate