Monday 1 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Study in A-flat major by Romanino

 from “20 Studi progressivi e dilettevoli”

This study is the nineteenth piece from 20 Studi progressivi e dilettevoli per il Flauto (“20 progressive and delightful studies for the flute”) by Italian flutist Camillo Romanino.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 2 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Galway Tom

 Traditional Irish jig

This jig is taken from Francis O'Neill's celebrated collection Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903. O'Neill obtained the tune from fiddler James McFadden, originally from the province of Connaght.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Wednesday 3 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Preludio by Corelli

 from Violin Sonata in E major, transcribed for flute and keyboard

This is the opening movement of Italian Baroque composer Arcangelo Corelli's Violin Sonata No. 11 in E major, which was originally published in 1700 as part of his 12 Violin Sonatas, Op. 5.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 4 November 2021

Tune of the Day: O' Saw Ye the Lass wi' the Bonny Blue E'en

 arranged for two flutes

This Scottish song, set to lyrics by Richard Ryan, is one of many ballads popularized by singer John Sinclair in the early 1800s. The word een is Scots for ‛eyes’.

O, saw ye the lass wi' the bonnie blue e'en?
Her smile is the sweetest that ever was seen,
Her cheek like the rose is, but fresher, I ween,
She's the loveliest lassie that trips on the green.

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

Categories: Ballads Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Friday 5 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Study in B major by Andersen

 from “24 Etudes for Flute”

This is the eleventh piece from the first etude book written by Danish flutist and composer Joachim Andersen, his 24 grosse Etüden für Flöte, Op. 15, first published in Hamburg in 1885.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Saturday 6 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Money in Both Pockets

 Traditional Scottish/Irish jig

The first known appearance of this jig is in Robert Petrie's A Collection of Strathspeys, Reels and Country Dances, published in Edinburgh in 1790. It then quickly started appearing, both as a dance and as a tune, in numerous publications and musicians' manuscripts in the 1790s and the early decades of the 19th century.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 7 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Allegretto by Tromlitz

 from Flute Partita in G major

This catchy Allegretto is the opening movement of Partita No. 2 in G major for solo flute by German flutist and composer Johann Georg Tromlitz, which was first published in Leipzig as part of his Sechs Partiten für Querflöte solo.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 8 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Duet in A major by Tulou

 from “Méthode de flûte”

This study for two flutes is taken from the celebrated Méthode de flûte by French flutist Jean-Louis Tulou, published in Paris in 1835.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 9 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Study in C major by Fürstenau

 from “26 Exercises”

Today we propose the very first study from 26 Übungen (26 Exercises) by German flutist and composer Anton Bernhard Fürstenau, first published in 1835. It is important that the so-called “Scotch snap” (an accented short note followed by an unaccented long note) be rendered clear to the listener, which can partly be accomplished by means of a short break before each short note.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 10 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Father Dollard's Favorite

 Traditional Irish jig

This jig is taken from Francis O'Neill's celebrated collection Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903. Father W.K. Dollard was a fiddler and flute player from St. John's, New Brunswick, where he was the rector of a parish. While he was visiting Chicago in 1901, he attended gatherings of the Irish Music Club, where O'Neill obtained a few tunes from him.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Thursday 11 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Corelli

 from Violin Sonata in E major, transcribed for flute and keyboard

This Allegro is the second movement of Italian Baroque composer Arcangelo Corelli's Violin Sonata No. 11 in E major, which was originally published in 1700 as part of his 12 Violin Sonatas, Op. 5.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 12 November 2021

Tune of the Day: The Spring Time of the Year is Coming

 arranged for two flutes

This duet is taken from Blake's Young Flutist's Magazine, published in Philadelphia in 1833. It is an arrangement of one of the many ballads that brought singer John Sinclair (1791–1857) to popularity back in the day.

The spring time of year is coming, coming,
Birds are blithe, are blithe and gay,
Insects bright are humming, humming,
And all the world is May, love,
And all the world is May.

Categories: Ballads Difficulty: easy
Saturday 13 November 2021

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

 from “24 Etudes for Flute”

This “angry” study is the twelfth piece from the first etude book written by Danish flutist and composer Joachim Andersen, his 24 grosse Etüden für Flöte, Op. 15, first published in Hamburg in 1885.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Sunday 14 November 2021

Tune of the Day: The Mountain Boy

 Traditional Irish jig

This jig is taken from Francis O'Neill's celebrated collection Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903. O'Neill obtained this particular tune from Edward Cronin, whom he considered one of the two best fiddlers in Chicago.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Monday 15 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Arioso by Tromlitz

 from Flute Partita in G major

This is the second movement of Partita No. 2 in G major for solo flute by German flutist and composer Johann Georg Tromlitz, which was first published in Leipzig as part of his Sechs Partiten für Querflöte solo.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 16 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Duet in F-sharp minor by Tulou

 from “Méthode de flûte”

This short study for two flutes is taken from the celebrated Méthode de flûte by French flutist Jean-Louis Tulou, published in Paris in 1835.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: easy
Wednesday 17 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Study in A minor by Fürstenau

 from “26 Exercises”

Today we propose the second study from 26 Übungen (26 Exercises) by German flutist and composer Anton Bernhard Fürstenau, first published in 1835.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 18 November 2021

Tune of the Day: A Visit to Ireland

 Traditional Irish jig

This jig is taken from Francis O'Neill's collection The Dance Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1907.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Friday 19 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Adagio by Corelli

 from Violin Sonata in E major, transcribed for flute and keyboard

This short Adagio in C-sharp minor is the third movement of Italian Baroque composer Arcangelo Corelli's Violin Sonata No. 11 in E major, which was originally published in 1700 as part of his 12 Violin Sonatas, Op. 5.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Difficulty: easy
Saturday 20 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Hava Nagila

 arranged for two flutes

Today we propose an arrangement for two flutes of the popular Jewish folk song “Hava Nagila”. Many thanks to Anne McKennon for contributing this arrangement!

Categories: Jewish music Traditional/Folk Wedding music Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 21 November 2021

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

 from “24 Etudes for Flute”

This chromatic study is the thirteenth piece from the first etude book written by Danish flutist and composer Joachim Andersen, his 24 grosse Etüden für Flöte, Op. 15, first published in Hamburg in 1885.

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Monday 22 November 2021

Tune of the Day: It Was a Lover and His Lass

 English madrigal, transcribed for flute and bass instrument

English organist Thomas Morley composed this madrigal around the year 1600, using a love poem from William Shakespeare's comedy As You Like It (Act V, Scene III):

It was a lover and his lass,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino
That o'er the green cornfields did pass.
In spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding a ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.

Thanks to Phil for suggesting this tune!

Categories: Love songs Madrigals Renaissance Difficulty: easy
Tuesday 23 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Presto by Tromlitz

 from Flute Partita in G major

This is the third movement of Partita No. 2 in G major for solo flute by German flutist and composer Johann Georg Tromlitz, which was first published in Leipzig as part of his Sechs Partiten für Querflöte solo.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 24 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Duet in D major by Tulou

 from “Méthode de flûte”

This study for two flutes is taken from the celebrated Méthode de flûte by French flutist Jean-Louis Tulou, published in Paris in 1835.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 25 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Study in G major by Fürstenau

 from “26 Exercises”

Today we propose the third study from 26 Übungen (26 Exercises) by German flutist and composer Anton Bernhard Fürstenau, first published in 1835.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Friday 26 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Jerry's Beaver Hat

 Traditional Irish jig

This jig is taken from Francis O'Neill's celebrated collection Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903. It is one of many popular session tunes that have crept into non-Irish traditions.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Saturday 27 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Vivace by Corelli

 from Violin Sonata in E major, transcribed for flute and keyboard

This Vivace is the fourth movement of Italian Baroque composer Arcangelo Corelli's Violin Sonata No. 11 in E major, which was originally published in 1700 as part of his 12 Violin Sonatas, Op. 5.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 28 November 2021

Tune of the Day: The Swiss Boy

 arranged for three flutes

It is believed that this tune was originally the melody to a traditional song from Tyrol (a region in modern-day western Austria and northern Italy). A group of singers from Zillertal, known as the Rainer Family, brought the song to England in 1827, where it was arranged and brought to popularity by Bohemian piano virtuoso and composer Ignaz Moscheles.

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

Categories: Ballads Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 29 November 2021

Tune of the Day: Study in D minor by Hugues

 from “30 Studies”

Today's piece is the sixth study from 30 Studi, Op. 32, by Italian flutist, composer and arranger Luigi Hugues.

Thanks to Claire for contributing this piece!

Categories: Etudes Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Tuesday 30 November 2021

Tune of the Day: The Templehouse Jig

 Traditional Irish jig

It seems extremely likely that this Irish jig descended from “Dunkeld House”, which was written by the famous Scots fiddler-composer Niel Gow around the 1770s.

The present version of the tune is taken from Francis O'Neill's The Dance Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1907.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy