Thursday 1 September 2022

Tune of the Day: MacPherson's Lantern

 Pipe march by Roddy Campbell

Today's tune was kindly contributed to our collection by its composer, piper Roddy Campbell from the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. About the title “MacPherson's Lantern”, he writes:

This was of course the moon, in the silvery light of which MacPherson and his clansmen would thoughtfully give Lowland cattle an opportunity to sample newer and higher pastures.

Jamie Macpherson was a late-17th-century Scottish outlaw, who was hanged in 1700 after being convicted of stealing cattle and sheep. He became famed for his song commonly called “Macpherson's Lament”, which he is said to have composed on the eve of his execution.

Categories: Celtic Music Contemporary Marches Difficulty: easy
Friday 2 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Larghetto by Quantz

 from Flute Sonata in B minor

This is the opening movement of Johann Joachim Quantz's Sonata in B minor for flute and continuo, QV 1:169. 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 3 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Duet in G major by Devienne

 from “24 Easy Duets”

Today we propose the fourth piece from François Devienne's XXIV Duos faciles pour deux flutes à l'usage des commençans (24 Easy Duets for two flutes for use by beginners). It was first published in Leipzig around 1800.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 4 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Study in D minor by Gariboldi

 from “58 First Exercises”

This is the twenty-second study from 58 Esercizi per flauto (a.k.a. First Exercises for Flute, or Die ersten Übungen für Flöte) by Italian Romantic flutist and composer Giuseppe Gariboldi.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: easy
Monday 5 September 2022

Tune of the Day: My Former Wife

 Traditional Irish jig

The earliest appearance of this tune is in Chicago Police officer Francis O'Neill's 1903 collection Music of Ireland. In Irish Folk Music (1910), Chief O'Neill remembers:

It was Bernard Delaney, I believe, who introduced to the Chicago pipers and fiddlers an unpublished jig of rare traditional flavor known as “An Bean Do Bhi Ceadna Agam,” or “My Former Wife.” The sudden popularity which it achieved became a source of no little embarrassment to its sponsor. It was one of the “pet” jigs which he liked to play at public entertainments. When Early and McFadden happened to be on the same programme and came on the stage ahead of Delaney, the mischievous pair never failed to play his favorite tune.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 6 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Caprice in G major by De Lusse

 from “L'art de la flûte traversière”

Today we present the second of 12 caprices included in French flutist and composer Charles de Lusse's L'art de la flûte traversière, first published in Paris in 1760.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Wednesday 7 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Duet in G major by Granom

 from “24 Duets”

This is the last piece from XXIV Duets for two German Flutes, Adapted to the Capacity of all Degrees of Performers, composed by English flutist Lewis Granom and first published in London in 1747.

Categories: Baroque Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 8 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Study in C major by Gariboldi

 from “58 First Exercises”

This is the twenty-third study from 58 Esercizi per flauto (a.k.a. First Exercises for Flute, or Die ersten Übungen für Flöte) by Italian Romantic flutist and composer Giuseppe Gariboldi.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: easy
Friday 9 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Murach Albannach

 Pipe march by Roddy Campbell

Today's tune was kindly contributed to our collection by its composer, piper Roddy Campbell from the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The title refers to the Gaelic poet Muireadhach Albanach Ó Dálaigh, about whom the author writes:

He was a classically-trained poet of repute in early medieval Ireland who came to live in Uist in the Hebrides, where he established himself and became the progenitor of the Clann Mhic Mhuirich dynasty of poets and scholars, from whom came the famous MacCodrum bards among others.

Categories: Celtic Music Contemporary Marches Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 10 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Allegro assai by Quantz

 from Flute Sonata in B minor

This is the central movement of Johann Joachim Quantz's Sonata in B minor for flute and continuo, QV 1:169. 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
Sunday 11 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Duet in E minor by Devienne

 from “24 Easy Duets”

Today we propose the fifth piece from François Devienne's XXIV Duos faciles pour deux flutes à l'usage des commençans (24 Easy Duets for two flutes for use by beginners). It was first published in Leipzig around 1800.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 12 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Study in C major by Gariboldi

 from “58 First Exercises”

This is the twenty-fourth study from 58 Esercizi per flauto (a.k.a. First Exercises for Flute, or Die ersten Übungen für Flöte) by Italian Romantic flutist and composer Giuseppe Gariboldi.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: easy
Tuesday 13 September 2022

Tune of the Day: The Sporting Bachelor

 Traditional Irish jig

The earliest appearance of this jig, in Ryan's Mammoth Collection (Boston, 1883), bears the title “Pat in His Glory”. It was then included, under the title “The Sporting Bachelor”, in Francis O'Neill's Music of Ireland (Chicago, 1903) and The Dance Music of Ireland (1907). O'Neill's version differs in the last two bars of the first strain, but it is otherwise the exact same melody. For the sake of completeness, we have included both variations.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Wednesday 14 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Caprice in D major by De Lusse

 from “L'art de la flûte traversière”

Today we present the third of 12 caprices included in French flutist and composer Charles de Lusse's L'art de la flûte traversière, first published in Paris in 1760.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Thursday 15 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Duet in D major by Holst

 from “12 Divertimentos”

This is the first duet from Twelve Divertimentos for Two German Flutes by Matthias von Holst (1767–1854), the great-grandfather of Gustav Holst (of The Planets fame). Born in Riga to a German family, Matthias served as composer and harp teacher to the Imperial Russian Court in St Petersburg before moving to London, where this collection was published. It was at that time that he appropriated the aristocratic prefix “von” and added it to the family name, in the hope of gaining enhanced prestige and attracting pupils.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 16 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Study in G major by Gariboldi

 from “58 First Exercises”

This is the twenty-fifth study from 58 Esercizi per flauto (a.k.a. First Exercises for Flute, or Die ersten Übungen für Flöte) by Italian Romantic flutist and composer Giuseppe Gariboldi.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: easy
Saturday 17 September 2022

Tune of the Day: My Apologies

 Pipe march by Roddy Campbell

Today's tune was kindly contributed to our collection by its composer, piper Roddy Campbell from the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The author writes:

During my drinking years I am sure that, emboldened by alcohol, I hurt and angered people by behaving rudely, stupidly and boorishly. Tha mi duilich.

Categories: Celtic Music Contemporary Marches Difficulty: easy
Sunday 18 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Fairy-Wren

 Flute solo by Rosie Williams

Today's piece was contributed to our collection by Australian composer Rosie Williams. It was inspired by her favorite little bird, which is common in south-eastern Australia. Most species of fairy-wren are easily recognizable by their beautiful electric blue plumage.

Categories: Contemporary Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 19 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Duet in G major by Devienne

 from “24 Easy Duets”

Today we propose the sixth piece from François Devienne's XXIV Duos faciles pour deux flutes à l'usage des commençans (24 Easy Duets for two flutes for use by beginners). It was first published in Leipzig around 1800.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 20 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Study in E minor by Gariboldi

 from “58 First Exercises”

This is the twenty-sixth study from 58 Esercizi per flauto (a.k.a. First Exercises for Flute, or Die ersten Übungen für Flöte) by Italian Romantic flutist and composer Giuseppe Gariboldi.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: easy
Wednesday 21 September 2022

Tune of the Day: The First Night in America

 Traditional Irish jig

The earliest known appearance of this catchy jig is in Francis O'Neill's Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903. His source for this tune was Chicago Police Sergeant and fiddler James O'Neill, originally from County Down.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Thursday 22 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Presto by Quantz

 from Flute Sonata in B minor

This is the third and final movement of Johann Joachim Quantz's Sonata in B minor for flute and continuo, QV 1:169. 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: advanced
Friday 23 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Duet in D major by Holst

 from “12 Divertimentos”

This waltz for two flutes is the second piece from Twelve Divertimentos for Two German Flutes by Matthias von Holst (1767–1854), the great-grandfather of Gustav Holst (of The Planets fame).

Categories: Classical Waltzes Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 24 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Study in C major by Gariboldi

 from “58 First Exercises”

This is the twenty-seventh study from 58 Esercizi per flauto (a.k.a. First Exercises for Flute, or Die ersten Übungen für Flöte) by Italian Romantic flutist and composer Giuseppe Gariboldi.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: easy
Sunday 25 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Nannie Pheter

 Pipe march by Roddy Campbell

Today's tune was kindly contributed to our collection by its composer, piper Roddy Campbell from the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. He dedicates this march to “My sister, who helped me a great deal in my younger years.”

Categories: Celtic Music Contemporary Marches Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 26 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Caprice in A major by De Lusse

 from “L'art de la flûte traversière”

Today we present the fourth of 12 caprices included in French flutist and composer Charles de Lusse's L'art de la flûte traversière, first published in Paris in 1760.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Tuesday 27 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Duet in C major by Devienne

 from “24 Easy Duets”

Today we propose the seventh piece from François Devienne's XXIV Duos faciles pour deux flutes à l'usage des commençans (24 Easy Duets for two flutes for use by beginners). It was first published in Leipzig around 1800.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 28 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Study in A minor by Gariboldi

 from “58 First Exercises”

This is the twenty-eighth study from 58 Esercizi per flauto (a.k.a. First Exercises for Flute, or Die ersten Übungen für Flöte) by Italian Romantic flutist and composer Giuseppe Gariboldi.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: easy
Thursday 29 September 2022

Tune of the Day: The Happy Mistake

 Traditional Irish jig

The first known appearance of “The Happy Mistake” is in the first volume of O'Farrell's Pocket Companion for the Irish or Union Pipes, published in 1806. The melody is however similar to “Jackson's Bottle of Claret”, which is at least a decade older.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Friday 30 September 2022

Tune of the Day: Swallow

 Flute solo by Rosie Williams

Today's piece was contributed to our collection by Australian composer Rosie Williams. This gentle solo for flute, written in the Impressionist style, features an interesting alternation of 6/8 and 3/4 meters.

Categories: Contemporary Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate