Sunday 1 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Air in G major by Monzani

 with bass accompaniment

Today we propose the first air from Italian flutist Tebaldo Monzani's Twelve Airs as Solos for a German Flute with a Violoncello or Bass Accompaniment, published in London around the year 1800. Monzani was an all-round music professional: he started his career as a virtuoso, and went on to become a composer, publisher, and flute maker.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 2 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Duet in F major by Devienne

 from “24 Easy Duets”

Today we propose the nineteenth 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 3 January 2023

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

 from “58 First Exercises”

This study is the fifty-second piece 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: intermediate
Wednesday 4 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Wise Nora

 Traditional Irish tune

This melody was first published in O'Farrell's Pocket Companion for the Irish or Union Pipes around 1805, and used to be quite popular. Although it is also played as a jig, when played “the piece way”, i.e. as a listening tune, slowed down and highly ornamented, it is a well known showcase tune for uilleann pipers.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 5 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Allegro assai by Quantz

 from Flute Sonata in E-flat major

This is the central movement of Johann Joachim Quantz's Sonata in E-flat major for flute and continuo, QV 1:54. 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
Friday 6 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Duet in D minor by Devienne

 from “24 Easy Duets”

Today we propose the twentieth 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
Saturday 7 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in E minor by Ferling

 from “48 Famous Studies for Oboe or Saxophone”

Today's study is the eighth piece from 48 Études pour hautbois ou saxophone, composed around 1835 by German oboist and clarinetist Franz Wilhelm Ferling. Despite having been an accomplished composer, today Ferling is remembered almost exclusively for this collection, which is still commonly studied by oboists and saxophonists.

It is interesting to note that Ferling composed this work before the saxophone was even invented! It was in fact originally intended solely for the oboe, and only when it was republished in America in the early 20th century the publisher decided to market it towards saxophonists as well.

Thanks to William for suggesting this piece!

Categories: Double tonguing Etudes Show-off pieces Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 8 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Conchobar Mac An Bhàird

 Strathspey by Roddy Campbell

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

Conchobar Son of the Bard: Here we have a name from the pages of medieval Irish history. Bh in Scottish Gaelic is pronounced like a v, but in Irish more like a w, so that bhàird is pronounced something like ward. I believe this is the origin of the common surname Ward.

Categories: Celtic Music Contemporary Strathspeys Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 9 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Air in F major by Monzani

 with bass accompaniment

Today we propose the second air from Italian flutist Tebaldo Monzani's Twelve Airs as Solos for a German Flute with a Violoncello or Bass Accompaniment, published in London around the year 1800.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 10 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Duet in F major by Devienne

 from “24 Easy Duets”

This pair of minuets for two flutes constitute the twenty-first 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 11 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in F minor by Gariboldi

 from “58 First Exercises”

This study is the fifty-third piece 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: intermediate
Thursday 12 January 2023

Tune of the Day: The Butchers' March

 Traditional Irish tune

The earliest known appearance of this tune is in O'Farrell's Pocket Companion for the Irish or Union Pipes, published in London in 1806. Collector Francis O'Neill recorded in 1913 that the tune was associated with a tradition of butchers performing a long dance on May Eve (April 30), an ancient festival which used to mark the beginning of summer.

Categories: Jigs Marches Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Friday 13 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Presto by Quantz

 from Flute Sonata in E-flat major

This is the third and final movement of Johann Joachim Quantz's Sonata in E-flat major for flute and continuo, QV 1:54. 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
Saturday 14 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Telemann

 for two flutes

This Allegro is the second movement of a duet for two flutes or violins by Baroque composer Georg Philipp Telemann, first published in 1728 as part of Der getreue Musikmeister (“the faithful music master”), a musical journal aimed at amateurs.

Categories: Baroque Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 15 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in A minor by Ferling

 from “48 Famous Studies for Oboe or Saxophone”

Today's study is the fourth piece from 48 Études pour hautbois ou saxophone, composed around 1835 by German oboist and clarinetist Franz Wilhelm Ferling.

Categories: Etudes Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 16 January 2023

Tune of the Day: The Awesome Glenuigs

 Strathspey by Roddy Campbell

Today's tune was kindly contributed to our collection by its composer, piper Roddy Campbell from the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Glenuig is a small Gaelic-speaking community in the west Highlands of Scotland, home to the famous MacDonald Brothers.

Each of the three MacDonald brothers Angus, Allan and Iain has distinguished himself as a piper of exceptional ability, winning enough trophies, prizes and awards to fill Castle Tioram. More than that all three have shown themselves to be hugely gifted in other musical areas — fiddle, flute, whistle, concertina, bodhran, singing and tune composition. They are excellent ambassadors for the West Highland style.

Categories: Celtic Music Contemporary Strathspeys Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 17 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Air in C major by Monzani

 with bass accompaniment

Today we propose the third air from Italian flutist Tebaldo Monzani's Twelve Airs as Solos for a German Flute with a Violoncello or Bass Accompaniment, published in London around the year 1800.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 18 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Duet in G major by Devienne

 from “24 Easy Duets”

This Cantabile with variations for two flutes is the twenty-second 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 Variations Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 19 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in G major by Gariboldi

 from “58 First Exercises”

This study is the fifty-fourth piece 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 20 January 2023

Tune of the Day: The Cat in the Corner

 Traditional Irish jig

The earliest known appearance of “The Cat in the Corner” is in Ryan's Mammoth Collection, published in Boston in 1883. However, the tune was likely derived from an earlier jig by Scottish fiddler Niel Gow (1727–1807) titled “Lady Charlotte Murray”.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 21 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Larghetto ma arioso by Quantz

 from Flute Sonata in F major

This is the opening movement of Johann Joachim Quantz's Sonata in F major for flute and continuo, QV 1:82. 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 22 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Danny Boy

 arranged for two flutes

Today we propose an arrangement for two flutes of the famous Londonderry Air, a.k.a. “Danny Boy”.

Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side.
The summer's gone, and all the roses falling,
It's you, it's you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow,
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow,
It's I'll be there in sunshine or in shadow,—
Oh, Danny boy, Oh Danny boy, I love you so!

Thanks to Rachel for contributing this arrangement!

Categories: Ballads Celtic Music Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 23 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in G major by Ferling

 from “48 Famous Studies for Oboe or Saxophone”

Today's study is the sixth piece from 48 Études pour hautbois ou saxophone, composed around 1835 by German oboist and clarinetist Franz Wilhelm Ferling.

The meaning of the tempo indication “Allegro scergo” is a bit of a mystery, as while the word “scergo” may look Italian, it most definitely isn't. Commentators have advanced multiple hypotheses as to what Ferling (or possibly the original editor) meant, but in our opinion the likeliest of all is that it was a misspelling of “scherzo”.

Categories: Etudes Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 24 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Break in Borve

 Reel by Roddy Campbell

Today's tune was kindly contributed to our collection by its composer, piper Roddy Campbell from the isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.

This was a short and pleasant family holiday in the summer of 2009 in Borve, that once-Viking township on the west side of Barra.

Categories: Celtic Music Contemporary Reels Difficulty: easy
Wednesday 25 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Pledge by Paul Merkus

 for flute and piano

Today's piece was kindly contributed to our collection by its composer, Paul Merkus from the Netherlands.

The “Pledge” was originally written for alto saxophone and piano in 2014, but has been transcribed for flute and piano by octavating the flute part. The original intent was to exploit the sultry character of the low register of the alto saxophone, while contrasting it with passages in a higher position.

Hence, the piece begins with a questioning in the low register. After a first phrase, the questioning becomes a bit more impatient, with staccato notes and an exclamation. Then the main theme gradually unfolds with rhythmic evolution, followed by an interlude and a second theme, first rising, then falling. This pattern repeats before leading into an epilogue, in which the questioning return one final time.

Categories: Contemporary Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 26 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Andante by Telemann

 for two flutes

This Andante is the third movement of a duet for two flutes or violins by Baroque composer Georg Philipp Telemann, first published in 1728 as part of Der getreue Musikmeister (“the faithful music master”), a musical journal aimed at amateurs.

Categories: Baroque Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 27 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in D major by Gariboldi

 from “58 First Exercises”

This study is the fifty-fifth piece 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: intermediate
Saturday 28 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Ballyhooley

 Traditional Irish jig

In its present form, this jig first appeared in Francis O'Neill's Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903. It is probably named after Ballyhooly, a small village in north County Cork, Ireland. The first strain of the melody was however borrowed from a Scottish song, “The Drucken Wife o' Gallowa'”, which first appeared in a collection published in Edinburgh in 1751. The tune is apparently older still, with scholars tracing it back to the air of “To horse, brave boys of Newmarket, to horse”, a song that was printed by Thomas D'Urfey in Pills to Purge Melancholy (1719).

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Sunday 29 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Air in D major by Monzani

 with bass accompaniment

Today we propose the fourth air from Italian flutist Tebaldo Monzani's Twelve Airs as Solos for a German Flute with a Violoncello or Bass Accompaniment, published in London around the year 1800.

Categories: Classical Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 30 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Duet in D major by Devienne

 from “24 Easy Duets”

This minuet-like piece for two flutes is the twenty-third duet 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 Minuets Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 31 January 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in D minor by Ferling

 from “48 Famous Studies for Oboe or Saxophone”

Today's study is the eleventh piece from 48 Études pour hautbois ou saxophone, composed around 1835 by German oboist and clarinetist Franz Wilhelm Ferling.

Categories: Etudes Difficulty: intermediate