Thursday 1 June 2023

Tune of the Day: The Chanter-playing Sleepwalker

 Jig 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. He writes:

Hamish from Helensburg liked to play his chanter while sleepwalking, thus reducing practice time!

The chanter is the part of the bagpipe upon which the player creates the melody; it looks somewhat similar to a recorder.

Categories: Celtic Music Concertos Jigs Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 2 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Handel

 from Oboe Sonata in C minor

This Allegro is the fourth and final movement from Georg Frideric Handel's Oboe sonata in C minor, HWV 366. It was composed around 1711–1712, shortly after Handel's arrival in London, but it was only first published in 1732.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 3 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Adagio by Telemann

 for two flutes

This is the opening movement of a flute duet in F minor by the prolific Baroque composer Georg Philipp Telemann. It was first published by Telemann himself in 1727 as part of a collection of 6 flute duets, TWV 40:130-135.

Categories: Baroque Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 4 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in F major by Hugues

 from “24 Studi di perfezionamento”

Today we propose the thirteenth piece from 24 Studi di perfezionamento per flauto, Op. 15, by Italian flutist, composer and arranger Luigi Hugues. It was first published in Milan in 1904.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 5 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Jackson's Cravat

 Traditional Irish jig

The earliest known appearance of this tune is in Gough's Collection of Country Dances for the Year 1802.

A cravat is the precursor of the modern necktie. The garment was also a means of identification for faction fighters in Ireland in the 19th century, in imitation of its use by late 18th-century gentlemen such as uilleann piper Walker ‛Piper’ Jackson, to whom the title refers.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Tuesday 6 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Grave by Quantz

 from Flute Sonata in G major

This Grave in G minor is the central movement of Johann Joachim Quantz's Sonata in G major for flute and continuo, QV 1:109. 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
Wednesday 7 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Duet in D minor by Terschak

 from “Duos faciles et progressifs”

Today we propose the fourteenth piece from Duos faciles et progressifs pour 2 flûtes (Easy and progressive duets for 2 flutes) by Austro-Hungarian flutist and composer Adolf Terschak. It was first published in Paris in 1874.

Categories: Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 8 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in C minor by Ferling

 from “48 Famous Studies for Oboe or Saxophone”

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

Categories: Etudes Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 9 June 2023

Tune of the Day: All That Jazz

 Hornpipe 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. He writes:

Here I try to bring a little extra snap into the hornpipe.

Categories: Celtic Music Contemporary Hornpipes Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 10 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Larghetto by Handel

 from Violin Sonata in A major

Handel composed his Violin Sonata in A major, HWV 361, around 1725, but it was only first published in 1732.

The first movement is sometimes labelled “Larghetto”, sometimes “Andante”, and sometimes “Adagio”, depending on the edition. Despite having been written for the violin, it is perfectly playable on the modern flute without any modification.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 11 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Telemann

 for two flutes

This is the second movement of a flute duet in F minor by the prolific Baroque composer Georg Philipp Telemann. It was first published by Telemann himself in 1727 as part of a collection of 6 flute duets, TWV 40:130-135.

Categories: Baroque Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 12 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in D minor by Hugues

 from “24 Studi di perfezionamento”

Today we propose the fourteenth piece from 24 Studi di perfezionamento per flauto, Op. 15, by Italian flutist, composer and arranger Luigi Hugues. It was first published in Milan in 1904.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Tuesday 13 June 2023

Tune of the Day: The Rakes of Clonmel

 Traditional Irish jig

The earliest known appearance of this jig is a two-part version in the large mid-19th-century music manuscript collection of County Cork cleric and uilleann piper Canon James Goodman.

Clonmel is the largest settlement in County Tipperary, Ireland. The name Clonmel derives from the Irish and means “meadow of honey”. Its walls were begun by the Normans in the year 1298, and it was once a stronghold of the powerful Anglo-Norman Butler family. Oliver Cromwell ended his Irish campaign by capturing it in 1650.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 14 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Vivace by Quantz

 from Flute Sonata in G major

This Vivace is the third and final movement of Johann Joachim Quantz's Sonata in G major for flute and continuo, QV 1:109. 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
Thursday 15 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Duet in B-flat major by Terschak

 from “Duos faciles et progressifs”

Today we propose the fifteenth piece from Duos faciles et progressifs pour 2 flûtes (Easy and progressive duets for 2 flutes) by Austro-Hungarian flutist and composer Adolf Terschak. It was first published in Paris in 1874.

Categories: Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Friday 16 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in E major by Ferling

 from “48 Famous Studies for Oboe or Saxophone”

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

Categories: Etudes Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 17 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Bosun Peter's Whistle

 Hornpipe 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. He writes:

My father Peter was a bosun in the Merchant Navy, after having done a stint in the Royal Navy. The tune is I hope reminiscent of the old sea-dog type of tune that sailors danced to aboard 19th century ships sailing out of seaports such as Portsmouth, Plymouth and Bristol. In Barra “The Sailor's Hornpipe” is a popular act at social functions, where young dancers dressed in mock naval uniforms perform it.

The bosun (or boatswain) is the most senior member of the deck department of a ship, responsible for the crew and for the upkeep of the hull.

Categories: Celtic Music Concertos Hornpipes Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 18 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Adagio by Handel

 from Violin Sonata in A major

This tiny Adagio in F-sharp minor is the third movement of Georg Frideric Handel's Violin Sonata in A major, HWV 361, composed around 1725. Despite having been written for the violin, it is perfectly playable on the modern flute without any modification.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Difficulty: intermediate
Monday 19 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen

 Traditional African-American spiritual song

This well-known African-American spiritual song originated during the period of slavery, but was not published until 1867. Many cover versions have appeared over the years by artists such as Marian Anderson, Lena Horne, and Louis Armstrong among others.

Nobody knows the trouble I've seen
Nobody knows my sorrow
Nobody knows the trouble I've seen
Glory hallelujah!

Sometimes I'm up, sometimes I'm down
Oh, yes, Lord
Sometimes I'm almost to the ground
Oh, yes, Lord

Thanks to Toni for suggesting this tune!

Categories: Gospel music Spirituals Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 20 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in B-flat major by Hugues

 from “24 Studi di perfezionamento”

Today we propose the fifteenth piece from 24 Studi di perfezionamento per flauto, Op. 15, by Italian flutist, composer and arranger Luigi Hugues. It was first published in Milan in 1904.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 21 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Nancy Hynes

 Traditional Irish jig

The earliest known appearance of this jig is in Chicago police officer Francis O'Neill's collections Music of Ireland (1903) and Dance Music of Ireland (1907).

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: intermediate
Thursday 22 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Amorevole by Quantz

 from Flute Sonata in G minor

This is the opening movement of Johann Joachim Quantz's Sonata in G minor for flute and continuo, QV 1:114. 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 23 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Duet in G minor by Terschak

 from “Duos faciles et progressifs”

Today we propose the sixteenth piece from Duos faciles et progressifs pour 2 flûtes (Easy and progressive duets for 2 flutes) by Austro-Hungarian flutist and composer Adolf Terschak. It was first published in Paris in 1874.

Categories: Romantic Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Saturday 24 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in E major by Ferling

 from “48 Famous Studies for Oboe or Saxophone”

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

Categories: Etudes Difficulty: intermediate
Sunday 25 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Barra Fèis Tribute to Mìcheal, Caolas

 March by Roddy Campbell

Today's tune was kindly contributed to our collection by its composer, piper Roddy Campbell from the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Fèis Barra (or Fèis Bharraigh) is an annual Gaelic arts and culture event held on the isle of Barra. Roddy writes:

Michael MacKinnon of Caolas, Vatersay, was a good friend of mine and a very clever man. His astounding memory contained hundreds of Gaelic songs, and the great regret of many of us is that they were never recorded before he passed away suddenly. Michael was also a good piper.

Categories: Celtic Music Contemporary Marches Difficulty: easy
Monday 26 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Allegro by Handel

 from Violin Sonata in A major

This Allegro is the fourth and final movement of Georg Frideric Handel's Violin Sonata in A major, HWV 361, composed around 1725. Despite having been written for the violin, it is perfectly playable on the modern flute. There are two low Bs at the very end, but even if your flute doesn't have a B foot, these can be replaced quite satisfactorily with Ds.

Categories: Baroque Sonatas Difficulty: intermediate
Tuesday 27 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Presto by Telemann

 for two flutes

This Presto is the fourth and last movement of a flute duet in F minor by the prolific Baroque composer Georg Philipp Telemann. It was first published by Telemann himself in 1727 as part of a collection of 6 flute duets, TWV 40:130-135.

Categories: Baroque Written for Flute Difficulty: intermediate
Wednesday 28 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Study in D-flat major by Hugues

 from “24 Studi di perfezionamento”

Today we propose the sixteenth piece from 24 Studi di perfezionamento per flauto, Op. 15, by Italian flutist, composer and arranger Luigi Hugues. It was first published in Milan in 1904.

Categories: Etudes Written for Flute Difficulty: advanced
Thursday 29 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Jackson's Fancy

 Traditional Irish jig

The earliest known appearance of the title “Jackson's Fancy” is in Ryan's Mammoth Collection, published in Boston in 1883. It does however share elements with tunes such as “Jackson's Morning Brush” and “Stepney's Rant”, which date from much earlier.

Categories: Jigs Traditional/Folk Difficulty: easy
Friday 30 June 2023

Tune of the Day: Allegro di molto by Quantz

 from Flute Sonata in G minor

This is the central movement of Johann Joachim Quantz's Sonata in G minor for flute and continuo, QV 1:114. 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