Thursday 16 October 2025
Tune of the Day: Don't Be Teasing
Traditional Irish jig
This jig appears to be unique to Chicago Police Captain Francis O'Neill's celebrated collection The Dance Music of Ireland, published in 1907.
Wednesday 15 October 2025
Tune of the Day: Study in G major by Köhler
from “20 Easy and Melodic Studies”
This étude in G major is taken from the second book of Twenty Easy Melodic Progressive Studies by Italian composer Ernesto Köhler.
Tuesday 14 October 2025
Tune of the Day: Moderato by Köhler
from Forty Progressive Duets for Two Flutes
Here is another duet by Italian composer Ernesto Köhler. This common-time duet in D major is No. 11 of the first volume of his Forty Progressive Duets. The main theme is introduced by the first flute and then repeated by the second flute; in the central part, however, the second flute is relegated to an accompaniment function.
Monday 13 October 2025
Tune of the Day: Gliding Dance of the Maidens
from Alexander Borodin's “Polovtsian Dances”
The Polovtsian Dances constitute the best known selections from Alexander Borodin's 1890 opera Prince Igor. They were originally part of Act II, but they are now often played as a stand-alone concert piece.
Dance No. 17, titled “Polovtsian Dance with Chorus”, has become particularly famous. Most of its themes were incorporated into the 1953 musical Kismet, best known of which is the “Gliding Dance of the Maidens”, adapted for the song ”Stranger in Paradise”. The most popular version of this song was sung by Tony Bennett, and it reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in May 1955. Artie Shaw's “My Fantasy”, recorded in 1940, also has a tune virtually identical to this dance.
Sunday 12 October 2025
Tune of the Day: Miss Grant's Jig
Traditional Irish jig
This minor-mode jig is unique to Chicago Police Captain Francis O'Neill's celebrated collection The Dance Music of Ireland, published in 1907.
Saturday 11 October 2025
Tune of the Day: Study in B-flat major by Andersen
from “24 Etudes for Flute”
Here is another étude in double-tonguing by Danish flutist Joachim Andersen. This Moderato in B-flat major is study No. 21 from his Twenty-Four Etudes for Flute, Op. 33.
Friday 10 October 2025
Tune of the Day: Non più andrai
from Mozart's “The Marriage of Figaro”, arranged for two flutes
This famous aria appears at the end of Act I of Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. The Count Almaviva has ordered the young Cherubino to join his regiment in Seville, and leaves Figaro to cheer up the unhappy adolescent. Figaro sings to Cherubino about his new, harsh military life, from which women will be totally excluded.
You won't go any more, amorous butterfly,
Fluttering around inside night and day
Disturbing the sleep of beauties,
A little Narcissus and Adonis of love.