Free Flute Sheet Music

Tune of the Day: Study in G minor by Hugues

Today's piece is the thirty-third study from 40 Nuovi Studi, Op. 75, by Italian flutist, composer and arranger Luigi Hugues.

Tune of the Day: Kitty's Rambles

The earliest appearance of this tune is in O'Farrell's Pocket Companion for the Irish or Union Pipes, published around 1805. This early version was set in D minor, but pretty much all later occurrences of the jig have been in either Mixolydian or major mode.

Tune of the Day: Strawberrys and Cream

This tune was composed by British writer and musician Ignatius Sancho (1729–1780), and was first printed in his Twelve Country Dances for the Year 1779.

Tune of the Day: Nina

Today's piece is taken from Blake's Young Flutist's Magazine, published in Philadelphia in 1833. Blake labeled it as “French”, but sadly we were unable to find any other information about this melody. If you recognize the tune, please let us know!

Tune of the Day: Study in C major by Boehm

This étude is the seventh piece of a collection of Twelve Grand Studies for the flute by Theobald Boehm, the German inventor who perfected the modern Western concert flute and its improved fingering system.

Tune of the Day: Doctor O'Neill

The earliest known appearance of this tune in print is in Francis O'Neill's collection Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies, published in Chicago in 1903. O'Neill says that the tune “created a sensation” when introduced to Chicago traditional musicians and dancers (“who had never heard” it before) by the elderly fiddler Edward Cronin, originally from Limerick Junction, County Tipperary. O'Neill thinks it “quite probable” the melody had originally been a clan march.

Tune of the Day: Preludio by Corelli

This is the opening movement of Italian Baroque composer Arcangelo Corelli's Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major, which was originally published in 1700 as part of his 12 Violin Sonatas, Op. 5.

Tune of the Day: Duet in D major by Tulou

This flute duet is taken from the celebrated Méthode de flûte by French flutist Jean-Louis Tulou, published in Paris in 1835. Tulou attributes the piece to “Minasi”, which might well be London-born flutist Antonio Minasi, brother of the somewhat more famous pianist and concertina player Carlo Minasi. Antonio was a child prodigy, performing his first full concert at the age of 7, and eventually becoming a professor at the Royal Academy in London.

Tune of the Day: Study in C-sharp minor by Hugues

Today's piece is the thirty-sixth study from 40 Nuovi Studi, Op. 75, by Italian flutist, composer and arranger Luigi Hugues.

Tune of the Day: Denis Delaney

The earliest known appearance of this melody is in Crosby's Irish Musical Repository (London, 1808), in which it features as the vehicle for the song “In Sweet Tipperary, the pride of the throng”, also known as “Sheelah O'Shannon”. The tune was later published as a jig under the title “Denis Delaney” in Francis O'Neill's Music of Ireland (1903).

Tune of the Day: Montagnarde by Paul Merkus

Today we have a new contribution from our guest composer from the Netherlands, Paul Merkus. This easy piece for flute and piano was written early 2014.

The title “Montagnarde“ was chosen because (French) bourrées in 3/4 time are also called montagnardes (a word which could be translated as “mountain folk dances”). This dance is less “peasant-like” than the traditional bourrée in duple or quadruple time, and is often danced in celebration. This “Montagnarde” consists of themes and motifs of four bars or a multiple thereof. There is an interesting interplay between the flute and the piano with a game of question and answer, leading to a climax at the end.

Tune of the Day: Robin Adair

This traditional Irish song, with lyrics written by Lady Caroline Keppel, was very popular in the 18th century. It was notably mentioned by Jane Austen in her 1815 novel Emma, in which the character Jane Fairfax plays it on the piano.

The present arrangement for three flutes is taken from Blake's Young Flutist's Magazine, published in 1833.

Tune of the Day: Study in C major by Boehm

This étude is the eighth piece of a collection of Twelve Grand Studies for the flute by Theobald Boehm, the German inventor who perfected the modern Western concert flute and its improved fingering system.

Tune of the Day: Walls of Liscarroll

The earliest known appearance of this modal jig is in Francis O'Neill's collection Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903.

The town of Liscarrol is located in the Irish county of Cork, about halfway between the cities of Limerick and Cork, and dates from the early Middle Ages. There is a ruined castle there to which the title may refer, or it may perhaps reference a battle that occurred at Liscarroll in the 17th century.

Tune of the Day: King Cotton

One of the perennial Sousa favorites, “King Cotton” was originally composed for the Cotton States and International Exposition of 1895. The expression “King Cotton” refers to the historically high importance of cotton as a cash crop in the southern United States.

In The Works of John Philip Sousa (1984), music historian Paul E. Bierley writes:

Sousa and his band had great drawing power at fairs and expositions and were much sought after. But officials of the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta attempted to cancel their three-week contract with the Sousa Band because of serious financial difficulties. At Sousa's insistence they honored their contract, and at the first concert they became aware of their shortsightedness. Atlanta newspapers carried rave reviews of the band’s performances. [...] The Sousa Band did indeed bring the exposition “out of the red,” and the same officials who had tried to cancel Sousa’s engagement pleaded with him to extend it.

Thanks to Elan for suggesting this piece!

Tune of the Day: Duet in G major by Tulou

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

Tune of the Day: Study in F major by Hugues

Today's piece is the thirty-seventh study from 40 Nuovi Studi, Op. 75, by Italian flutist, composer and arranger Luigi Hugues.

Tune of the Day: The Pipe on the Hob

The earliest known appearance of this Dorian-mode jig is in Francis O'Neill's collection Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903.

A hob was originally a raised surface in a fireplace directly aside where the cooking fire is built, and was a place to rest a kettle or pot while it heated. According to uilleann piper Séamus Ennis, one of the tune's Irish names was properly translated as “Piper on the Hob” or “Piper of the Embers”, a poetic nickname for the cricket, the “musical” insect.

Tune of the Day: All of one Mind

This tune was composed by British writer and musician Ignatius Sancho (1729–1780), and was first printed in his Twelve Country Dances for the Year 1779.

Tune of the Day: The Soldier's Glory

This old ballroom dance tune appears in the manuscripts of several 19th-century English fiddlers, and also had currency as a march. It was known under a few different titles, including “Nine-pins” and “Voulez vous danser”.

The present arrangement for two flutes is taken from Blake's Young Flutist's Magazine, published in 1833.

Tune of the Day: Study by Boehm

This extensive étude is the ninth piece from a collection of Twelve Grand Studies for the flute by Theobald Boehm, the German inventor who perfected the modern Western concert flute and its improved fingering system.

Tune of the Day: Brezon valse

This catchy waltz is named after Brezons, a small village in the historic Auvergne region in south-central France. It was notably recorded by the French folk group Gentiane in the 1970s.

Thanks to Phil for suggesting this tune!

Tune of the Day: Giga by Corelli

This beautiful giga is the second movement of Italian Baroque composer Arcangelo Corelli's Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major, which was originally published in 1700 as part of his 12 Violin Sonatas, Op. 5.

Tune of the Day: Duet in G major by Tulou

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

Tune of the Day: Study in C major by Hugues

Today's piece is the thirty-eighth study from 40 Nuovi Studi, Op. 75, by Italian flutist, composer and arranger Luigi Hugues.

Tune of the Day: Auvergne Mazurka

This catchy tune appears to come from the historic Auvergne region in south-central France. It is usually played in a set with Brezons valse, and as such it was notably recorded by the French folk group Gentiane in the 1970s. Curiously enough, in England the very same tune is also known under the name “Lumpy Custard”.

Thanks to Phil for suggesting this tune!

Tune of the Day: Powhatan's Daughter

This lively cut-time march is the work of America's “March King”, John Philip Sousa. In The Works of John Philip Sousa (1984), music historian Paul E. Bierley writes:

This was the march that first endeared Sousa to the Indians of America. It was a salute to Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan, and was written for the Jamestown Exposition of 1907. This exposition marked the three hundredth anniversary of the first English settlement in America.

Thanks to Elan for suggesting this piece!

Tune of the Day: Greensleeves

Today we propose an arrangement for four flutes of the renaissance classic Greensleeves, undoubtedly one of the most well-known and beloved tunes in the world.

Many thanks to Theo for contributing this arrangement!

Tune of the Day: Study in C major by Boehm

This étude is the tenth piece from a collection of Twelve Grand Studies for the flute by Theobald Boehm, the German inventor who perfected the modern Western concert flute and its improved fingering system.

Tune of the Day: Guiry's Favorite

The earliest known appearance of this Dorian-mode jig is in Francis O'Neill's collection Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1903.

Tune of the Day: The Royal Bishop

This tune was composed by British writer and musician Ignatius Sancho (1729–1780), and was first printed in his Twelve Country Dances for the Year 1779.