Jen Cluff ~ Celtic Music for Flute

Canadian Flutist and Teacher






oo000oLooking for Celtic Flute sheet music?
ooooooCompiled by Jennifer Cluff 2004


Celtic selections for flute students ~ Books and Sheetmusic:
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Beginners to Novice level: Grades 1-6
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There is an incredible amount of easy folk music for young players, scored for flute & piano that can be found in the Karen Suzanne Smithson series:

"Playing the Flute" Piano Accompaniments.

See:
www.weisgarber.com see Flute Method: Piano Accompaniments.
You can also purchase this book at
www.fluteworld.com This book, "Piano Accompaniments" contains the following folk tunes for flute and piano, suitable for beginners and novices:

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Flute and Piano/Easy level

RCM Grade 1-6 From: 'Playing the Flute' - Karen Smithson
"Piano Accompaniments" (in score form):
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Folk tunes contained in above title:

One Lovely Summer Evening - Finland
She's Like the Swallow - Newfoundland
My Love's an Arbutus - Ireland
Paper is White- Yiddish
Spanish Love Song - Spain
Aka Tombo (red dragon fly) - Japan
Annie Laurie - Ireland
"Comin' Home" theme- U.S./Dvorak
Morning Has Broken - Wales
Go no More a-Rushing- England
Early One Morning- England
Good Morrow, Gossip Joan - England
I Love my Love in the Morning- Ireland
Eamon an Chnoic - Ireland
Hewlett- O'Carolan
Loch Lomond - Scotland
The Ash Grove - Wales
When I was a-Roaming-Ireland
Ye Banks and Braes - Scotland
I'd Enter your Garden - Germany
En Dongolondon - Spain
Turn Ye to Me - Scotland
The Golden Vanity-England
Red River Valley - U.S.
Stormy Winds do Blow - England
Soldier Won't you Marry Me? - England
Arkansas Traveller- U.S.
The Minstrel Boy- Ireland
Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls - Ireland
Deep River- U.S. Spiritual
Appalachian Folksong- U.S.
Londonderry Air- Ireland
Scotland the Brave-Scotland
Barbara Allen- Scotland
The Salley Gardens-Ireland
The Cherry Tree Carol- U.S.
What Wonderous Love- U.S.
The Three Ravens- England/Elizabethan
Greensleeves - Elizabethan
The Gartan Mother's Lullaby - Ireland
Hall of the Mountain King - Grieg
Scarborough Fair - England
Will Ye Go, Lassie? - Scotland
Christ Child's Lullaby - Celtic
My Lagan Love - Ireland
La-bas vers l'eglise - Greece
Faerie's Love Song - Scotland

This same volume (140 pgs. in score form) contains an equal number of famous 'classical' pieces, Faure, Satie, Brahms, Bach Chorales, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky symphony excerpts, etc.
All the pieces are fairly short, and the piano accompaniments follow the series of five workbooks in progressive order. And so many great tunes for young players all in one book!

The cost around $20 U.S. for the accompaniment volume, and each piece is from 1/2 a page to 3 pages in length. Karen has also created longer, concert length versions of "Ashgrove" and two of the American folk pieces which can also be found at her website.
Most of the above folk songs are approx. 24 bars long, and have repeats. The key signatures go fully up to 6 flats and 6 sharps to improve key signature reading in young students.
Dynamics, slurs, etc. all thoughtfully marked by an experienced flute teacher (Karen Smithson.)
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More Celtic/Irish/Scottish music for Flute Novices:
Flute and Harp - or Flute/Piano

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See: http://www.harpcenter.com

 

See:
Irish Music for Flute and Harp by Sunita Staneslow includes 10 popular Irish tunes in C or sharp keys, with fingerings and chord symbols. There are no lever changes within the tunes. Includes Danny Boy, Carrickfergus, Star of the County Down, The Rights of Man, The Butterfly, and 3 jigs and 2 reels that can be played as sets or separately: Garret Barry's Jig, Tripping Up the Stairs, Larry O'Gaff, The Wind Beneath the Barley and Ships are Sailing. 38 pages plus a 10 page booklet for flute.

Scottish Music for Flute and Harp
A collection of 10 popular Scottish airs and dance tunes for flute and lever harp. The pieces range from 1 flat to 1 sharp with chord symbols, but no fingerings. For advanced beginners and intermediate harp players. The lyrics of the airs are printed at the back of the book. 33 pages plus a 10 page booklet for flute. Includes Ye Banks and Braes, Flow Gently Sweet Afton, John Anderson My Jo, Mingulay Boat Song, Mairi's Wedding, Lochaber No More, Flower of Edinburgh, Cutting Bracken, Glenlivet, Willafjord.

Patricia Jaeger's Folk Harp with a Friend is a wonderful collection of 12 traditional Irish tunes. The harp plays an accompaniment, and there are parts for two melody instruments, as well as viola, and cello. All you need to play these are a harp and any melody instrument (flute, violin, recorder, etc). However, if you have another melody instrument, or a viola or cello, the music becomes more interesting, and more fun! The pieces are in the keys of 3 flats through 2 sharps, with some fingerings. No (harp)lever changes required during the pieces. For advanced beginners and intermediate harp players. 35 page spiral-bound harp book with four booklets for the other instruments.
Includes Bendemeer's Stream, I Love My Love in the Morning, Londonderry Air, My Lagan Love, The Wearing of the Green, Will Ye Go Lassie?, Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms, The Harp That Once Thru Tara's Halls, Down By the Sally Gardens, 'Tis Pretty To Be In Ballinderry, As I Went A Walking, My Love's An Arbutus.(Note for some of the flute parts above: for beginner flutists, may want to re-write parts up the octave that contain low C, at teacher's discretion.)

Charles Guard's Manx Music Book

Manx tunes are from the Isle of Man, a small ancient kingdom set in the middle of the Irish Sea at the center of the British Isles. This book by Manx harper Charles Guard includes 18 harp solos, 4 harp duets, and 3 songs arranged for voice and harp. All in the key of C or in sharp keys, arranged for intermediate harp players, with no fingerings. 56 pages.
Includes Invocation to St. Bridget, The Washing Song, William the Tailor, The Dirk Dance, Return the Blow, Mona's Delight, False Love, The Fairies' Reel, The Song of the Water Kelpie, Milking Song, Courting Song, The Fathaby Jig, Car ny Rankee, Candlemas, Mylecharaine, Mylecharaine's March, The Sheep Under the Snow, Love of My Heart, Manannan Beg Mac y Lir (Duet), Slumber Song (Duet), Lhigey Lhigey (Duet), The Flitter Dance (Duet), Lullaby of the Virgin Mary (Song), Saint Columba's Prayer (Song), The Sea Invocation (Song). (can rearrange for flute and piano-very easy parts.)

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More flute and harp (easy flute - can play w/ piano)
See:
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Find:
Sheet Music for Flute and Harp

Walking Tunes a Collection
Ashgrove - Banks of Sullane/Paiste Fionn - Simple Gifts Available through ALRY Publications.

The traditional tunes found in this collection, Ashgrove, Banks of Sullane/Paiste Fionn, and Simple Gifts, are reminiscent of the pastoral settings in the English countryside.
The Walking Tunes collection is ideal for weddings, receptions, and parties.
All of the harp parts sound very well when using piano.
RoseWynde seeks to use a full dynamic range and an array of classical and "Irish" ornaments. However, the player should feel free to express their individual artistry.

At:
http://www.harpconnection.com

Find: Wienand, Karl, Efen and Arawynn's Flute and Harp Book An easy collection of Celtic and Medieval pieces for harp and flute or recorder. (for flutists, the recorder parts may need to be moved one octave higher as read.)
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Flute & Playalong CD:
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At link:
http://www.topwind.com/

See: Take Up The Flute Repertoire Book One

By Chris Morgan/James Galway

This book contains twenty seven graded pieces for flute and piano from absolute beginner to Grade 1 level. The book includes a flute part, a piano accompaniment part and also the chord symbols. The CD contains performances of the pieces by James Galway, and the backing tracks to play along to.
Contents: Includes One More Night, Easy Blue, Lavender's Blue, Skye Boat Song, The Marriage Of Figaro, Lovely On The Water, Castle On A Cloud, A Groovy Kind Of Love and More

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Beautiful Music of Wales - arranged by Nicholas and Sian Vallis-Davies Stock Code : VAL125
[not sure if this is with CD or piano accomp]

This unique collection contains 19 traditional Welsh pieces for both flute and clarinet to play. The standard of the arrangements is about Grade 2-3 level, which makes this book very accessible and enjoyable for all.
Contents: Hurry Hurry Mother, One Small Pan, Lullaby, Captain Morgan's March, Hush My Little Darling, The Black Pig, NewYear's Eve, Counting The Goats, Arabella, The Rising of the Lark, Watching the Wheat, The Ash Grove, The Minstrel's Adieu to his Native Land, Men of Harlech, David of the White Rock, Round the Yellow Sheepskin, All through the Night, Hunting the Hare
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BEST Celtic Flute playalong books with CD:
For all levels/ages/adults/children

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I would personally recommend
"Celtic Music for Flute" by Jessica Walsh, and use the guitar chords to improvise a simple piano accompaniment for recitals, or use the CD in lessons.
See:
www.fluteandguitar.com for "Celtic Music for Flute" to hear MP3s.
To create duets from about 60 of these tunes from three Walsh books go to my
"How to created Duets from Walsh's Celtic books" article.
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Celtic Flute Duets for Novices:
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There is a great simple duet book by Sarah Watts called:
"Favourite Celtic Melodies",
Duets for 2 flutes/Mel Bay. (Very easy)
 
These are excellent! Teacher will have to put in slurs (to distinguish from phrase markings) and other articulations as required prior to presenting these to students in lessons. Players can exchange parts on repeat.
 
There are also Celtic Duets listed by grade at www.justflutes.com
 
I have also arranged five British folksongs for flute duo in PDF format.
They are on the files-page at Flutenet.
Join
Flutenet , and then feel free to download 5 folksongs for novice flutists at this link below:

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Celtic flute music for the Intermediate level: Grades 5-10
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James Galway & Phil Coulter books distributed by Hal Leonard Publishers,
with full parts to match CDs of same name. (can playalong with CD overtop of artists)

Note: Piano parts very well written, making several pieces sound very beautiful in recital/gigs:
Books of sheet music:
Annie's Song - Contains: Brian Boru's March/The Belfast Hornpipe
Legends - Contains: Ashokan Farewell/Lament for the Wild Geese/Riverdance etc. (about 12 tunes)
Winter's Crossing - Contains: About 14 original Celtic arrangements, some quite challenging.
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Also see:
At link:
www.alrypublications.com
See: Flute Quartets/Flute choir and Trios for Celtic music (Catherine McMichael esp.)
There are several level II+ pieces at ALRY that feature piccolo/piano or flute/piano with Celtic themes. Level II-III is for intermediates

For Piccolo or Flute:
Ricky Lombardo - The Little Hornpipe II
Laurence Trott - Top O' the Evening, an Irish Suite (some are level II)
Scott Michal - March, Minuet, Pavane and Hornpipe III
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For Flute:
Ed: Janice D. Boland - The Banks of Ayr - Scottish folk tunes with Variations III
Robert C. Bayley - Pastorale and Folkdance II
Charles DeLaney -Variations on an English Folksong 'Seeds of Love'
T.B.Febonio - Whistle Music Book 1 & 2 II+
R. Bryan Calvert - A Suite for Bry III
Donna Robertson - Amazing Grace II
Paul Bowles/Karen Garrison- Folk Preludes II+
Catherine McMichael - Pavane from "The Academie of Dance" II

South American flute music:
Alberto Arantes - Potpourri Brasileiro III
Alan Weinberg - Salsa Suite III
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Also see: Flute & Harp category at ALRY publishers.
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Free contemporary Celtic sheet music:
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For free Irish sheetmusic of contemporary and traditional Irish tunes:

http://www.thesession.org/tunes/index.php

Free short transcriptions of hundreds of contemporary artist's celtic tunes. Click on "Sheetmusic" at top of each title; do not need to join to click on tunes.
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Huge source book of Irish Fiddle Tunes:
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O'Neill's Music of Ireland by Oak Publications.

The tunes in there are WELL worth having. You may be able to find the book second-hand in a local bookstore, or borrow from the library, and go through and arrange your favourites.
The entire last section is all O'Carolan, who, of course is BRILLIANT!!!
 


Celtic Inspired Music for the Intermediate or Advanced Flutist


UK sheet music source for Celtic books for flute:
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At
www.justflutes.com see:
Flute Alone or Flute & Piano
Catalogue listings:
Composer Title Pub Grade Code Price in UK pounds Notes

Kuhlau Vars on Irish Theme (Last Rose) BIL 9 KUH310 5.95
Nicholson Gramachree - Irish Air (facsimile) PAN 9 NIC040 5.50
McCaskill Complete Irish Flute Book (inc exercises) MB 3-8 MCC130 22.50
Carolan Complete Collection of Irish Tunes OSS 2-3 N/A O/P
Cotter Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor OSS 0-6 COT010 8.95
Fleming The Irish Flute KM 3-5 FLE110 5.99 *^
Hotz Irish Folksongs HOF 1-2 HOT110 6.95
Loesberg Irish Tunebook Pt 1 OSS 5 LOE370 7.50
Loesberg Irish Tunebook Pt 2 OSS 5 LOE371 6.95
Mawby Irish Jigs and Reels (acc) KM 3-5 MAW040 7.50
McGinty 99 Irish Dance Tunes BM 3-6 MCG100 9.60
Robbins Danny Boy/When Irish Eyes (acc) IND 2 TRA037 6.50
Stamm Tales from Erin (Irish/Scot mels) IND 2-4 STA330 10.95
Lombardo A Celtic Celebration (expandable) LMP 5-6 LOM095 21.15
Monroe Celtic Music Collection Vol 1 (+acc) LP 6 MON095 10.00
Traditional A Celtic Top Ten + acc/CD KM 3-4 TRA135 8.99 !
Walsh Celtic Music (+CD) + gtr chds IND 2-5 ALE020 14.95
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Advanced Intermediate
Flute & Piano Repertoire:
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Cecelia McDowell - Piper's Dream - Flute and Piano grade 9
Hamilton Harty ~In Ireland - Flute and Piano grade 9+
Michael Conway Baker ~Sonata for Flute and Piano (1975) grade 8+
Ernest Bloch ~ Suite Modale grade 8+ (Modal/not-celtic per se)
Cameron Wilson ~ Celtic Partita grade 8-10

For more detailed info. on the above works see Jen's webpage for thumbnail sketches of
"Jen's Favourite Repertoire".
To order the above flute/piano repertoire go to: www.fluteworld.com to find publisher and order locally if preferred.
And please email me with more title suggestions! I'd love to continually update this list of Celtic flute music. Thanks to all those who send more titles. :>)

Jennifer Cluff

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Contemporary Celtic flute players

Brad Hurley has a wonderful site devoted to the Irish Flute. The address is: http://www.firescribble.net/flute/index.html .

Also, the CD entitled "Wooden Flute Obsession" has 2 CD's worth of tunes in different settings. This includes, solo, with piano, with guitar, etc.
 
 

Celtic or Folk Sheetmusic for Flute Trio or Flute Quartet  
 
Q:  I am looking for some Celtic Flute Music arranged for flute trio or quartet. Do you know of any really good  arrangements? My students love the arrangements from  the Flutewise website  but they want me to find more  "cool" music for them.
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Answer: Some of the links that follow may be useful to you as a teacher:
 
Jennifer Cluff's celtic Trios for three C-flutes:
 
blog/2010/01/celtic-flute-trios-for-sale.html

Scarborough Fair
Mari's Wedding
She Moved Through the Fair
Dream of Arren
Matt's Drone
Mireille from Gounod's opera
Original compositions
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                  CELTIC FLUTE ENSEMBLE MUSIC
Beginner-Novice-Intermediate level flute
Celtic or Folk Flute Ensemble resources:
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1. DUOS for Novice Flutists (expandable)
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The Jessica Walsh Celtic Music for Flute  is a good
source of celtic flute duos with CD accompaniment,
originally written for solo flute and guitar, but
changeable to two or more flutes.
Example: Four novice level student flutists can double
parts and perform with CD accompaniment played on
stereo in classroom:
See:
Celtic/Renaissance Flute played from Walsh books as
duets:
http://www.jennifercluff.com/walsh.htm

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2. FLUTE TEACHER'S REPERTOIRE LISTS ONLINE:
Novice to Intermediate level Celtic Flute Trios &
Quartets (4 C flutes):
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TRIOS:
Look for celtic titles at:
http://www.svsu.edu/flutee/TrioRep.html
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QUARTETS:
Look for Celtic titles at:
http://www.svsu.edu/flutee/Flute4tetRep.html

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3. A SELECTED LIST OF CELTIC (or folk)
        FLUTE TRIOS and QUARTETS
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Composer/Arranger Title

Lombardo, arrangement of "Aura Lee"
Lombardo, arr: Black Is the Color of My True Love's
Hair
Kile Brother James Air
Lombardo Cedar Ridge
Lombardo, arr Fairest of the Fair
Wye, arr Flute Class Concert Album
Bailey Flute Fugue 1
Jeffries Flute Trio (Trio)
Madison, arr His Eyes Are On the Sparrow
Lombardo, arr Introduction to the Flute Family
Holcombe, arr Londonderry Air
Bach-Eck Minuet
(various) Music for Three, vol. 3 (Trio)
Jeffries New Beginnings (Trio)
Bailey, arr Renaissance Album, The
Goff, arr Sacred Medley
Lombardo, arr Scarborough Fair
Lombardo, arr School Days
Lombardo, arr Sheep May Safely Graze
Lombardo, arr Shenandoah
Lombardo, arr Simple Gifts
Luening Sonority Canon
Holcombe/Dorsey, arr Sound of Music, Selections from
The
Dorff Through a Misty Arch (Trio)
Kane, arr Vocalise
Lombardo, arr Water Is Wide, The
Lombardo, arr Water Music
Robertson, arr Wondrous Love (Trio)

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Recommended titles for more advanced flute levels:

Zempleni, Trio for Three Flutes (Trio)
Holcombe, arr: Spring, from Vivaldi's Four Seasons
Lombardo, arr: Fiesta De Canciones Folkloricas
McMichael,A Gaelic Offering,

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4. GRADED SHEETMUSIC LISTS:
Flute Trios & Quartets
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Search the sheetmusic lists online to find orderable
titles:

TRIOS:

Published flute trios that included some celtic & folk
trio music:

a) ALRY catalogue see levels 1-2 for beginner to
novice:
http://www.alrypublications.com/

b) JUSTFLUTES [U.K]CATALOGUE:
Graded 1-9, beginner [1-2]to very advanced [7-9]:

 Link to listings of published titles of Flute Trios:
http://www.justflutes.com/

c) Also see flute trios in the Flute World catalogue:
http://www.fluteworld.com


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Published flute quartets that include some celtic/folk:

a) ALRY CATALOGUE
 [see levels 1-2 for novice players]:
 Flute Quartets:
http://www.alrypublications.com/

b) JUSTFLUTES [U.K]CATALOGUE:
Graded 1-9:
 Flute Quartets:
http://www.justflutes.com/

c) Also see flute quartets in the Flute World
catalogue:
http://www.fluteworld.com

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5. Other Useful Links
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Celtic Flute sheetmusic links for solo flute:
http://www.jennifercluff.com/celtic.htm

Searchable free music sites that have flute sheetmusic:
http://www.jennifercluff.com/freemusic.htm

 Flute Trio and Quartet free online advice and
repertoire lists:
http://www.svsu.edu/flutee/fluteedocs.html

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 6. Celtic Composers for Flute Ensembles:
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Catherine McMichael's celtic flute ensemble music list:
http://catherinemcmichael.com/library.html
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 7. Celtic flute ensemble music to listen to:
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http://cdbaby.com/cd/silverwoodquartet
http://www.svsu.edu/flutee/
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/normangreenburg


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Compiled by www.jennifercluff.com
 
 
 
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