Sachgebiete

Beschreibung:

315 S. Goldgepr. Originalleinen.

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Einband u. einige S. lose; Gebrauchsspuren, einige S. fleckig. - Aus dem Nachlaß von Michael Richter. - Beiliegt: handschriftl. Index der Lieder bis S. 258 durch Michael Richter. - FOR A' THAT (page 84).-Burns wrote this song in 1794. Mr Stenhouse remarks that this song ' unfortunately came out at a period when political disputes ran very high, and his enemies did not fail to interpret every sentence of it to his prejudice. That he was the zealous friend of rational and constitutional freedom will not be denied, but that he entertained principles hostile to the safety of the State no honest man that knew him will ever venture to maintain. In fact, what happened to Burns has happened to most men of genius. During times of public commotion there are always to be found vile and dastardly scoundrels, who, to render themselves favourites with those in power, and push their own selfish views of interest and ambition, are ever ready to calumniate the characters and misrepresent the motives and actions of their neighbours, however good, innocent, or meritorious.' / Beranger, the French poet, said, ' This song was a song not for an age, but an eternity.' / The authorship of the air cannot be traced. / GLOOMY WINTER'S NOO AWA' (page 100).-The following account of the origin of this song is given in a small book entitled 'The harp of Renfrewshire,' published in Paisley in 1819. It forms a portion of a letter written by E. A. Smith, who was an / intimate friend of the poet: ' Miss -----, of-----, was particularly / fond of the Scottish melody " Lord Balgownie's Favourite," and had expressed a wish to see it united to good poetry. I accordingly applied to my friend (Tannahill), who produced his song, "Gloomy Winter's noo awa'" in a few days. As soon as I had arranged the air, with symphonies and accompaniment for the pianoforte, I waited on the lady, who was much delighted with the verses, and begged of me to invite the author to take a walk with me to the house at any leisure time. I knew that it would be almost impossible to prevail on Eobert to allow himself to be introduced by fair means: so for once I made use of the only alternative in my power, by beguiling him thither during our first Saturday's ramble, under the pretence of being obliged to call with some music I had with me for the ladies. This, however, could not be effected till I had promised not to make him known, in case any of the family came to / the door. But how great was his astonishment when Miss----- / came forward to invite him into the house by name ! I shall never forget the awkwardness with which he accompanied us to the music room. He sat as it were quite petrified, till the magic of the music and the great affability of the ladies reconciled him to his situation. / In a short time Mr------came in, was introduced to his visitor in / due form, and with that goodness of heart and simplicity of manner for which he is so deservedly esteemed by all who have the pleasure of knowing him, chatted with his guest till near dinner-time, when / Eobert again became terribly uneasy, as Mr-----insisted on our / staying to dine with the family. Many a rueful look was cast to me, and many an excuse was made to get away; but, alas! there was no escaping with a good grace; and finding that I was little inclined to understand his signals, the kind request was at length reluctantly complied with. After a cheerful glass or two, the restraint he was under gradually wore away, and he became tolerably communicative. I believe that when we left the mansion, the poet entertained very different sentiments from those with which he had entered it. He had formed an opinion that nothing save distant pride and cold formality was to be met with from people in the higher walks of life; but on experiencing the very reverse of his / imaginings, he was quite delighted; and when Mr-----'s name / happened to be mentioned in his hearing afterwards, it generally called forth expressions of respect and admiration.' The melody was claimed by Mr Alexander Campbell, editor of 'Albyn's Anthology,' a considerable time after it was united to Tannahill's words. In arranging it, R. A. Smith, however, supposed it to be an old Highland air. / Eobert Tannahill was the son of a silk-gauze weaver in Paisley, and born in that town on the 3d of June 1774. After receiving a common school education, he was sent, when very young, to assist his father at the loom. / At a very early age he wrote verses ; and being unable, on account of a weakness in one of his limbs, to join in the play of his schoolfellows, he found amusement in composing riddles in rhyme for their solution. HAME CAM' OUR GUIDMAN AT E'EN (page 120).-There are different versions of this humorous ballad. The copy inserted in this work was first published in Herd's collection, 1769. Mr Stenhouse says: 'Johnson, the publisher of the "Museum," after several unavailing researches, was at length informed that an old man of the name of Geikie, a hairdresser in the Candlemaker's Row, Edinburgh, sang the verses charmingly, and that the tune was uncommonly fine. Accordingly he and his friend Mr Clarke took a step to Geikie's lodgings, and invited him to an inn to crack a bottle with them. They soon made him very merry; and on being requested to favour them with the song, he readily complied, and sang it with great glee. Mr Clarke took down the notes, and arranged the song for the "Museum," in which work the words and music first appeared together in print.' / HERE'S A HEALTH TO ANE I LO'E DEAR (page 286). -This very beautiful melody is well adapted to the touching words, written by Burns for his friend, Miss Jessie Lewars, who so affectionately tended him while on his death bed. / HE'S OE'R THE HILLS THAT I LO'E WEEL(page82). -This song is the production of Lady Baroness Nairne, but until a comparatively recent period its authorship was unknown. As the most popular gongs written by'this talented lady appear in this collection, the following extract from the ' Modern Scottish Minstrel' (a valuable work edited by the_Rev. Charles Rogers, LL.D., F.S.A. Scot.) will be deemed interesting:-'The literary history of our authoress (Lady Baroness Nairne) commenced about 1792, when she seems to have composed her song of "The Ploughman." "The Laird o' Cockpen" was written about the same period. In 1798 she produced "The Land o' the Leal," in testimony of her affectionate sympathy with an early friend on the death of her first-born. Other compositions from her pen appeared at intervals, and as occasion offered to present them, without a revelation of the writer's name. Some time previous to 1821 she entrusted to a gentlewoman in Edinburgh the secret of her authorship. In that year Mr Robert Purdie, a musicseller in the capital, resolved to publish a series of the more approved national songs, accompanied by suitable melodies. Several ladies of musical tastes were solicited to render their assistance in the undertaking, and among others, the gentlewoman who had become the depositary of Lady Nairne's secret. Informed by this friend of Mr Purdie's project, our authoress consented to render every assistance, on her incognito being preserved. The condition was readily acceded to ; and though the publication of "The Scottish Minstrel" extended over three years, and our authoress had several personal interviews and much correspondence with the publisher and his editor, Mr B. A. Smith ? IN THE GARB OF OLD GAUL (page 250).-General John Robertson Eeid was born at Straloch, in Perthshire, in 1720. He is best known now, perhaps, as the founder of the Professorship of Music in the University of Edinburgh, which is named after him. He died in 1807. Sir Henry Erskine, the writer of the words, died in 1765. / JENNY DANG THE WEAVER (page 224).-Words by Sir Alexander Boswell, son of the celebrated biographer of Dr Johnson, born 1775. He wrote many songs and poems of merit, but happening unfortunately to write a severe lampoon of a political nature upon Mr Stuart of Dünearn, a duel ensued, in which he was shot, March 1822. Of its somewhat amusing history we give the following account, quoted from Mr Hugh Paton's ' Contemporaries of Burns,' &c, Edinburgh, 1840. ' The origin of the air of "Jenny dang the Weaver" is somewhat curious. The Rev. Mr Gardner, minister of the parish of Birse in Aberdeenshire, well known for his musical talent and for his wit, was one Saturday evening arranging his ideas for the service of the following day in his little study, which looked into the court-yard of the manse, where Mrs Gardner, sectmda-for he had been twice married-was engaged in the homely task of " beetling " the potatoes for supper. To unbend his mind a little, he took up his Cremona, and began to step, over the notes of an air he had previously jotted down, when suddenly an altercation arose between Mrs Gardner and Jock, the " minister's man"-an idle sort of weaver from the neighbouring village of Marywell, who had lately been engaged as man-of-all-work about the manse. " Here, Jock," cried the mistress, as he had newly come in from the labours of the field, "gae wipe the minister's shoon." " Na," said the lout, " I'll do nae sic thing : I cam' here / to be yir ploughman, but no yir flunky; and I'll be------gif I'll / wipe the minister's shoon!" "De'il confound yir impudence!" said the enraged Mrs Gardner, as she sprung at him with the heavy culinary instrument in her hand, and giving him a hearty beating, compelled him to perform the menial duty required. The minister, highly diverted with the scene, gave the air he had just completed the title of "Jenny dang the Weaver." This is supposed to have occurred about the year 1746.' / JENNY'S BAWBEE (page 218).-Written by Sir Alexander Boswell. The air is an old dance tune. / JESSIE, THE FLOWER 0' DUNBLANE (page 2) was first published in 1808, and at once acquired and still retains great popularity. For many years after its composition, who was the heroine of the song was a matter of speculation. Many a Jessie was credited with the honour, and travellers by the stage-coaches which ran between Perth and the South, when passing through Dunblane, had pointed out to them the house where Jessie was born. A writer in the ' Musical Magazine' for May 1835, mentions that he had been introduced at Dunblane to the identical Jessie. Tlie Jessie, however, existed only in the imagination of the poet; lie never was in Dunblane, for had he been there, he would have discovered that the sun could not there be seen setting "O'er the lofty Ben Lomond.' It is said that the song was written to supplant an old one called 'Bob o' Dunblane.' / JOCK O' HAZELDEAN (page 48) was written by Sir Walter Scott, founded, it is supposed, on an old ballad called ' Jock o' Hazelgreen.' It is very remarkable that many of our best poets were wholly destitute of an ear for music. Thomas Moore says, that, ' with the exception of Milton, there is not to be found, among all the eminent poets of England, a single musician;' and Sir Walter Scott admitted regarding himself: ' My mother was anxious we should at least learn psalmody ; but the incurable defects of my voice and ear soon drove my teacher to despair. It is only by long practice that I have acquired the power of selecting or distinguishing melodies; and although now few things delight or affect me more than a simple tune sung with feeling, yet I am sensible that even this pitch of musical taste has only been gained by attention and habit ... JOHNNIE COPE (page 268), said to be the production of a wealthy farmer in Haddingtonshire, named Adam Skirving. The history of the short but disastrous battle of Prestonpans is well known (1745). Cope's troops gave way before the impetuous charge of the Highlanders, and Cope fled in hot haste from the field, and made no stay till he reached Berwick, when he was received by Lord Mark Ker with the well-known sarcasm, ' that he believed he was the first general in Europe who had brought the first tidings of his own defeat.' He was tried by a court-martial for his conduct, hut acquitted. It is related that in the retreat, his horse, being an excellent one, carried him to the front, earning him the bitter compliment from a countryman who stood by, ' God, sir, but ye ha'e won the race, win the battle wha like !' Skirving also wrote another song about the battle, entitled ' Tranent Muir,' which was sting-ingly severe. One of the Royalist officers, Lieutenant Smith, incensed at the rough handling he got in this satire, challenged Skirving to meet him. Skirving's answer was characteristic. ' Gang awa' back, and tell Mr Smith that I ha'e nae leisure to come to Haddington ; but tell him to come here an' I'll tak' a look o'him, an' if I think I'm fit to fecht him, I'll feeht him ; an' if no-I'll do as he did-I'll rin awa'.' Skirving was horn in 1719, and died in 1803. / LASSIE, WOULD YE LO'E ME? (page 116).-This popular ballad, in imitation of the Scotch style, is the production of Joseph William Holder, Mus. Baa, born at London in 1765, and died 1832. He wrote many glees, anthems, &c, and was esteemed an excellent performer on the organ. / LOGIE 0' BUCHAN(.W(;198)waswrittenbyGeorgeHalkett, who died in 1756. He was a great Jacobite, and wrote a number of pieces in support of his party. The Logie mentioned in the song is situated in Crimond (Aberdeenshire), a parish adjoining the one where the poet resided; and the hero of the song was a James Robertson, gardener at Logie. / LOUDON'S BONNIE WOODS AND BRAES (page 102) was written by Eobert Tannahill,r_and set to music by E. A. Smith. Loudon Castle, in Ayrshire, is the place here celebrated. The song was composed on the occasion of Earl Moira, afterwards Marquis of Hastings, being ordered abroad in the service of his country, shortly after his marriage with Flora, Countess of Loudon, and the song is supposed to depict the parting of the soldier and his young wife. / LUCY'S FLITTIN' (page 204).-This, beautiful ballad, so full of feeling and pathos, was written by William Laidlaw, the steward and trusted friend of Sir Walter Scott. Mr Lockhart, in his ' Life of Sir Walter Scott,' says : ' Mr Laidlaw has not published many verses; but his song of "Lucy's Flittin'," a simple and pathetic picture of a poor Ettrick maiden's feelings in leaving a service where she had been happy, has long boen, and must ever be, a favourite with all who understand the delicacies of the Scottish dialect, and the manners of the district in which the scene is laid.' Dr Rogers mentions that, during the course of an excursion in Tweedside, two. versions of the subject of the song were given him. ' According to one version, Lucy had been in the service of Mr Laidlaw, sen., at Blackhouse, and had by her beauty attracted the romantic fancy of one of the poet's brothers. In the other account Lucy is described as having served on a farm in "The Glen" of Traquair, and as having been beloved by her master's son, who afterwards deserted her, when she died of a broken heart.' // u.v.a. Lieder.