Re: [scots-l] familiar tunes

[Bruce Olson]

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 
 In a message dated 11/4/00 4:32:13 AM Pacific Standard Time,
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
 
  "The Blue Bell of Scotland", 
 
 Hi Jack,
 I'm putting this tune in a book I'm working on for beginner wire harpers. I'm
 having a bit of a time finding non-conflicting information on it. Just where
 did this tune come from? Anyone know? I'd sure appreciate it if someone could
 help me and tell me of any sources for it. I'm trying to include something
 factual about each piece in the book, to give some idea of what the tunes are
 about (besides just providing lyrics).
 THANK YOU!
 --Cynthia Cathcart


Joseph Ritson gave 'The New Highland Laddie' in 'The North
Country Chorister', with the apphended note that 'This song has been
lately introduced upon the stage by Mrs Jordan, who knew neither the
words, nor the tune.'

According to Helen Kendrick Johnson, 'Our Familiar Songs and
Those Who Made Them', 1881, the song Ritson gave was by Annie
McVicar (later Mrs. Grant), 1799, and the song was altered by
Mrs. Jordan, who composed her own tune for it as her "The Blue 
Bells of Scotland'. [The 'Blue Bell' was the name of an inn in 
the song given by Ritson.] 

In the Scarce Songs 2 file on my website I've proposed a
derivation of "The Blue Bells of Scotland" from earlier Scots
songs, giving the relevant texts, but I have no tune for the one from
the Mansfield/ St. Clair MS, or for that given by Ritson. See "Bonny
Dundee". Comments, pro or con, would be appreciated.

Bruce Olson 
-- 
Old English, Irish and, Scots: popular songs, tunes, broadside
ballads at my website (no advs-spam, etc)- www.erols.com/olsonw
or click below  A href="http://www.erols.com/olsonw" Click /a

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[scots-l] familiar tunes

[Jack Campin]

 I am looking for a tune composed before 1812 that you be easily
 recognized as being Scottish by a general audience. Any suggestions?

("would" for "you"?)

Is this for a play or something?

Easily the most familiar Scottish tune in 1812 would have been the
same as now: "Auld Lang Syne".  "Mrs McLeod" is older (1780s) but
would still have been about the best-known dance tune.  "Highland
Laddie" (the usual tune of that name) is probably the only Scottish
march tune predating 1812 that the general public could identify now.

Some popular song tunes of that period: "Loudon's Bonnie Woods and
Braes" (okay, hardly anybody now could identify it, but it sounds
unmistakably Scottish), "The Blue Bell of Scotland", and a bit more
seditiously "Scots Wha Hae" (that didn't get respectable until the
late 1820s, and never quite lost its edge).

Helps to say *why* you're asking a question.


-
Jack Campin  *   11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4PU, Scotland
tel 0131 660 4760  *  fax 0870 055 4975  *  http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/
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