AULD LANG SYNE. Scottish, Air (2/4 time) or Strathsepy. F Major (Neil): A Major (Stewart-Robertson). Standard. AABB. Robert Burns (1759-1796) had the air to which he wrote his famous lyrics from an old man's singing, and immediately wrote it down upon hearing as he thought it "exceedingly expressive" and which he later remarked "has often thrilled through my soul." The song was sent by him to Johnson for inclusion in the Scots Musical Museum with a note that it was an old song with additions and alterations (Neil, 1991). Fuld (1966) states that the extent of Burns' responsibility for the words and tune has always been controversial, and states that it is "generally agreed that he was not the author of the words of the first verse," which he points out is the only one everyone knows. According to Robert Chambers [Scottish Songs Prior to Burns, 1890], the earliest printing of a song called "Old-Long-Syne" [sic] with the famous opening line is in James Watson's Scots Poems, Part III, pg. 71 (Edingburgh, 1711). Chambers wrote that he song appears "as early as the reign of Chas. I, its associations conveyed in a song of many (10) stanzas", finally "brought together (in Watson's book) in a song of many stanzas." In fact, there were ten stanzas given in Scots Poems. These early printings, including Burns' version, were to melodies other than the air famous in modern times (interestingly, Burns wrote another song to the "Auld Lang Syne" melody that is substantially the one we know today, which he called "O Can Ye Labor Lea, Young Man," also known as "I Fee'd a Man at Martinmas," found in the Scots Musical Museum [Edinburgh, 1792-1793]).
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Fuld finds identifying motifs for the modern melody for "Auld Lang Syne" in Playford's "The Duke of Bucclugh's Tune" in Appolo's Banquet (1687), and subsequently and more elaborately as "The Miller's Wedding" (in Bremner's Scots Reels, c. 1765), "The Miller's Daughter," "The Lasses of the Ferry," "Sir Alexander Don's Strathspey," "Roger's Farewell," and the "Overture" to William Shield's opera Rosina (London, 1783). The words and the present melody were first printed together in 1799 in George Thompson's A Select Collection of Original Scottish Airs (London), but, Fuld states, "it is not clear whether Thomson or Burns brought the words and melody together," and it is not clear exactly which air Burns heard the aforementioned old man singing.
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Stewart-Robertson prints a strathspey version of the tune arranged by John MacAlpin of Killin, for dancing. Ludwig van Beethoven arranged a setting of "Auld Lang Syne" early in the 19th century.
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As a young man Mark Twain thought to learn music and tried first one instrument, then another, before finally settling down with an accordion. After determining its rudiments, he learned the popular air "Auld Land Syne," and for about a week he continued to torture his unwilling listeners with the melody, when he, being of an ingenious turn of mind, endeavored to improve upon the original melody by adding some variations of his own device. Just as he finished the tune with a suitable flourish, his landlady stepped into his room and said, "Do you know any other tune but that, Mr. Twain?" He told her meekly he did not. "Well then," said she, "stick to it just as it is; don't put any variations on it; because it is rough enough on the boarders the way it is now." As it happened, half the boarders left anyway, while the other half would have had not the landlady discharged Twain first. The aspiring musician went from house to house, but none would undertake to keep him after one night's music, so, at least, in sheer desperation he went to board with an Italian lady--Mrs. Murphy, by name. He says:
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The first time I stuck up the variations, a haggard care-worn,
cadaverous old man walked into my room and stood beaming
upon me a smile of ineffable happiness. Then he placed his hand
upon my head, and looking devoutly aloft, he said with feeling
unction: "God bless you, young man! God bless you! for you
have done that for me which is beyond all praise. For year I
have suffered from an incurable disease, and knowing my doom
was sealed, and that I must die, I have striven with all my power
to resign myself to my fate, but in vain--the love of life was too
strong within me. But heaven bless you, my benefactor! For since
I heard you play that tune and those variations, I do not want to
live any longer--I am willing to die--in fact, I am anxious to die."
And then the old man fell upon my neck and wept a flood of happy
tears. I was surprised at these things, but I could not help giving the
old gentleman a parting blast, in the way of some peculiarly lacerating
variations, as he went out of the door. They doubled him up like a
jackknife, and the next time he left his bed of pain and suffering he
was all right, in a metallic coffin.
***
At last Twain gave up the instrument, and from then on gave amateur musicians a wide berth. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; No. 72b, pg. 30. Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 189, pg. 244. Stewart-Robertson (Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 1.
T:Auld Lang Syne
L:1/8
M:C
N:"As arranged by John McAlpin, Killen"
B:The Athole Collection
S:Strathspey
K:A
E|A2A>c B>AB>c|AAA>a f2f>a|e<cc>A B>AB>c|A>FE>F A2A:|
|:a|e<cc>A B>AB>c|e<cc>e f>ga>f|e>cc>A B>AB>c|A>FE>F A2A:|
COMING THROUGH THE RYE. AKA and see "Gin a Body Meet a Body," "The Miller's Daughter," "Rye Waltz." Scottish, Shetland; Country Dance Tune (2/4 or 4/4 time) or Strathspey. D Major (Kerr/3rd, Sweet): A Major (Kerr/4th). Standard. One part (Sweet): AABB (Kerr/4th). The title of the song comes from lyrics by Robert Burns set to the tune originally composed by Robert Bremner called "The Miller's Daughter." It was published in 1797 in The Scots Musical Museum (Vol. 5), though it had earlier appeared in 1796 under the title "If a Body Meet a Body," with the arrangement credited to J. Sanderson with words by Mr. Cross. Several sources have noted the similarity between this tune and "Auld Lang Syne," and Fuld (1966) believes they have similar melodic antecedents. The original song was a particularly bawdy ditty collected by Burns (who wrote not a few bawdy lyrics himself) and published posthumously around 1800 in The Merry Muses of Caledonia. Fuld believes that Cross's 1796 words were simply a purient altering of the original song for public consumption. As a novelty number called "The Rye Waltz," it was popular at dances in the southwest United States around 1900 (Shumway, 1990). The tune was recorded from Ozark Mountain fiddlers by folklorist/musicologist Vance Randolph in the early 1940's for the Library of Congress. Cooke prints the following words to the tune, collected in the Shetland Islands:
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Jaanie she's a poor body,
Jaanie she's no dry;
Drinkin o' a pirrie cups,
Coming through the rye.
***
While Burns' begins:
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Gin a body meet a body
Comin' thro' the rye.
***
Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 3; No. 370, pg. 41. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 4; No. 4, pg. 3. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964/1981; pg. 17. Veteran VT111, Francis Shergold - "Greeny Up" (1988. Recorded from Bampton, England, morris dance musicians).
LASSES/LASSIES OF THE FERRY. AKA and see "Hoch Hey, Johnnie Lad," "Hech how Johnnie Lad," "The Lads of Saltcot." Scottish. John Glen (1891) finds the tune in Neil Stewart's 1761 collection (pg. 33). It was later known as "Hech how Johnnie Lad." See note for "Auld Lang Syne."
LLYDAW (Brittany). Welsh, Air. Robin Huw Bowen thinks this hymn air originated in Brittany, but was transported to Wales. Flying Fish FF70610, Robin Huw Bowen - "Telyn Berseiniol fy Ngwlad/Welsh Music on the Welsh Triple Harp" (1996. From the playing of Dafydd and Gwyndaf Roberts {Ar Log}, who had it from Nansi Richards).
LOATH TO DEPART [1]. English, Air (6/4 time). C Minor. Standard. AB. Kines (1964) says this was the "Auld Lang Syne" of the Elizabethan period and was mentioned in several works, including Beaumont and Fletcher's Wit at Several Weapons. It was set as a round for four voices in Deuteromelia. A Welsh tune called "Anodd Ymadael" (Loath to Depart) appears in Edward Jones' ('Bardd y Brenen') first volume of Welsh music The Musical and Poetical Relics of the Welsh Bards (1784). Jones was harpist laureate to King George IV. Kines (Songs From Shakespeare's Plays and Popular Songs of Shakespeare's Time), 1964; pgs. 102-103. Flying Fish FF70610, Robin Huw Bowen - "Telyn Berseiniol fy Ngwlad/Welsh Music on the Welsh Triple Harp" (1996).
LOCH LOMOND [1]. AKA - "The Bonny Bonny Banks o' the Lomond," "Yellow is the Rose." Scottish, Air. Apart from "Auld Lang Syne" it is the most famous and recognized Scottish melody ("Oh!, Ye'll tak' the high road and I'll tak' the low road..."). Although there allusions to older origins for the song, it apparently was first published in W. Christie's "Traditional Ballad Airs" (Edinburgh, 1881). Nevertheless, there are legends attached to the tune, one which has a Jacobite (sometimes un-named, sometimes identified as Donald McDonnell of Clan Keppoch) who, in 1746 and about to be executed for his role in the rising, said to his sweetheart (who had come from Scotland to say good-bye to him): "Ye'll take the high road, and I'll take the low road (i.e., the grave), and I'll be in Scotland afore ye." Some versions of the tale have McDonnell (or MacDonald) composing the song in Carlisle Castle, where he is imprisoned awaiting execution for his Moira who is safe in the highlands. After death, his spirit visits her a final time, and he makes love to her, though she can tell he is gone. A variant of the legend has two imprisoned Jacobites bidding farewell, one to be released to struggle home over the Highlands, one to be executed whose spirit will take the 'low road.' Lady John Scott and her husband are also supposed to have heard the piece sung by a boy in the street, and that it was she who popularized it about 1845. Fuld (1971) finds phrases in the tune similar to phrases in "The Bonniest Lass in A' the World" (Thompson, Orpheus Caledonius, 1733) and "Robin Cushie" (MacGibbon, A Collection of Scots Tunes, 1742), but believes "Loch Lomond" sufficiently different to be considered a distinct song. In America it was in the repertory of Buffalo Valley, Pa., region dance fiddler Archie Miller.
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By yon bonnie banks
And by yon bonnie braes,
Where the sun shines bright
On Loch Lomond
Oh we twa ha'e pass'd
Sae mony blithesome days,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks
O' Loch Lomond.
Chorus:
Oh ye'll tak' the high road
And I'll tak' the low road,
An' I'll be in Sctoland before ye',
But wae is my heart until we meet again
On the Bonnie, bonnie banks
O' Loch Lomond.
***
I mind where we parted
In yon shady glen
On the steep, steep side
O' Ben Lomon'
Where in purple hue
The highland hills we view
And the morn shines out
Frae the gloamin'
***
An' weel may I weep
For yestreen in my sleep
We stood bride and bridegroom together,
But his face and his breath
Were as cold as the death,
And his heart's blood ran red in the heather.
***
The wee bird may sing
An' the wild flowers spring;
An' in sunshine the waters are sleepin'
But the broken heart
It sees nae second spring,
And the world does na ken
How we're greetin'
***
Chrysalis Records, Run Rig (1988). The Corries - "Silver Collection."
MILLER'S DAUGHTER, THE [1]. AKA and see "Miller's Wedding," "Comin' Thro' the Rye," "My Dear, Durst I But Mow You." Scottish, Slow Strathspey; English, Reel. England, Northumberland. D Major. Standard. AABB (Vickers): AABBCD (Athole, Skye): AABBCCDDEE (Gow). It was printed early in the c. 1790 Sharpe MS., pg. 83, and Niel Gow's Strathspey Reels, Vol. 1, 1784. John Glen (1891) finds the earliest appearance of the tune in print in Alexander McGlashan's c.1780 collection. Stewart-Robertson's version in the Athole Collection appears with the note "Old set." See also note for "Auld Lang Syne." Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 140. Johnson (Scottish Fiddle Music in the 18th Century), 1984; No. 50 (appears as "Miller's Wedding"). Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 3; No. 370 (appears as "Comin' Thro' the Rye"). McGlashan (Collection of Strathspey Reels), Vol. III, 1786; pg. 5. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 51. Seattle (William Vickers), 1987, Part 3; No. 500. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 126.
X:1
T:Miller's Daughter
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Strathspey
N:"Old set."
B:The Athole Collection
K:D
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A,<A, B,>A, D2D:|
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D<D F>D E2 E>F|D<D F>A A>Bd>e|f>de>B d>FE>F|A,<A, B,>A, D3||
X:2
T:Miller's Daughter, The
L:1/8
M:C|
S:McGlashan - Strathspey Reels
K:D
A,|D<D D>B, E>D E<F|A,<A, B,>A, D3 F|D<D D>B, E>D E<F|
A,<A, B,>A, D3:|
|:F|D<D F>D A>F E<B|D<D F>D A>DF>D|E>DF>D A>F E<B|
A,<A, B,>A, D3:|
|:A|d<d d>B e>d e<f|A<A B>A d3f|d<d d>B e>d e<f|A<A B>A d3:|
|:f/g/|a>fd>f e>d e<f|a/g/f/e/ d>A d>ef>d|g>af>b e>d e<f|A<A B>A d3:|
|:f|D<D A>F E3B|D<D F>D A3f|D<D A>F E3B|D<D F>A d>ef>d|
e>Bd>A B>F A>B,|A,>A, B,>A, D3:|
|:f|d<df<d g>f e<a|d<d f>d g>ef>d|e>df>d g>f e<a|A<A B>A d3:|
MILLER'S WEDDING, THE. AKA and see "The Miller's Daughter," "My Dear, Durst I But Mow You." Scottish, Strathspey. D Mixolydian. ADAE or Standard. AABB (Alburger): AABBCCDDEE (Johnson). Composed by Robert Bremner (c. 1713-89), and noted in scordatura form in his collection, where it was first printed (pg. 41). It originally had rude or bawdy words attached to it. The tune (actually strains one and four) later used by Robert Burns for his song "Comin' Through the Rye." See also note for "Auld Lang Syne." Source for notated version: Bremner's Scots Reels (c. 1765), pg. 41 [Johnson]. Alburger (Scottish Fiddlers and Their Music), 1983; Ex. 30, pg. 54 (strains one and two only). Johnson (Scottish Fiddle Music in the 18th Century), 1984; No. 50, pgs. 114-115.
T:The Miller's Wedding
T:The Miller's Daughter
B:Cumming's Collection, 1780, via...
B:The Popular Songs and Melodies of Scotland
Z:Nigel Gatherer
M:2/4
L:1/8
K:G
D|G<GG>E|A>GAB|D<DE>D|G3 B|
G<GG>E|A>GAB|D<DE>D|G3 z|
ROGER'S FAREWELL. See note for "Auld Lang Syne."
SIR ALEXANDER DON [1]. Scottish, Strathspey. F Major. Standard. AB. "Composed by Major Logan," asserts MacDonald in the Skye Collection. See note for "Auld Lang Syne." MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 144.
T:Sir Alexander Don [1]
L:1/8
M:C
S:MacDonald - Skye Collection
K:F
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f<ag<a f<a c>A|BG c>B AFFc|f<ag<a f2 cB|AF (d/c/)B/A/ BGGc|f<ag<a f<a c>A|
B<G c>B AFF||