Songs of Robert Burns, Vol. 1
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Robert Burns
Label: Linn Records
Magazine Review Date: 5/1996
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 64
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: CKD047
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| When rosy May comes in wi' flowers |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Tony Cuffe, Singer Tony Cuffe, Guitar |
| O, that I had ne'er been married |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Guitar Rod Paterson, Singer |
| Wee Willie Gray |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Singer Rod Paterson, Guitar Tony Cuffe, Guitar Tony Cuffe, Singer |
| O wha'll mow me now? |
Robert Burns, Composer
Janet Russell, Guitar Janet Russell, Singer Robert Burns, Composer |
| Brose and butter |
Robert Burns, Composer
Billy Ross, Guitar Billy Ross, Singer Robert Burns, Composer |
| (The) Wintry west extends his blast |
Robert Burns, Composer
Ian F. Benzie, Singer Ian F. Benzie, Guitar Robert Burns, Composer |
| Sweet Afton |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Tony Cuffe, Guitar Tony Cuffe, Singer |
| Duncan Gray |
Robert Burns, Composer
Christine Kydd, Guitar Christine Kydd, Singer Janet Russell, Guitar Janet Russell, Singer Robert Burns, Composer |
| (The) Winter it is past |
Robert Burns, Composer
Billy Ross, Singer Billy Ross, Guitar Robert Burns, Composer |
| Gudeen to you kimmer |
Robert Burns, Composer
Christine Kydd, Guitar Christine Kydd, Singer Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Singer Rod Paterson, Guitar |
| Kellyburn Braes |
Robert Burns, Composer
Alan Reid, Singer Alan Reid, Keyboard Robert Burns, Composer |
| (The) Slave's lament |
Robert Burns, Composer
Christine Kydd, Guitar Christine Kydd, Singer Robert Burns, Composer |
| Of a' the airts the wind can blaw |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Guitar Rod Paterson, Singer |
| What can a young lassie do wi an auld man |
Robert Burns, Composer
Ian F. Benzie, Singer Ian F. Benzie, Guitar Robert Burns, Composer |
| Ay, waukin, O |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Tony Cuffe, Guitar Tony Cuffe, Singer |
| O, steer her up, an haud her gaun |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Singer Rod Paterson, Guitar |
| (The) Cooper o Cuddy |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Tony Cuffe, Singer Tony Cuffe, Guitar |
| O, rattlin, roarin Willie |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Guitar Rod Paterson, Singer |
| To the weaver's gin you go |
Robert Burns, Composer
Janet Russell, Singer Janet Russell, Guitar Robert Burns, Composer |
| Lady Mary Ann |
Robert Burns, Composer
Billy Ross, Guitar Billy Ross, Singer Robert Burns, Composer |
| Montgomerie's Peggy |
Robert Burns, Composer
Ian F. Benzie, Singer Ian F. Benzie, Guitar Robert Burns, Composer |
| (The) Lea-rigg |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Guitar Rod Paterson, Singer |
| Yestreen I had a pint o wine |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Tony Cuffe, Guitar Tony Cuffe, Singer |
Composer or Director: Robert Burns
Label: Linn Records
Magazine Review Date: 5/1996
Media Format: Cassette
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: CKH047
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| When rosy May comes in wi' flowers |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Tony Cuffe, Guitar Tony Cuffe, Singer |
| O, that I had ne'er been married |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Guitar Rod Paterson, Singer |
| Wee Willie Gray |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Singer Rod Paterson, Guitar Tony Cuffe, Guitar Tony Cuffe, Singer |
| O wha'll mow me now? |
Robert Burns, Composer
Janet Russell, Guitar Janet Russell, Singer Robert Burns, Composer |
| Brose and butter |
Robert Burns, Composer
Billy Ross, Guitar Billy Ross, Singer Robert Burns, Composer |
| (The) Wintry west extends his blast |
Robert Burns, Composer
Ian F. Benzie, Guitar Ian F. Benzie, Singer Robert Burns, Composer |
| Sweet Afton |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Tony Cuffe, Guitar Tony Cuffe, Singer |
| Duncan Gray |
Robert Burns, Composer
Christine Kydd, Guitar Christine Kydd, Singer Janet Russell, Guitar Janet Russell, Singer Robert Burns, Composer |
| (The) Winter it is past |
Robert Burns, Composer
Billy Ross, Guitar Billy Ross, Singer Robert Burns, Composer |
| Gudeen to you kimmer |
Robert Burns, Composer
Christine Kydd, Singer Christine Kydd, Guitar Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Singer Rod Paterson, Guitar |
| Kellyburn Braes |
Robert Burns, Composer
Alan Reid, Singer Alan Reid, Keyboard Robert Burns, Composer |
| (The) Slave's lament |
Robert Burns, Composer
Christine Kydd, Guitar Christine Kydd, Singer Robert Burns, Composer |
| Of a' the airts the wind can blaw |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Guitar Rod Paterson, Singer |
| What can a young lassie do wi an auld man |
Robert Burns, Composer
Ian F. Benzie, Singer Ian F. Benzie, Guitar Robert Burns, Composer |
| Ay, waukin, O |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Tony Cuffe, Singer Tony Cuffe, Guitar |
| O, steer her up, an haud her gaun |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Singer Rod Paterson, Guitar |
| (The) Cooper o Cuddy |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Tony Cuffe, Singer Tony Cuffe, Guitar |
| O, rattlin, roarin Willie |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Guitar Rod Paterson, Singer |
| To the weaver's gin you go |
Robert Burns, Composer
Janet Russell, Singer Janet Russell, Guitar Robert Burns, Composer |
| Lady Mary Ann |
Robert Burns, Composer
Billy Ross, Guitar Billy Ross, Singer Robert Burns, Composer |
| Montgomerie's Peggy |
Robert Burns, Composer
Ian F. Benzie, Guitar Ian F. Benzie, Singer Robert Burns, Composer |
| (The) Lea-rigg |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Rod Paterson, Singer Rod Paterson, Guitar |
| Yestreen I had a pint o wine |
Robert Burns, Composer
Robert Burns, Composer Tony Cuffe, Singer Tony Cuffe, Guitar |
Author:
It may be questioned whether all those who are so forward in declamation of the “wee, sleekit, cowrin’, timorous beastie” could proceed, if requested, much beyond the “breastie” which allegedly rhymes with it. The cult of “Rabbie” and ‘whae-hae’s attendant upon rib-tickling allusions to his love-life have never entirely appealed to me, though Tam O’Shanter will always raise a laugh and The Banks of Doon a light sigh. Anyway, the Burns centenary should put all that to rights, and more particularly in respect of the 368 lyrics which, set to traditional tunes and performed with “simple accompaniments” such as “Burns would have applauded”, are to be the subject of 12 CD volumes of which this is the first.
It includes some of the best-known songs, among them Sweet Afton,Of a’ the airts and The lea-rigg. There are charmers such as The winter it is past and roistering jollities such as What can a young lassie do wi an auld man?. The voices may sing alone or in couples, unaccompanied or with guitar, fiddle and concertina. Sometimes instruments with strange wild names – kabasa, bodhran, mbira and djembe – will be added. In his introduction, Dr Fred Freeman explains the principles which have guided the performances, and assures us that “ultimately nobody need justify the superb rendering of Burns in this collection”.
That is good to know, as it relieves your reviewer of a task that would certainly have been beyond him. I can quite see that “wobbly operatic voices”, as Dr Freeman puts it, are not wanted here (they’re not really wanted in opera either), but that does not exhaust the possibilities or leave us as the only alternative with the unlovely voices heard here. When Donald Farfrae won the hearts of the Wessex men in Hardy’s The Mayor of Casterbridge by singing the songs of his ain countree in their pub, I imagine he filled his lungs with air, set his shoulders back and sang out like a man; not, for instance, in the nasal, lustreless tones of Tony Cuffe. The introduction also makes a special point about attending to the words of the songs; yet this ‘lead-singer’s’ way with them is to break phrases in an arbitrary fashion when it suits him to take a breath – as in “the courses (breath) of clear winding rills” and “my Mary’s (breath) sweet cot” in Sweet Afton. More important for the success of the series, it is surely essential, in a production that so insists on the fruitlessness of “a song which we listen to without understanding the words”, to include a glossary. What, for example, is “crowdie” which seems to be the keyword in the second song? Or “sark and gravat” in the third? “A merry erse” in the fourth? “Brose” and “dow” in the fifth? We really cannot go on through all 368 like this.'
It includes some of the best-known songs, among them Sweet Afton,
That is good to know, as it relieves your reviewer of a task that would certainly have been beyond him. I can quite see that “wobbly operatic voices”, as Dr Freeman puts it, are not wanted here (they’re not really wanted in opera either), but that does not exhaust the possibilities or leave us as the only alternative with the unlovely voices heard here. When Donald Farfrae won the hearts of the Wessex men in Hardy’s The Mayor of Casterbridge by singing the songs of his ain countree in their pub, I imagine he filled his lungs with air, set his shoulders back and sang out like a man; not, for instance, in the nasal, lustreless tones of Tony Cuffe. The introduction also makes a special point about attending to the words of the songs; yet this ‘lead-singer’s’ way with them is to break phrases in an arbitrary fashion when it suits him to take a breath – as in “the courses (breath) of clear winding rills” and “my Mary’s (breath) sweet cot” in Sweet Afton. More important for the success of the series, it is surely essential, in a production that so insists on the fruitlessness of “a song which we listen to without understanding the words”, to include a glossary. What, for example, is “crowdie” which seems to be the keyword in the second song? Or “sark and gravat” in the third? “A merry erse” in the fourth? “Brose” and “dow” in the fifth? We really cannot go on through all 368 like this.'
Songs of Robert Burns, Vol. 1
Songs of Robert Burns, Vol. 1
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