Volume V, song 441, page 453 - 'On hearing a young Lady Sing' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'Blest are the mortals above all, Who hear the charming Jackie sing; Her notes pathetic rise and fall sweet as the music of the spring. The graceful accents of her song, With raptures fill the youthful breast; Een age revives, grows gayly young, And blithly joins the vocal feast.' The 'Scots Musical Museum' is the most important of the numerous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century collections of Scottish song. When the engraver James Johnson started work on the second volume of his collection in 1787, he enlisted Robert Burns as contributor and editor. Burns enthusiastically collected songs from various sources, often expanding or revising them, whilst including much of his own work. The resulting combination of innovation and antiquarianism gives the work a feel of living tradition. The lyrics and melody of this song were written by Allan Masterton (d. 1799) a very good friend of Burns. Masterton was a close-school master in Edinburgh, before being employed as a writing master at the High School. He was introduced to Burns through their mutual friend William Nicol and close, literary-based friendship ensued. This lead to Masterton featuring in some of Burns songs, writing the music for others and members of his family being used as inspiration for Burns. Burns described Masterton as, 'one of the worthiest men in the world, and a man of real genius'.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503635

Title

Volume V, song 441, page 453 - 'On hearing a young Lady Sing' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Object Type

PhysicalObject

Measurements

- 129 x 211 mm