Volume V, song 466, page 478-9 - 'The Cherry and the Slae' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1 (to the tune 'The banks of Helicon'): 'About ane bank with balmy bewis, Quhair Nychtingales thair notis renewis With gallant Goldspinks gay; The Mavis, Marle, and Progne proud, The Lintquhyt, Lark and Lavrock loud, Salutet mirthful May. Quhen Philomel had sweetly sung, To Progne scho deplor'd, How Tereus cut out her tung, And falsly her deflour'd; Quhilk story so sorie To schaw her self scho seimt, To heir her, so neir h(?), I doutit if I dreimt.' 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 to this piece are from a poem written by the famous Scottish poet Alexander Montgomerie (c.1545-c.1598). Montgomerie was thought to be a Captain under the Morton regency and was eventually appointed to the court of James VI. Upon retiring with a pension of 500 merks he travelled around the Low Countries and France. This allegorical poem was written in middle Scots and was an influence in the revival of writing in the Scots vernacular during this pastoral period. The melody which the words are set to here is thought to be based on two tunes entitled 'Duncan Davidson' and 'Ye'll a' be welcomed back again'. The date and author of its composition are, however, unknown.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503660

Title

Volume V, song 466, page 478-9 - 'The Cherry and the Slae' - 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

- 258 x 211 mm