Album Summary: William Thomson's Orpheus Caledonius (1725) was a landmark publication; the first ever large-scale collection of "Scotch Songs" in print — 50 songs arranged with un-figured bass, most with lyrics from Allan Ramsay's Scots Songs and Tea-Table Miscellany, plus an appendix of melodic reductions. It was an instant hit and in 1733, expanded into 2 volumes with 100 songs. Indeed, Thomson's Orpheus set the standard format for Scots Song settings for the rest of the eighteenth century, including those of Robert Burns in The Scots Musical Museum. This ScotMus.com album is a faithful reprint of the song arrangements from the historic 1st edition of 1725.
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(2)
When wandring o'er the flow'ry Park,
No nat'ral Beauty wanting; How lightsome is't to hear the Lark, And Birds in Consort chanting; But if my Christy tunes her voice, I'm rap't in admiration, My thoughts with Extasies rejoyce, And drap the hale Creation. |
(3)
When e'er she smiles a kindly Glance,
I take the happy Omen, And aften mint to make advance, Hoping she'll prove a woman; But dubious of my ain desert, My Sentiments I smother, With secret Sighs I vex my Heart, For fear she love another. |
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(4)
Thus sang blate Edie by a burn,
His Christy did o'erhear him, She doughtna let her Lover mourn, But e'er he wist drew near him. She spake her Favour with a Look, Which left nae Room to doubt her, He wisely this white Minute took, And flang his arms about her. |
(5)
My Christy. . ! witness, bony Stream,
Sic Joys frae Tears arising, I wish this may na be a dream . . ; O Love the maist surprising! Time was too precious now for Tauk, This Point of a' his wishes, He wadna with set Speeches bauk, But wair'd it a' on Kisses. |