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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Here Eyes were scarce closed when Strephon came by
He thought she'd been sleeping, and softly drew nigh; But finding her breathless, Oh Heavens, did he cry, Ah Chloris the cause of my mourning. Restore me my Chloris, ye Nymphs use your art; They sighing reply'd, 'twas your self shot the Dart, That wounded the tender young Shepherdess Heart, And kill'd the poor Chloris with mourning Ah then is Chloris dead, Wounded by me? He said, I'll follow thee, chast Maid, Down to the silent shade; Then on her cold Snowy Breast leaning his Head Expir'd the poor Strephon with mourning. |