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)
Ah no! her Form's to Heav'nly fair,
Her Love the Gods above must share, While Mortals with Despair explore her, And at a Distance due adore her. O lovely Maid, my Doubts beguile! Revive and bless me with a Smile, Alass is not you'll soon debar, a Sighing Swain the Banks of Yarrow. |
(3)
Be hush, ye Fears. I'll not despair,
My Mary's tender as she's fair; Then I'll go tell her all mine anguish, She is too good to let me languish; With Success crown'd, I'll not envy The Folks who dwell above the Sky, When Mary Scot's become my Marrow, We'll make a Paradice on Yarrow. |