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)
Sweet youth's a blyth and hartsome Time
Then Lads and Lasses while 'tis May Gae pu the Gowan in its Prime Before it wither and decay Watch the saft Minuets of Delyte When Jenny speaks beneath her Breath And kisses laying a the wyte On you if she kepp ony Skaith |
(3)
Haith ye're ill bred she'll smiling say
Ye'll worry me ye greedy Rook Syne frae your Arms she'll rin away And hide her self in some dark Nook Her laugh will lead you to the Place Where lies the Happiness ye want And plainly tell you to your Face Nineteen Nay says are haff a Grant |
(4)
Now to her heaving Bosom cling
And sweetly toolie for a Kiss Frae her fair Finger whoop a ring As Taiken of a Future Bliss These Bennisons I'm very sure Are of the Gods indulgent Grant Then surly Carles whisht forbear To plague us with your whining Cant |