Burns on Radio 4

Subject: Burns on BBC Radio 4
From: Leadfingers
Date: 25 Jan 09 - 11:55 AM

Poetry Please - BBC Radio 4 , 1630 Sunday 25th January - ALL Robbie Burns and not just the poems ! Dick Gaughan among others singing a few of the songs !
Repeated next Saturday afternoon as well !

Subject: RE: Burns on Radio 4
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 25 Jan 09 - 01:48 PM

Nice to hear Auld Lang Syne, sung to the correct tune.

Subject: RE: Burns on Radio 4
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 25 Jan 09 - 02:06 PM

Don't know if this has been mentioned anywhere yet, but there's a programme on him tonight on BBC4 television which lasts for an hour and a half, starting at 9:00 pm UK time.

Subject: RE: Burns on Radio 4
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 25 Jan 09 - 03:24 PM

BBC1 Scotland also has a broadcast from the Celtic Connections festival, of Burn's songs. It's on at 10PM tonight, and for those who are outwith the earea, it should be available on satellite

Subject: RE: Burns on Radio 4
From: Jim McLean
Date: 26 Jan 09 - 07:45 AM

I watched the TV program this morning using the BBCiPlayer and enjoyed thoroughly, but why did O'Hagen say that Burns set Auld Lang Syne to a new tune?
The tune which John MacKenzie calls the 'correct' tune was around for a long time before Burns used it. It's in Thomson's Orpheus Caledonius, printed in 1723, and again in Johnson's SMM, volume 1 by Ramsay. Burns himself described this tune as 'mediocre'.

Subject: RE: Burns on Radio 4
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 26 Jan 09 - 10:14 AM

Well Jim I was told that it was the tune origanally used by Burns for these words.
Mediocre is as mediocre does, but it's better than the dirge more commonly used.

Subject: RE: Burns on Radio 4
From: Jim McLean
Date: 26 Jan 09 - 10:23 AM

I think it's a matter of personal taste, John. But it's strange that at least three well known songs are sung to tunes put to them by other people rather than the poet. I'm thinking of My Love is like a Red, Red Rose; Auld Lang Syne and Tannahill's Braes o' Balquhither.

Subject: RE: Burns on Radio 4
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 11:45 AM

And "My Bonie Mary"

Subject: RE: Burns on Radio 4
From: Folkiedave
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 01:29 PM

Battlefield Band on Dookin sing My Love is Like A Red Red Rose, to a "different" tune.

Of course people do sing songs to different tunes, more so in Burn's time. I doubt if any is the correct version any more than there is a "correct" set of words.

Subject: RE: Burns on Radio 4
From: Jim McLean
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 05:30 PM

I wasn't talking about 'correctness' but rather that Burns and Tannahill chose tunes to accompany their lyrics which they thought best suited and the public at large seem to disagree. R. A. Smith set My Love is like a Red, Red Rose to another traditional tune called Low Down in the Broom and for whatever reason this became the 'norm'. There is a trend to ditch the popular, in the case of Burns certainly, and sing his original settings. Whether this sounds 'better' or 'correct' is a matter of musical taste as I said before but both Burns and Tannahill made specific references to their belief that the tune they chose for their lyrics was most important.

Subject: RE: Burns on Radio 4
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 29 Jan 09 - 02:45 PM

Incidentally, too, try "Low Doun.." to the original words "My daddie is a canker'd carl" &c; the structure of the air fits the words exactly. I guess this air would have been sung quite quickly, not slowly and lyrically.

Subject: RE: Burns on Radio 4
From: Jim McLean
Date: 29 Jan 09 - 05:04 PM

I agree, ABCD.