Volume I, song 070, page 71 - 'Oscar's Ghost' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'O see that form that faintly gleams! 'Tis Oscar come to cheer my dreams; On wings of wind he flys away; O stay, my lovely Oscar, stay.' The 'Scots Musical Museum' is the most important of the numerous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century collections of Scottish song. When the engraver James Johnson started work on the second volume of his collection in 1787, he enlisted Robert Burns as contributor and editor. Burns enthusiastically collected songs from various sources, often expanding or revising them, whilst including much of his own work. The resulting combination of innovation and antiquarianism gives the work a feel of living tradition. It is believed that the author of this piece was a Miss Ann Keith, and that Mrs Touch was responsible for the melody. Mrs Touch was based in Edinburgh and was the sister of the author, Rev. Patrick McDonald. The song shows a considerable Highland influence both in the tune and the atmosphere created by the words. It was first published in 1781.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503265

Title

Volume I, song 070, page 71 - 'Oscar's Ghost' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Object Type

PhysicalObject

Measurements

- 130 x 211 mm