Volume II, song 113, pages 115 and 116 - 'The Birks of Aberfeldy' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1 (to the tune of 'Birks of Abergeldie'): 'Bonny lassie, will ye go, will ye go, will ye go, Bonny lassie, will ye go to the Birks of Aberfeldy. Now Simmer blinks on flowery braes, And o'er the chrystal stream lets plays; Come let us spend the lightsome days In the birks of Aberfeldy. Bonny lassie, will ye go, will ye go, will ye go, Bonny lassie, will ye go to the Birks of Aberfeldy.' The verses of 'The Birks of Abergeldie', sung to the same tune, are also given. 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. According to Burns, in his notes on the 'Museum', he wrote 'these stanzas standing under the falls of Aberfeldy, at, or near, Moness'. He is also attributed in the 'Museum' itself with writing the words to accompany this tune. As to the tune, there appears to be some dispute over its appearance in earlier song collections. Glen (1900) notes that it was published by Henry Playford in his 'Original Scotch Tunes', in 1700, under the title of 'the berks of Abergelde'.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503310

Title

Volume II, song 113, pages 115 and 116 - 'The Birks of Aberfeldy' - 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

- 260 x 211 mm