DOCSLIB.ORG

2807 Httpswwwopeneduopenlearncreate Cmid147021 2020-01-15 17-16-26 Pr5772 1..27

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
2807 Httpswwwopeneduopenlearncreate Cmid147021 2020-01-15 17-16-26 Pr5772 1..27 OpenLearn Works Unit 12: Scots song by Steve Byrne Copyright © 2019 The Open University 2 of 27 http://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=2705 Wednesday 15 January 2020 Contents Introduction 4 12. Introductory handsel 4 12.1 Oral vs printed tradition 7 12.2 Scots song collecting over the centuries 11 12.3 Types of Scots song 16 12.4 Case study: The distinctive song tradition of north-east Scotland 20 12.5 The importance of Scottish travellers in preserving traditional songs 23 12.6 Scots song in the 21st century 25 Further research 26 References 26 Acknowledgements 27 3 of 27 http://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=2705 Wednesday 15 January 2020 Introduction Introduction In this unit you will learn about the way in which the Scots language features in the song traditions of Scotland, and in particular the regional distinctiveness of song in terms of repertoire, song content and song type. The Scots song tradition has been an important touchstone for the use of Scots language as a means of cultural expression. This unit will look at songs by region, and consider some of the ways in which Scots songs have helped develop and strengthen the Scots language. Apart from well-known songwriters in Scots such as Robert Burns, there are major collections, localised traditions and resources – as well as individual singers – who have all played their part in developing the rich tradition that continues today, against a background of growing access to online digitised archives of Scots song, in both print and audio form. Important themes to take notes on throughout this unit: ● Scots song collecting over the centuries – how collections came into being, including ways in which Scots songs have been passed on, collected and published ● the various types of Scots song ● the distinctive song traditions of particular areas of Scotland ● ideas of the “oral tradition” ● the influence of print and recorded media on Scots song traditions ● the recently-digitised resources which help to underpin the study and learning of Scots song ● the importance of the Scottish Travellers in preserving traditional songs st ● how Scots song is used in the 21 century. Activity 1 Before commencing your study of this unit, you may wish to jot down some thoughts on the important details we suggest you take notes on throughout this unit. You could write down what you already know about each of these points, as well as any assumptions or questions you might have. Provide your answer... 12. Introductory handsel A Scots word and example sentence to learn: Sangster 4 of 27 http://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=2705 Wednesday 15 January 2020 12. Introductory handsel Definition: A person who sings, a singer, freq. a professional singer. Also as a surname. ○ Example sentence: “She’s an affa bonnie sangster, wi a voice like a lintie.” ○ English translation: “She’s a lovely singer, with a voice like a linnet.” Activity 2 Click to hear the sentence above read by a Scots speaker. You can then make your own recording and play it back to check your pronunciation. Voice Recorder is not available in this format. Go to the Dictionary of the Scots Language for a full definition of the word Scots singer Julienne Taylor. Language Links The word sangster is an example of the close links the Scots language has with other European languages. In this case, the German language has the words Sänger and Gesang, meaning singer and singing. Related word: Lintie Definition: n. 1. A linnet, a songbird. 5 of 27 http://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=2705 Wednesday 15 January 2020 12. Introductory handsel ○ Example sentence: “She’s an affa bonnie sangster, wi a voice like a lintie.” ○ English translation: “She’s a lovely singer, with a voice like a linnet.” 6 of 27 http://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=2705 Wednesday 15 January 2020 12.1 Oral vs printed tradition 12.1 Oral vs printed tradition Scots song exists in large part via what is known as an ‘oral tradition’, that is to say, people often learned songs through their family and social circle without necessarily writing them down or learning them from printed sources. The majority of Scots songs are considered to be ‘traditional’. In other words, they have no known author, as the songs are often centuries old and authors’ names have been lost over time. It is important to bear this in mind when thinking about Scots song, because it helps explain why there is no ‘fixed text’ or ‘right’ way of singing most Scots songs. Yet, there are songs for which there is an established author and definitive published text, e.g. in the case of people like Robert Burns, Robert Tannahill or Lady Nairne (Carolina Oliphant), as well as modern songwriters writing in the Scots idiom. But even then, the ‘tradition’ often means these words become altered through time as people interpret and adapt them in their own way. In many cases, songwriters, including Burns, were building on older songs found in the tradition to produce their own work. 7 of 27 http://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=2705 Wednesday 15 January 2020 12.1 Oral vs printed tradition Portrait of Robert Tannahill in Paisley Museum It is for these reasons that we sometimes talk about ‘versions’ or ‘variants’ of traditional songs. Variants can be influenced by the region in which they are found, either through the localising of particular place names in a song, or changing the dialect in which it is sung. That said, the language of Scots song can differ from place to place and does not necessarily follow dialect areas, as the Scots Language Centre website’s Scots Song section explains: “The classic narrative ‘Child’ ballads, or muckle sangs, tend to be sung in a less regionally- distinct 'ballad Scots', whereas other types of songs, e.g. bothy ballads, can be quite 8 of 27 http://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=2705 Wednesday 15 January 2020 12.1 Oral vs printed tradition regionally specific in their dialect. There are no hard and fast rules however, and various factors come into play […] Many songs in Scots-speaking areas have a strong print tradition, having moved around with the growth of cheap presses, and as such are often found in standard English, alongside other songs in the local dialect.” http://www.scotslanguage.com/Scots_Song_uid65/The_Language_of_Scots_Song The process of printing songs may also have meant the language was corrected or mis- spelled by publishers and editors – made more difficult with Scots not having an official or standardised spelling system. It is also important to view Scots song in the wider context of English-language song from across the British Isles – especially Ulster which shares some repertoire - and further afield in places like Appalachia in the United States, which have their own variants of some of the same songs (particularly classic ballads or ‘muckle sangs’, see song types in section 11.3). In many cases, these songs will have travelled with emigrants from Scotland in the 18th and 19th centuries. Similarly, Scottish people brought songs back with them from their travels, e.g. those who worked on the sea. Activity 3 Decide whether the following statements are true or false according to the information provided in this section. 1. The majority of song in Scots language is not passed from generation to generation through printed sources. ¡ True ¡ False 2. The majority of songs in Scots language have a known author. ¡ False Most Scots song are considered ‘traditional’ - do not have a known author – mainly because the authors’ names have got lost over time in the oral tradition. ¡ True 3. The majority of Scots songs have no fixed or right way of being sung. ¡ True ¡ False 4. The language of different variants of Scots songs changes because singers adapt them according to their personal interpretation and dialect. ¡ True ¡ False 5. Publishers and editors helped produce correct written versions of Scots songs. ¡ False Scots has no written standard. That is why publishers and editors sometimes mis- spelled or wrongly corrected spellings in songs. ¡ True 6. Scots songs have been influenced by the places where Scottish people have taken them abroad. ¡ True 9 of 27 http://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=2705 Wednesday 15 January 2020 12.1 Oral vs printed tradition ¡ False 10 of 27 http://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=2705 Wednesday 15 January 2020 12.2 Scots song collecting over the centuries 12.2 Scots song collecting over the centuries In starting to consider the Scots song tradition, it is vital to understand from the outset that songs have been collected in a number of different ways over the past few centuries up to the present day. They have been collated, classified and presented in a variety of forms as technology has changed. Most commonly, Scots songs would be published in print, although the tension between the ‘oral’ and print versions was already apparent around 1800. A number of problems arose when printing songs in written form, that came from the oral tradition in the non- standardised language of Scots. A telling example of these problems, which go well beyond finding the ‘right spelling’, is that of Margaret Laidlaw’s songs published in a collection of songs !Warning! Calibri not 11 of 27 http://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=2705 Wednesday 15 January 2020 12.2 Scots song collecting over the centuries supportedMinstrelsy of the Scottish Border was compiled and edited by Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Stewart2019.Pdf
    Political Change and Scottish Nationalism in Dundee 1973-2012 Thomas A W Stewart PhD Thesis University of Edinburgh 2019 Abstract Prior to the 2014 independence referendum, the Scottish National Party’s strongest bastions of support were in rural areas. The sole exception was Dundee, where it has consistently enjoyed levels of support well ahead of the national average, first replacing the Conservatives as the city’s second party in the 1970s before overcoming Labour to become its leading force in the 2000s. Through this period it achieved Westminster representation between 1974 and 1987, and again since 2005, and had won both of its Scottish Parliamentary seats by 2007. This performance has been completely unmatched in any of the country’s other cities. Using a mixture of archival research, oral history interviews, the local press and memoires, this thesis seeks to explain the party’s record of success in Dundee. It will assess the extent to which the character of the city itself, its economy, demography, geography, history, and local media landscape, made Dundee especially prone to Nationalist politics. It will then address the more fundamental importance of the interaction of local political forces that were independent of the city’s nature through an examination of the ability of party machines, key individuals and political strategies to shape the city’s electoral landscape. The local SNP and its main rival throughout the period, the Labour Party, will be analysed in particular detail. The thesis will also take time to delve into the histories of the Conservatives, Liberals and Radical Left within the city and their influence on the fortunes of the SNP.
    [Show full text]
  • Bibliography: Campaigns for Women's Suffrage And
    THE WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT IN SCOTLAND, 1867-1928: A LEARNING RESOURCE BIBLIOGRAPHY: CAMPAIGNS FOR WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATION IN SCOTLAND 1867-1928 Reference books Crawford, Elizabeth, The Women's Suffrage Movement: A Reference Guide, 1866- 1928 (London, UCL Press, 1999) Crawford, Elizabeth, The Women's Suffrage Movement in Britain and Ireland:A Regional Survey (London: Routledge, 2006) Cowman, Krista, Women of the Right Spirit: Paid Organisers of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) 1904-1918 (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2007) Ewan, Elizabeth, Sue Innes, Sian Reynolds and Rose Pipes, The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2006) Books and chapters in edited books Breitenbach, Esther and Pat Thane (eds), Women and Citizenship in Britain and Ireland in the Twentieth Century (London: Continuum, 2010) Breitenbach, Esther, 'Scottish women's organizations and the exercise of citizenship c. 1900 - c.1979' in Breitenbach and Thane (eds), Women and Citizenship, pp. 63-78. Burness, Catriona 'The Long Slow March: Scottish Women MPs, 1918-1945' in Esther Breitenbach and Eleanor Gordon (eds), Out of Bounds: Women in Scottish Society, 1800-1945 (Edinburgh University Press, 1992), pp. 151-173. Burness, Catriona, 'Count up to twenty-one: Scottish women in formal politics', in Breitenbach and Thane (eds), Women and Citizenship, pp. 45-62. Eustance, Claire 'Citizens, Scotsmen, bairns: manly politics and women's suffrage in the Northern Men's Federation, 1913-20' in Claire Eustance and Angela V John (eds), The Men's Share? Masculinities, male support and women's suffrage in Britain, 1890 to 1920 (London: Routledge, 1997).
    [Show full text]
  • Dundee City Archives: Subject Index
    Dundee City Archives: Subject Index This subject index provides a brief overview of the collections held at Dundee City Archives. The index is sorted by topic, and in some cases sub-topics. The page index on the next page gives a brief overview of the subjects included. The document only lists the collections that have been deposited at Dundee City Archives. Therefore it does not list records that are part of the Dundee City Council Archive or any of its predecessors, including: School Records Licensing Records Burial Records Minutes Planning Records Reports Poorhouse Records Other council Records If you are interested in records that would have been created by the council or one of its predecessors, please get in contact with us to find out what we hold. This list is update regularly, but new accessions may not be included. For up to date information please contact us. In most cases the description that appears in the list is a general description of the collection. It does not list individual items in the collections. We may hold further related items in collections that have not been catalogued. For further information please contact us. Please note that some records may be closed due to restrictions such as data protection. Other records may not be accessible as they are too fragile or damaged. Please contact us for further information or check access restrictions. How do I use this index? The page index on the next page gives a list of subjects covered. Click on the subject in the page index to be taken to main body of the subject index.
    [Show full text]
  • RAY FISHER ROSS 1940 - 2011 Early Years in Barra and Vatersay Where Her Family Had Lived for Several Generations
    Born RAY GALBRAITH FISHER on 26 November 1940, Ray was the third child of Marion MacDonald and John Fisher. Marion, although born in Glasgow, was a native Gaelic speaker who spent most of her RAY FISHER ROSS 1940 - 2011 early years in Barra and Vatersay where her family had lived for several generations. John was a retired ..and some “Ray” favourite songs Police Inspector of the Marine Division in Glasgow. Prior to Ray’s birth, John and Marion had had Jean and Archie; following on, there would be Joyce, Cindy, Audrey and Cilla. All seven children were born in Havelock Street in the west end of Glasgow. John Fisher once remarked that if you threw a stone in Havelock Street, you would hit a Fisher. That would be at your peril! Music had always been in the Fisher home, with John singing light opera, and Marion with her Gaelic repertoire. Ray’s musical introduction was probably down to brother Archie, who one day turned up with a guitar – origins unknown. After an initial foray into the skiffle phenomenon, they teamed up with a fiddler – the late Bobby Campbell – labelled themselves the Wayfarers, and launched into a mixture of American folk and Scottish material. About this time, Ray was very much influenced by the late Norman Buchan, M.P. Norman, then a teacher, together with his wife, Janey, had been stalwarts of Glasgow's budding folk scene. On one occasion they invited a number of rising young singers to their Partick home to meet the great song I used tae think, when I wis wee, that it wasna really fair, carrier and traveller Jeannie Robertson (who later received an MBE for services to traditional music).
    [Show full text]
  • E] Book Contents
    The Eskimo Republic For John Powles, former Project Manager of the Centre for Political Song at Glasgow Caledonian University, and for Thurso Berwick. Other books written or co-written by Ewan McVicar include One Singer One Song Cod Liver Oil & The Orange Juice [with Hamish Imlach] Streets Schemes & Stages [with Mary McCabe] Traditional Scottish Songs & Music [with Katherine Campbell] Doh Ray Me When Ah Wis Wee Lang Legged Beasties One Black Isle Night The Eskimo Republic Scots political folk song in action 1951 to 1999 Ewan McVicar Gallus Publishing Linlithgow All rights reserved. The moral right of the author has been asserted. First published in Great Britain in 2010 by Gallus Publishing 84 High Street Linlithgow EH49 7AQ 01506 847935 [email protected] No part of this book may be produced or transmitted in any form or by any other means without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages. This book was researched, created and published through a Writers Bursary grant in 2008 from the Scottish Arts Council, to whom full thanks are given. All interview texts are the copyright of those interviewed, who are thanked for their generous giving of time, knowledge and thoughts. Particular thanks are due to John Powles, Ian Davison, Stuart McHardy and Geordie McIntyre. Song texts are the copyright of the named creators or their heirs. Particular thanks to Marion Blythman, Kaetzel Henderson, Janette McGinn, Meic Stephens, the families of Norman MacCaig and John MacEvoy, Ian Davison and Seylan Baxter to quote from the relevant works.
    [Show full text]
  • President's Perspective Strong Spirits in Dundee Moira Methven Starts Her
    President's perspective Strong spirits in Dundee Moira Methven starts her year as new CILIPS President in praise of her home city and other things to admire about libraries and reading. Hello, I’m Moira Methven and I’m to be, well already am, your next President. It’s a post I take up with no small measure of trepidation. Not least because of this regular column which I am “privileged” to write. I was speaking to a colleague about this and he suggested I include lots of quotations, say about 800 words’ worth? (Our editor Debby Raven had told me she needs around 900 words). Who am I and what do I do? I’m Senior Manager in the Communities Department of Dundee City Council. As well as being Head of Library and Information Services, my other responsibilities include adult learning, community centres and youth work. My mother worked in libraries too, so they have always been an important part of my life. Call me biased, but Dundee is a pretty amazing place these days. It’s undergone huge cultural and social changes in recent years and in fact, not so long ago I heard someone from London refer to it as “vibrant”. A word you certainly wouldn’t have associated with Dundee until recently. One thing Dundee has always been noted for is strong women. We named one of our libraries after one such woman, Mary Brooksbank, who was a jute worker, rebel, and poet, and the city was at the forefront of the women’s suffrage movement in Scotland.
    [Show full text]
  • Dundee Edition Contents WCDC2019 Editorial
    Issue 16 People, Place and Power: the soul of community development Dundee Edition Contents WCDC2019 Editorial. Dr Victoria Jupp Kina & Mere Greta 4 ‘People, Place and Power: the soul of community development’ Reflecting on a disruptive conference. Clare MacGillivray 6 On Belonging to an International Community: the experience of our conference volunteers. Alyssa Faulkner & Tanita Louise Addario 8 About IACD Children’s Parliament: giving ideas a voice. Katie Reid 10 Human Rights and Development: two sides of the same coin? Virgínia Brás Gomes 14 Page 10 IACD is the only global network for professional community Reflections on WCDC2019 from COVID-19 lockdown! Margaret Ledwith 16 development practitioners. We support development agencies The World is Ill-Divided: Reflections on public history in Dundee. Dr Erin Farley 18 and practitioners to build the capacity of communities to A Victory for Ubuntu: bringing community development practice to the realise greater social and economic equality, environmental battle for UK visas. Daniel Muia 20 protection and political democracy. A Tale of Two Cities: Community Development and Systemic Inequality. Anthony Cook 21 What do we do? Awakening to Love and Soul in Community Development. IACD links people to each other. We facilitate learning and practice exchange, both virtually Rosalind Harris & Ron Hustedde 24 and face-to-face. We work with partners to deliver regional, national and international events, study visits and conferences. We document the work that our members are doing Storytelling around the wood fire stove of a mobile ‘tiny house’: around the world by collecting case studies, tools and materials on community experiencing the civic sanctuary of the Welcome Hut.
    [Show full text]
  • The Blairgowrie and Rattray Song Book
    The Blairgowrie and Rattray Song Book This collection is presented as a tribute to Hamish Henderson, poet, author, folk-story and song collector, political activist, academic, father and friend. It is offered in recognition of, and in gratitude for, his life and work. A gold coin does not last long in company, but a good song can be shared with a world of people. Collated by C. M. Chandler Blairgowrie and Rattray Song Book ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project has enjoyed support from the following. • The University of Aberdeen who provided facility support, encouragement and financial support for related ‘spin-off' ventures. • Blairgowrie and Rattray Community Council • The School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh who provided access to their archive as well as encour- agement and advice. • Hamish MacGregor; who generously allowed the presentation of material published in the books written by his mother (Sheila Stewart). • Anne Lorne Gilles, for permission to copy a score from her book `Songs of Gaelic Scotland'. • The contribution that Ewan MacColl (James Henry Miller, 1915-1989) made to folk music cannot be overstated. Born in Salford, Lancashire, England to Scottish parents Ewan was very concious of his Scottish roots. He collected, performed and contributed several traditional songs to the public repertoire. He also made several of those songs available to Prof. Bertrand Harris Bronson for inclusion in his collection of Child Ballads. Several of his recordings of his songs are available on youtube. Ewan lists his addresses as `London and Perthshire', and I have taken the latter as justifying the inclusion of those traditional songs in `The Blairgowrie and Rattray Song Book'.
    [Show full text]
  • Tayside and Deeside Tour Notes Compiled for the 40Th Conference of the Association for Industrial Archaeology, Held at Dundee in August 2013
    Tayside and Deeside Tour Notes compiled for the 40th conference of the Association for Industrial Archaeology, held at Dundee in August 2013 Compiled by Mark Watson, Historic Scotland and Scottish Industrial Heritage Society Fig. Boddin Limekilns in Angus after a major collapse (compare 1993 photo in gazetteer) but before some more recent erosion, with drying poles for Usan Fisheries. This illustrates rough terrain and a need for caution (Ted Salthouse, SIHS) The third AIA conference to take place in Scotland showcases rich industrial heritage. In 1985 AIA met in Glasgow at Strathclyde University, and in 2002 at Heriot Watt University, with the strapline ‘Forth and Clyde’, referring to the newly reconnected canal and to the most heavily populated and industrialised central belt. In 2013 AIA returns to Scotland and strikes further north, taking Dundee University as a base from which to explore the basin of the river Tay. This carries the greatest volume of water of any river in the UK. The Gazetteer that supports the conference starts in Fife where ‘Forth and Clyde’ came to a stop, at the north edge of what was Kirkcaldy District. It covers the south bank of the Tay from Newburgh to Tayport, industries in the Howe of Fife reflecting the dual orbits of Dundee (heavy linens) and Kirkcaldy (floorcloth, linoleum). Next the gazetteer takes in the Carse of Gowrie, but would not stretch to the East Neuk of Fife or to the rest of Perthshire, which has enough of interest to warrant another gazetteer. It details sites in Dundee, Angus, and the Mearns component of Kincardineshire, now Aberdeenshire.
    [Show full text]