Bur 8 Six Burns Songs

Contents

1. Cam’ ye by (22.4.27)
2. Eppie Adair (20.12.27)
3. Somebody (23.12.27)
4. The Dusty Miller (23.12.27)
5. One-and-twenty (24.12.27)
6. How long and dreary (24.12.27)

Editor's Note

Four of these six Burns settings were originally composed for voice and string quartet (Eppie Adair, Somebody, The Dusty Miller and One and Twenty). These may be seen in the original MS in the library of the University of Leicester. Cam’ ye by, and How long and dreary were both for voice and piano. Cam’ ye by was deemed by the composer to be anonymous, but subsequent research shows it to be by Burns. Cam’ ye by was originally published with a setting by Burrows of D G Rossetti’s How should I your true love know by OUP (1928). The Dusty Miller and How long and dreary (transposed from its original F# major into F major) were both published initially by Cramer (1928). Later the composer issued Cam’ ye by, Eppie Adair (F major version), Somebody and One and twenty in his own Bodnant Press edition (c. 1951), and these are the sources used for this edition.

In all six of these Burns settings, Burrows reflects the simple, lyricism of the Scots poet in melodies of distinctly diatonic character (in Eppie Adair, completely pentatonic). Typical Scots elements may be found in all the settings. In Cam’ ye by, the familiar words ‘I know where I’m goin’/ I know who’s goin’ with me’ from the Irish folk song, I know where I’m goin reveal that cross-fertilisation of cultures to be found in other Celtic songs. In Eppie Adair, the composer uses the musical device known as the Scottish ‘snap’.