Percy Grainger
LAND O THE LEAL
Bardic Edition BDE109
A Traditional Scottish Air arranged for low voice and piano (realised by Barry Peter Ould).
Grainger’s setting of this Scottish Traditional Air dates from April 23, 1902 where it is categorised as being amongst his 'Early settings of Folksongs and Popular Tunes'. The work was originally scored for contralto voice accompanied by violin, two violas and two violoncellos. The words by Carolina, Lady Nairne, a Scottish song writer and collector of tunes whose works include Will Ye No Come Back Again and The Rowan Tree. The melody used is a variant of Hae Tuttie Taiti which many of us know as Scots wha hae. Although the age of this traditional Scots air is unknown, it is reputed to have been played by the army of Robert the Bruce before the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 and during the Siege of Orleans in 1429 (when France and Scotland allied). For Scots, ‘the land o the leal’ is a poetic phrase meaning heaven, and this song is a moving ballad concerning illness and death.
Duration 3 minutes
Grainger’s setting of this Scottish Traditional Air dates from April 23, 1902 where it is categorised as being amongst his 'Early settings of Folksongs and Popular Tunes'. The work was originally scored for contralto voice accompanied by violin, two violas and two violoncellos. The words by Carolina, Lady Nairne, a Scottish song writer and collector of tunes whose works include Will Ye No Come Back Again and The Rowan Tree. The melody used is a variant of Hae Tuttie Taiti which many of us know as Scots wha hae. Although the age of this traditional Scots air is unknown, it is reputed to have been played by the army of Robert the Bruce before the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 and during the Siege of Orleans in 1429 (when France and Scotland allied). For Scots, ‘the land o the leal’ is a poetic phrase meaning heaven, and this song is a moving ballad concerning illness and death.
Duration 3 minutes
