Life at RCS is always busy and sometimes amid frantic preparation for classes and classical music research, there is very little time to listen to other genres of music. Sometimes I’m in the mood to listen to a little rap music or I have to admit, Disney songs. However, traditional Scottish music has been a favourite of mine since I was a child and I can remember my father singing A Parcel O’ Rogues in a Nation just before I went to sleep. Not your typical lullaby! It wasn’t just my father’s love for it but also the uncontrollable tapping of my feet whenever a brilliant fiddle jig came on.
My father introduced me to a wonderful Burns poem performed by Karine Polwart and ever since I’ve enjoyed a lot of her other recordings. Now Westlin’ Winds and Salters Road are two of my favourites but one poem that really touched me – whose poet is unknown – was The Dowie Dens O’ Yarrow. One evening in RCS, alone in a practice room, I recorded the The Dowie Dens O’ Yarrow and I thought I would share it with you. I’m hoping to have a video up on my youtube channel before too long!
HAVE A LISTEN! –
Thanks for reading!
FUN FACT:
In my family history, my ancestor, Margaret Riccaltoun married William Armstong, Schoolmaster of Hopekirk. Their son Adam Armstrong was educated at the university of Edinburgh and married Isabella Lindsay in 1787, the ‘my Dulcinea’ of Burns’ Border Tour.
Davidona Pittock 