In 2005 Professor Emeritus Douglas Mack, at the University of Stirling and Dr Kirsteen McCue of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow were awarded a major research grant of just over £150,000 from the Arts and Humanities Research Council. This grant is allowing Dr McCue, and Dr Janette Currie also of the University of Stirling, to undertake a major project on the songs of James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd.
This is alot of money to preserve the Jacobite songs of Hogg. Will this preserve them for generations to come? Have you seen any results from this grant? Some of the songs of Hogg's contemporary, Sir Walter Scott, are a part of our daily lives but we are not aware of his influence. Can you hum a tune of Hogg's?
5 comments:
I can't hum any songs by Hoggs but, until I met you, I didn't know I could hum any songs by Scott either. Perhaps his influence is invisible, part of the atmosphere, the ethos of our society. Or he's an unsung hero, unrecognized in his own land.
In fact, Hogg's Jacobite songs make up only a tiny fraction of his whole song-writing output, over 200. These will be published along with the original music. I think you'll be surprised by how many of these songs you do recognise - you just weren't aware that Hogg wrote them. Some were printed in magazines, sometimes anonymously, and some as song sheets and all have since been appropriated into the Scottish music scene.
I will be dancing a Highland dance called Highland Laddie this Saturday in a celebration of Sir Walter Scott's birthday. I believe this was written by Hogg. The Tannahill Weavers have visited Jacksonville, Florida in the past few years and I told their lead singer I was pleased they sang this tune because it is one of my favourites.
I look forward to becoming more familiar with Hogg's songs. I can well believe that I know more of them by ear than I think I do.
Curt did this work? Coraline are you out there?
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