Beethoven and Haydn both arranged large quantities of Scottish songs for the publisher George Thomson. Maybe you're looking for classical settings for solo, duet or even vocal trio for an encore in a recital - these could be suitable choices.
How to find old editions online, though? Unless you want to buy a very expensive rare edition, IMSLP (The Petrucci Music Library) may be your best port of call.
IMSLP and Petrucci are the same website. They describe themselves this way:- "IMSLP stands for International Music Score Library Project. The logo is a capital letter A, taken from the very first press-printed book of polyphonic music, the Harmonice Musices Odhecaton, published in 1501. Its printer, Ottaviano Petrucci, is this library's namesake."
Here are a few examples of what you'll find:-
(Just another helpful blogpost from your friends at the Whittaker Library, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland!)
Robert Burns
Late 18th/early 19th century collaborators with Burns included James Johnson (of Scots Musical Museum fame), and George Thomson. Thomson got Burns' lyrics set by famous Continental musicians like Haydn, Beethoven and Kozeluch.
You could also look him up in one of our databases, like Oxford Music Online (for info), Naxos or Classical Music Library (streaming services). See what's available to our staff and students here.
Celebrating Burns
- The BBC has a fantastic page for Robert Burns (biography, 716 works, and all about Burns Night)
- Steve Jones' audio slide show inspired by Robert Burns (a page on the BBC site)
- Scottish Storytelling Centre - Burnsfest this week (w/c 22nd January 2012)
- Scottish Poetry Library - similarly a significant week for Burns enthusiasts here.
- Echoes from the Vault - the St Andrew's University Library Special Collections blog has today posted about Burns. A truly beautiful page.
