[guide.chat] In Reply To: [guide.chat] In Reply To: Tam o Shanter link.
- From: "Elizabeth Kay" <ebeth.kay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Guide.chat" <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2012 15:19:15 +0100
It woul be interesting to have the links you mention James but only if youcan
help retrieve them. I am not very good with web sites.
Elizabeth
-----Original Message-----
From: James Liddell - Email Address: james.liddell2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent On: 09/10/2012 14:43
Sent To: Elizabeth Kay - Email Address: ebeth.kay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: In Reply To: [guide.chat] In Reply To: Tam o Shanter link.
Hi, Elizabeth;
If you wish, I'll post links to the BBC web site where you can hear all Burns'
work spoken or sung by well known artists.
The Burns Centre at Alloway has been radically re-designed, and is much
more Blind friendly than the old set-up. The new facility encourages
schoolchildren to explore Scots language and culture, with emphasis on the
spoken word. Burns used to be reserved for January, even in Ayrshire, and the
policy used to be that any child speaking Scots was accused of 'slang' at any
other time of year, and was even belted as a result! It seemed that the culture
of Burns and his ilk was doomed for the haggis and heather industry, until a
few teachers rebelled.
One of these was Adam McNaughtan, who refused to teach in anything other
than Scots - the Glasgow council of the time tried to sack him, until they
realised his classes' marks were the highest in the area! He himself has
written many songs and poems in Glaswegian Scots, and is also a well known folk
singer; one of his most famous songs being "The Jeely piece song."
Due to people such as McNaughtan, the late Hamish Henderson ( who wrote a
beautiful, haunting poem, 'Salerno', by the way.(, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Hugh
McDairmid and their ilk, a literally and cultural revival in Scots started in
the 1950's, and continues today.
No more are Scots children taught about the Norman Conquest and Richard the
Lion heart, but about the REAL macbeth, Bruce, wallace and Douglas.
Primary Schools have been using 'the Kist' - a resource, something like
the old 'reading or language lab' box that I used myself when I was in primary
school forty years back. This offers an introduction to Scots poetry and
literature and helps children understand that in essence, Scots is actually a
separate language from English. Using this resource develops their bi-lingual
abilities.
As well as Shakespeare, children learn about Lewis Grassic Gibbon, or
Burns - even to appreciate the horribly fascinating poetry of the worst poet in
existence, William Topaz McGonnagal!
There are now plans to offer secondary qualifications in Scots literature and
culture, as well as Scots History.
Interesting times indeed.
Let me know if you want me to post a few you tube links to modern
interpretations of Burns, performed in a breathtaking way by today's generation
of musicians.
-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Kay - Email Address: ebeth.kay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent On: 09/10/2012 12:35
Sent To: James Liddell - Email Address: james.liddell2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: In Reply To: [guide.chat] In Reply To: Tam o Shanter link.
Hi James,
Your emails sent last Friday sparked off happy memories for me as I organised a
Burns tour for myself and my husband when we were in our early forties. He
wasn't much interested in poetry but was quite happy to spend a holidaay
exploring that part of Scotland. We started in Moffat and then enjoyed some
wonderful views as we travelled across the hills to Ayr. Later on we travelled
south again to Dumfries before driving home.
I was insppired to plan this trip after reading, on the rscommendation of a
Scots friend, a series of novels based on the life of Robert Burns . The
author's surname name wa Graves (first name escapes me). They must have been
reprinted because I have observed them in the RNIB catalogue.
The firsr one was "The Wind That Shakes The Barley".The second was "The Song In
The Green Thorn Tree" and the third "On The Crest Of A Broken Wave". I have a
feeling there was another but if there was I cannot remember the title, it is
fifty years ago. The novels told of the hardships of Burns life on his father's
farm,his many love affairs, described not as fornication but as relationships
that inspired his love poems, and the many other expeirnces of his life many of
them leding to expression in poetry as with "Holy Willy's Prayer.
This led me to buying a book of Burns poems, one or two of the shorter ones I
learned off ny heart. I translated "Tam O'Shanter" into a Scots/English version
when I used it to read aloud.
I drove a car in those days so it was not too difficult to travel around
finding locations mentoned in the novels including Mauchlin and Burns' birth
place. I stood om the Brig O'Doon and we had lunch in Burns' pub. This I have
visited again on a more recent coach tour but was disappointed as there was no
room inthe pub. My friend and I had to have lunch in an extension.
I have retained an affection for Burn's poetry ever since. I feel it is in a
cstegory all its own needing to be appreciated as such. Wordsworth is our local
poetic genius and I find much in his philosophy of life that accords with my
way of thinking, but I enjoy all poetry and regret that my lossof vision has
denied me the pleasure of reading. Reading a computor screen is not the same
and niether is just listening, but I have ny nenories. Best wishes form Liz.
-----Original Message-----
From: James Liddell - Email Address: james.liddell2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent On: 06/10/2012 10:47
Sent To: Guide Chat - Email Address: guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [guide.chat] In Reply To: Tam o Shanter link.
Thanks, Elizabeth.
Actually, it might not be a bad idea to wait 'till Monday and try sending an
email then, just in case the "bounce" thingy isn't sorted, and your email is
lost in cyberspace.
I hope you enjoy your day with your family, and especially with your little one.
-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Kay - Email Address: ebeth.kay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent On: 06/10/2012 09:56
Sent To: James Liddell - Email Address: james.liddell2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: In Reply To: [guide.chat] Tam o Shanter link.
James,I have just read your last email and there is much that I find
interesting and wish to respond to but I shall not have time today as if is my
youngest great- grand- child's first birthday and my som and daughter-in-law
will be collecting me shortly to go to her birthday party lunch. I have bought
her a small cuddly teddy bear that plays Brahms Lullaby when you pull its bob
tail!
Tomorrow I need to finish off my words and music programme but I want to
contiue our chat about Robert Burns and poetry in general. Back soon. Elizabeth
-----Original Message-----
From: James Liddell - Email Address: james.liddell2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent On: 05/10/2012 17:13
Sent To: Elizabeth Kay - Email Address: ebeth.kay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: In Reply To: [guide.chat] Tam o Shanter link.
Elizabeth;
Coming from Burns country, I'm surrounded by the places he knew. Mauchline,
where he farmed - badly - and got drunk - often, is only seven miles from me.
The pub where he drank, Poosie Nancie's, is well known, and well frequented.
William Hamilton, the subject of the brilliant "Holy Willie's Prayer", has a
grave marker near the Kirk - in which resides the 'repentance stool', on which
penitents were supposed to sit before the communion table while the minister or
Session Clerk announced why they were there...in Burns' case, fornication, with
several women!
On the first Tuesday of each month, Ayr presbytery meets in Alloway Parish
Church - right next to the very cottage in which Burns was born. The ruins of
"Kirk Allawa'" are half a mile from the present church, which is in what is
just about the richest village in Scotland!
I've wandered by the "banks and braes o Bonnie Doon" a few times, and
"Sweet Afton" still flows gently.
Ayr itself has many Burns sites, as does Irvine, Kilmarnock, and the rest.
However, after all that, It might be tantamount to blasphemy, but, although I
love and admire Burns poetry, reading it often, I honestly don't think Burns is
the greatest Scots poet. Of course he was a genious, but, as far as I'm
concerned, some of his greatest work was collecting songs from Ayrshire,
Dumfries and Fife, which were almost dying out, and reviving them.
I prefer Hugh McDairmid, Norman McHaig and Hamish Henderson's work in
Scots.
-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Kay - Email Address: ebeth.kay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent On: 05/10/2012 16:49
Sent To: James Liddell - Email Address: james.liddell2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: In Reply To: [guide.chat] Tam o Shanter link.
I have just listened to the link of Tam O'Shanter with music Thankyou very much
I wish I had a cd of this to play when I present my programme. I have long been
familiar with the poem and have read it aloud when I was able to read from a
book (albeit with a Lancashire accent). I have written a transcription of the
storyto read before I play the music but it would be so much better if I could
play this version. The music is a bit loud but I enjoyed hearing the poem read
as it should be. Thanks again. Elizabeth
-----Original Message-----
From: James Liddell - Email Address: james.liddell2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent On: 05/10/2012 15:19
Sent To: Guide Chat - Email Address: guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [guide.chat] Tam o Shanter link.
Elizabeth;
I hope you can access youtube from this email. ( All you do is press "escape",
scroll down to "Show links in this email" and press enter, enter when you hear
the youtube link, and you should be there.)
It's a reading of Tam o Shanter, with a combination of the Arnold composition
and "Dance Macabre" by Saint-Sans.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkiZbpd9stw&feature=related
Jim
PTL! < <
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