Originally commissioned by AIRS AND PHRASES (the flautist Richard Chester and the harpist Rhona MacKay) with funds made available by Scottish Arts, this set of 4 dances was prompted by the following passage from Robert Burns’ poem
Tam o’ Shanter in which Tam arrives at Alloway Kirk to hear the sound of mirth and dancing:
And, wow ! Tam saw an unco sight !
Warlocks and witches in a dance;
Nae cotillion, brent new frae France,
But hornpipes, jigs, strathspeys and reels,
Put life and mettle in their heels.
A winnock-bunker in the east,
There sat auld Nick, in shape o’beast;
A Towzie tyke, black, grim, and large,
To gie them music was his charge:
On the grounds that the devil must have had several collections of hornpipes, jigs, strathspeys, and reels for this ghoulish party which must have gone on for most of the night, I have merely attempted to suggest the music in one collection with just one of each dance represented, although, as far as I am aware, I have yet to write the first five volumes, at least, not when sober. The order of the dances is the same as in the poem. This version for flute and string orchestra was made in February 2008.
