One of the sites where some of the Harry Potter books were written
Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness
The Spitzers on Loch Ness
Our son, oblivious of the "danger" he's in ...
Our other son, enjoying the local creatures
Hamish, the Hairy Coo - an example of the cattle breed in Scotland
The abbey at Holyrood Palace
Spitzers at Holyrood, the residence of the Queen of England when in Edinburgh
Bagpipes abounded - much to my delight - this one in front of the Scott Monument
Views along the way of our daily walk to town
Site from atop the Camera Obscura site looking down on the Royal Mile
Boys having a good time
Panorama of Edinburgh
Spitzers at Edinburgh Castle - metal bleachers for the annual Tattoo (a military band) are being built in the background
The park below the castle looking towards the New Town
Flowers an a local break spot near a playground in the park below the castle
The majestic Edinburgh Castle
Local taxi - one of the many colorful methods of transportation in town
We did learn so much while we were there about the people, the landscape, the strife and pride of the country, and its affects on all those who visit. And it affected us as well. As I noted above, I have a particular fondness for the bagpipes. But there is more to the music of Scotland than just bagpipes. They have many folk tunes that have played a part in the creativity of some of the most noted German composers. And that leads me back to my question from a couple of weeks ago: How has German music been affected by Scotland?
Scottish music is not just bagpipes. In fact, bagpipes have only been noted to be around since the 1400s (although some believe the instrument could have been around much earlier.) Prior to being "Scotland" as we think of it in the modern European sense, Scotland was a Gaelic culture. Music of this culture consisted mostly of singing. The instrument of choice was closely related to the modern harp. Once bagpipes entered the picture, though, the harp was replaced almost entirely. The sounds of the pipe originally were designed to mimic the sounds of the Gaelic songs, both the vocal quality and the "consonants" associated with the music. Piping music also lent itself well to marches, among other types of songs, and became a mainstay of the army troops. Not surprisingly, Scottish music also has some influences from Irish traditional music. The fiddle gained popularity during the 1600s as a result, and it is from the Scottish fiddling that the Appalachian mountain music gets its roots. Folks songs were often regional in both style and context, and the many country dancing songs are still very popular to this day for traditional events.
The 1700s into the early 1800s were a time of great creativity musically and literarily and produced many popular collections. Songs set to poetry also became quite popular with a particular nod to Walter Scott and Robert Burns, cherished Scottish authors of novels and poems. Robert Burns wrote at least one song I know you've heard: Auld Lang Syne. Both Burns and Scott were residents of Edinburgh and have monuments honoring them there and both have German connections. Scott got his start in literature as a second career when he began translating works from German authors and poets. But both artists were part of a larger movement of their age called Romanticism, during which many well-known German or Austrian composers emerged. (Extra credit kids: when was the Romantic period and why did it happen?)
During the years of 1799 - 1818, both Haydn and Beethoven, among other Germanic composers originating from both Germany and Austria, were commissioned by George Thompson to write arrangements to well-known Scottish folk songs. Haydn's work, called Haydn's Scottish Songs, was originally a compilation of 208 Scottish poems and songs. By the time Haydn was finished, there were a total of just under 400 arrangements to Scottish songs and poems, only 218 of which were for Thompson's original commission. Beethoven's work is known today as the "Twenty-five Scottish Songs (Opus 108)" and includes work from many noted Scottish writers. The work premiered in Edinburgh in 1818 and then was made available in Berlin in 1822. Franz Schubert, another Austrian composer, also took it upon himself to write a musical score to Scott's "The Lady of the Lake." Scotland also inspired another great German composer, Felix Mendelssohn. His visits resulted in two of his most famous creations: the Hebrides Overture and the Scottish Symphony. They came out of his love of the countryside and landscapes of Scotland. He became a favorite visitor of Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert - who himself was very connected to Germany.
The word for today is folk song: das Volkslied (folks leed).
The question for today is "Did Germans really rule Scotland?"
Auf Wiedersehen,
Frau Spitzer
