Section 5 of 21 - Prev - Next
All sections - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21

Alternate Sundays or as advertised in The Black Bull Hotel, Main Street,
Milngavie.

Montrose
--------
Montrose Folk Club Tel 01674-830658 Ken Bruce
Every second Tuesday 8.30pm Corner House Hotel, High Street.
Guest performers every meeting. All, including visiting singers and
musicians, are welcome.

Nitten
------
Meets each Thursday, no further details

Penicuik
--------
Penicuik Tel 01968-678153 Brian Miller or 01968-67 86 10 Alan Murray
Weekly Tuesday in The Navaar House Hotel, Bog Road, Penicuik.

Rosehearty
----------
Rosehearty Music Night, every third Wednesday night in
The Bay Hotel, The Square, Rosehearty, for more information
contact Gavin on (01346) 571382. mailto:rosy.gault@virgin.net

Stirling
--------
Stirling FC meets every Monday in The Terraces Hotel, 4 Melville Terrace.
Contact Isobel Methven on 01259- 218521

Stonehaven
----------
Stonehaven Folk Club Tel 01569- 767666. Trudi Clayton
Weekly Friday St. Leonard's Hotel.

Stow
----
Stow Folk Club Tel 01578-730444 Dave Herd
1st, 3rd, 5th Friday

Straiton
--------
Straiton Tel 01655-770638 Dave Hunter
Last Friday monthly Black Bull Hotel, Straiton, Ayrshire.
Guest artiste monthly and a warm welcome always given to floor singers.

Stranraer
---------
Stranraer Folk Club Tel 01776-703487
Weekly Wednesday The Corner House, The Royal Hotel, Stranraer.
Regular guests.

Uddingston
----------
The new Rowantree Folk Club meets in the Rowantree Inn, Old Mill Road
Uddingston. It meets on the first, third and, where appropriate, fifth
Fridays of each month, at 8pm. http://www.rowantreefolk.com for
up-to-date news and information. Tel. 01698 303407 (Carole Scott)


Ullapool
--------
Ceilidh Place Tel 01854-612103
Ullapool, Wester Ross.
Many regular music events on different nights through the year.


[4.8] Scottish music information


The Scottish Folk Directory
---------------------------
This is a book detailing virtually everything to do with the
Scottish folk music scene.
contact:

Blackfriars Music, 49 Blackfriars St, Edinburgh EH1 1NB
Tel: 0131 557 3090.
mailto:Scotfolk@compuserve.com
http://www.stoneyport.demon.co.uk/websfd/sfd97/sfd97index.html
http://scotfolk.home.ml.org/

Scottish Music Centre
---------------------
The Scottish music centre has compiled a book with over 3,000 entries giving
details of Scottish music performers (classical, early music, folk and
traditional jazz), music education, sources of funding, suppliers and services,
venues, clubs and promoters, festivals and competitions. The book also has
sections on young peoples' music, music from other cultures and publicity and
marketing.

Data:
ISBN 0 9525489 0 9 paperback
210mm x 148mm 320pp 12.99 pounds
published 30-Nov-95

Available from:
Scottish music information centre
1 Bowmont Gardens
Glasgow
G12 9LR
Tel: 0141 334 6393
Fax: 0141 337 1161
mailto:info@scottishmusiccentre.com
http://www.scottishmusiccentre.com/

All the directory data from the book is now on their database-driven web site,
allowing on-line searching and access.

The SMC also has information about music broadcast on some Scottish
radio programmes.


Book information
----------------
Get more information on the books listed here
via our books page in association with Amazon.
http://www.siliconglen.com/Scotland/books/amazon.html#[4.8]


[4.9] Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland (TMSA)

This is the main organisations for promoting Scots song and music.
The TMSA organise local folk festivals and singing competitions
and concerts and are in some ways a lowland equivalent of Feisean
nan Gaidheal (with whom they have reciprocal membership) and
An Comunn Gaidhealach. The TMSA has many branches throughout Scotland,
mostly in the Lowlands.

Contact:

Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland
National Office
95-97 St Leonard's Street
Edinburgh
EH8 9QY
Tel: 0131 667 5587
Fax: 0131 662 9153
http://www.tmsa.demon.co.uk/

the National Organiser is Elspeth Cowie


[4.10] Scottish Groups, Folk Groups, Artists and Bands

Alphabetic order by artist (Surname) or group

Performers
----------
Battlefield Band http://www.battlefieldband.co.uk/

Eric Bogle http://www.windbourne.com/ebogle/

Borrovan http://freespace.virgin.net/stewart.mackay/

Boys of the Lough http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/obm/botl1.htm

Art Cormack http://www.gael-net.co.uk/music/arthur1.html

Capercaillie http://www.capercaillie.co.uk/

Ceolbeg http://www.ceolas.org/artists/Ceolbeg.html

Corries http://www.corries.com/

Phil Cunningham http://www.philcunningham.com/

Bruce Davies http://www.brucedavies.com/

Ivan Drever http://www.ivandrever.com/

Gaberlunzie http://www.soft.net.uk/gaber/

Dick Gaughan http://www.dickalba.demon.co.uk/

Mary Jane Lamond http://www.maryjanelamond.com/

Dougie MacLean http://www.dunkeld.co.uk/dougiemaclean/dougie.html

Kenny MacKenzie http://www.caberfeidhmusic.com/

Brian McNeill http://www.b-mcneill.demon.co.uk/

Anne Martin http://www.whiteact.demon.co.uk/

Men of Worth http://http://www.menofworth.com/

Ed Miller http://www.io.com/~edmiller/ed.html
mailto:edmiller@io.com

Rab Noakes http://www.ozemail.com.au/~android/rnoakes.html

North Sea Gas http://dim.chemie.uni-bielefeld.de/~nsg/

Old Blind Dogs
http://lummi.stanford.edu/users/b/r/brod/WWW/OBD/OldBlindDogs.html

Poozies http://www.cutting-tweed.demon.co.uk/poozies.htm

Rock Salt & Nails http://www.collins-peak.co.uk/rsn/

Runrig http://www.runrig.co.uk/

Janet Russell http://www.rootsworld.com/harbourtown/russell.html

Sileas http://www.cutting-tweed.demon.co.uk/silmrch.htm

Silly Wizard http://www.harbourtownrecords.com/silly_wizard.html

Silly Wizard Mailing List
http://www.mindspring.com/~cwalters/rovers.html

The Singing Kettle
http://www.singingkettle.com/

Tannahill Weavers
http://www.tannahillweavers.com/

Whistlebinkies http://www.taynet.co.uk/users/binkies/

Wolfstone http://www.wolfstone.co.uk/

Wolfstone http://www.lismor.co.uk/wolfstone.html

General Links and Music Magazines
---------------------------------
http://www.ceolas.org/ceolas.html
Ceolas celtic music archive

http://www.celticmusic.com/
Celtic Music Magazine On-line

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/2030/indexe.html
The Mollis (Folk Music Links)

http://www.dirtynelson.com/linen/
Dirty Linen--Folk and World Music

http://www.hot-press.com/
HOT PRESS Home Page

http://www.cityscape.co.uk/froots/
Folk Roots Home Page

http://www.collins-peak.co.uk/celtic/
Celtic Music at Collins Peak

http://www.stoneyport.demon.co.uk/
Stoneyport agency

http://www.musicinscotland.com/
Music in Scotland

http://www.scottish-music.com/
Scottish Music - domain for sale

celtic music gigs worldwide
http://www.skyelive.com/

Tune and Song Sources
---------------------
http://www.mudcat.org/folksearch.html
Digital Tradition

http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc/
Ceolas: The Fiddler's Companion

http://www.darsie.net/tuneweb/
The TuneWeb

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1690/lyrics.html
Scottish Song Lyrics


Music Venues and Concert Schedules
----------------------------------
http://www.gigguide.co.uk/
http://www.livemusicguide.co.uk/
Live Music Listings in Scotland

http://www.grch.com/
The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

http://www.bbc.co.uk/aberdeen/lt/
Live at The Lemon Tree

http://www.doughill.demon.co.uk/brenn2.html
An 'Irish' pub but supports mostly Scottish celtic acts.

Musical Styles and Cultural Connections
----------------------------------------
http://maya.lib.utk.edu/celtic.html
Celtic Culture, Languages and Music

http://www.electricscotland.com/burns/
Robert Burns

http://www.innotts.co.uk/~asperges/burns.html
Robert Burns page
(see also [5.4])

Instruments
-----------
http://www.mhs.mendocino.k12.ca.us/MenComNet/Business/Retail/Larknet/
Lark In The Morning

http://www.accordionlinks.com/
Accordion links

http://www.bobdunsire.com/bagpipeweb/
The Bagpipe Web

http://www-bprc.mps.ohio-state.edu/~bdaye/bagpipes.html
David Daye's Bagpipe Page

http://www.ceolas.org/instruments/bodhran/bodhran.html
The Bodhran Page

http://www-openmap.bbn.com/users/gkeith/fiddles/Fiddle.html
Georgi's Home Page of the Fiddle

http://plainfield.bypass.com/~arte/celtic.html
Celtic Fingerstyle Guitar Page

http://www.mhs.mendocino.k12.ca.us/MenComNet/Business/Retail/Larknet/articles
TransFlute    Transverse Flutes: An Overview

http://www.mhs.mendocino.k12.ca.us/MenComNet/Business/Retail/Larknet/articles
FlutesWhist    FLUTES AND PENNYWHISTLES

http://www.mindspring.com/~whistler/tutor.html
Mike Simpson's Tin Whistle Guide

Indexes/Further information
---------------------------
http://www.musicscotland.com/

There is a specifically Scottish page on the Ceolas site at:
http://www.ceolas.org/artists/index-sc.html

Folk Music Home Page
http://www.jg.org/folk/info/artists.html

Yahoo
Search for Celtic

Yahoo
http://www.yahoo.co.uk/Entertainment/Music/Artists/By_Genre/Folk/

Rootsworld
http://www.rootsworld.com/


[4.11] Fiddle Styles

Cape Breton style is the old Scottish style of some 150-200 years ago.
Its main influences are pipes and traditional singing. It's highly
ornamented and mostly uses single bows.

West Coast style is exemplified by the playing of Angus Grant. It's a
style which doesn't relate much to the old fiddle style and seems to
have come mostly from piping. There's a lot of ornamentation and very
long bowstrokes are used to mimic the drone of the pipes.

There's a traditional east coast style that is very seldom heard. Most
of the east coast players of today are heavily influenced by classical
violin style. There's one recording of the old style I know: "The
Cameron Men".

Shetland is a totally different tradition which relates strongly to
Scandinavian fiddling.

To compare various fiddle styles from around Scotland, the
following tape/CD from Greentrax may be of use:
The Fiddler and his art (reference: CDTRAX/CTRAX 9009)
there is another one in this series focussing on Shetland music:
CDTRAX/CTRAX "Shetland Fiddle Music"

Alasdair Fraser has also recorded "Portrait of a Scottish Fiddler" - this
is now available on CD. For Cape Breton Fiddle styles, anything by
Buddy MacMaster or Natalie MacMaster is recommended.


[4.12] Books for learning the fiddle

Failte gu Fidheall - The Scottish Folk Fiddle tutor, Book 1.
(This book is in English with a bilingual Gaelic-English introduction)
A Comprehensive guide for beginners
Compiled and arranged by Christine Martin and Anne Hughes
Published by Taigh na Teud (Harpstring house)
http://www.scotlandsmusic.com/
Address: 13 Breacais Ard, Isle of Skye, Scotland, IV42 8PY
Published 1992, ISBN 1 871931 90 8
They also publish "Ceilidh collections", "Ceol na Fidhle" (=music of the
fiddle) and "Session Tunes".
The book is about 5 pounds and is 42 A4 pages
There is also a demonstration tape to accompany the book, available from
the publishers.
This is a really good book with one of the best selections of tunes
(Highland, Lowland and others) I've seen in any book.

Here's another, although this is aimed at more advanced players

I picked up an excellent book on Cape Breton fiddle music while I was
there in May 97 and thought others might be interested. Not only does it
have the expected comprehensive selection of traditional tunes, but
there's over 20 pages of introduction explaining the Cape Breton fiddle
style as well as a very useful discography and pointers to sources of
further information, including collections, books and sources on the
Internet. Each song also has considerable descriptive notes and
references. There is also reference to Jackie Dunn's thesis: "Tha blas
na Gaidhlig air a h-uile fidhleir" (The sound of Gaelic is in the
fiddler's music). I'd be interested in finding out more about this
thesis - does anyone have details?

Book details:
Traditional Celtic Violin music of Cape Breton
139 transcripts with historical and musicological annotations by Kate
Dunlay and David Greenberg (considerably revised from 1986 publication
and regarded by the authors as a new book). Published 1996 by DunGreen
music, 20 Windley Avenue, Toronto, Canada M6C 1N2
ISBN 0-9680802-0-0. Softback. 158 pages
Sorry, can't remember how much it cost.
E-mail the authors at mailto:dungreen@astral.magic.ca

Online info
-----------
Although this page is about learning to play the Irish fiddle, we think
you'll find it useful nonetheless!
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6464/fidintro.html

Book information
----------------
Get more information on the books listed here
via our books page in association with Amazon.
http://www.siliconglen.com/Scotland/books/amazon.html#[4.12]


[4.13] Where can I get a piper?

I just scanned the FAQ and there's one topic I would like to add. Every week
or so I see (and answer) a "How do I find a piper" post on the
soc.culture.scottish/celtic newsgroups or on the various wedding
newsgroups (news:alt.wedding, news:soc.couples.wedding)

Could you add a something that recommends that they post their inquiries to
the newsgroup news:rec.music.makers.bagpipe or send an e-mail to
mailto:bagpipe@cs.dartmouth.edu. Their inquiry needs to include both
the location and the date of the event. They should also note what kind
of pipes they want.

Other recommendations
---------------------
http://www.bagpiper.com/ (has a commercial element)
http://www.bagpipeweb.com/


[4.14] Where can I get bagpipes?

Blackfriars deserves a good mention here. They have in stock, a good
assortment of pipes, particularly smallpipes.

It's many a long year since I "squeezed the bag and tuned the drones",
but I think that you would be safe to give Kilberry Bagpipes of
Edinburgh a toot!! (They're located near the King's Theatre). They would
have an even better selection if their "showroom" wasn't a parking space
for a very large motorcycle.

The Scots Magazine ran an article on them in it's October '96 issue.
They are on http://www.kilberry.com/
and for e-mail try them at mailto:kilberry@compuserve.com

Highland Pipes:
Henry Murdo (Dun Fion Bagpipes)
Corriegills, Isle of Arran
Tel 01770 302393
Henry is regarded as one of the top pipemakers in the world.

Bagpipes of Caledonia
Lorn House
Links Garden Lane
Leith, Edinburgh EH6 7JQ

Bagpipes and associated products, tuition packs, chanter kits.


[4.15] Early bagpipe references

One of the first sources where bagpipes are mentioned is the Old Testament
and I heard of some carvings that prove the use of bagpipes a thousand
years before Christ somewhere in the east.

The first bagpipes in Europe are mentioned in Greece by Aristophanes
(445 - 385 before Christ) Not much is known about these pipes but they
had probably no drones, just a bag and a chanter.

Since the 9th century bagpipes have been used across Europe. Most of
them had one to three, some also four or more drones. In some countries like
Brittany, Bulgaria, Sweden and others bagpipes are still played, also in
Germany by there are quite a number of pipers playing on original German
bagpipes. I think there are still pipers in nearly every European country
though. In the Middle East bagpipes are first mentioned in the 11th century.

Purser's book (mentioned in [4.21]) says (P75-76)

The earliest reference to bagpipes in English is in Chaucer's Prologue
(1386). In Scots it is Dunbar's Testament of Mr Andrew Kenney (1508).
In Gaelic, it is the Irish manuscript of the second battle of Moytura
(15th C). There are non-literary references earlier from accounts and
from carvings (c. 15th cen) in Rosslyn chapel.


[4.16] Learning to play the harp (clarsach)

Learning to play the clarsach:
If you are interested in learning to play the clarsach, but would like
to 'have a go' before you part with a lot of money, I would recommend that
you hire a harp from Fountain Harps. They also have learner books and tapes.

Based in the Scottish borders, they can arrange the hire to many places
throughout Scotland and also England.

Fountain Harps
Borthaugh
Hawick
Roxburghshire
TD9 7LN


Links
-----
Scottish Clarsach Orchestra (na Clarsairean)
http://www.compulink.co.uk/~pilgrims-home/naClarsairean/default.htm

Harp enthusiasts may also appreciate the following pages, about the
Irish harper Carolan
http://plainfield.bypass.com/~arte/carolan.html

Comunn na Clarsaich (The Clarsach Society)
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~arco/

Clarsach Net
http://www.clarsach.net/

Contacts
--------
John Yule,
Carnethy Cottage,
Silverburn, Penicuik,
Midlothian EH26 9LQ
(has got to be one of the best in Scotland!)

Also
Janet Annan of Queensferry
teaches clarsach & Harp
Tel: 0131 319 1925
Janet also does weddings & events

Starfish Designs
Unit 4, Old Ferry Road,
North Ballachulish
by Fort William PH33 6SA
Tel: 01855 821429 (fax: 01855 821577)
mailto:mandersona@cix.compulink.co.uk

Ardival Harps (Bill Taylor)
Orchard House, Castle Leod
Strathpeffer, Ross-shire IV14 9AA
(also offers harp tuition, all levels)

Another resource is "Sounding Strings" magazine published Quarterly by
Sounding Strings
The Old School
Finzean
BANCHORY
Kincardineshire
AB31 6NY

Tel: +44 (0)1330 850722
mailto:bells@soundingstrings.demon.co.uk
They operate mail order music and recordings and we will be restarting
publication of the magazine later this year.


[4.17] Scottish Arts Council

The Scottish Arts Council
12 Manor Place
Edinburgh
EH3 7DD
Tel: 0131 226 6051
Helpdesk: 0131 240 2243/4
Fax: 0131 225 9833
mailto:help.desk@scottisharts.org.uk
http://www.sac.org.uk/

They have an interesting page on Scottish arts at
http://www.sac.org.uk/arts.htm


[4.18] Living Tradition

This is the main magazine for Scottish folk music info, although it
covers other forms of traditional music too. The magazine can be
reached at mailto:living.tradition@almac.co.uk

or The Living Tradition, PO Box 1026, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire KA2 0LG

published every two months


[4.19] Traditional Scottish Music and Culture List

Date: 11 Aug 1997 20:39:07 -0300
From: darkrider1@juno.com (Toby A Rider)
Subject: New Scottish listserver: SCOTS-L

To All:

Please note that I have started the new "Official" Scottish
traditional music list server. Devoted entirely to the discussion of
the traditional Celtic music of Scotland by those who perform or
appreciate it.

It is an unmoderated list, I trust that you all will be polite
and considerate of opinions different than your own, regardless of how
repugnant :-)

I look forward to the fine discussions that will develop on this list.


* To subscribe to SCOTS-L, send an e-mail to
mailto:majordomo@argyll.wisemagic.com with the message body:

subscribe SCOTS-L


* To post a message to SCOTS-L, send mail to the following address:

scots-l@argyll.wisemagic.com

In addition, you can subscribe via the web page at:
http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html


Slainte!
Toby Arnold Rider
mailto:darkrider1@juno.com, mailto:darkrider1@mindspring.com
Website at http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~ibb/scd/Music/


[4.20] Cape Breton music mailing list

send a mail to:
mailto:cb-music@chatsubo.com
subject: subscribe


[4.21] Reference material for Scottish music

Scotland's Music
----------------
A History of the Traditional and Classical Music of Scotland
from Early Times to the Present Day
by John Purser
Published by Mainstream, 1992.
(7 Albany Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3UG)
ISBN 1-85158-426-9
311 pages; 225mm x 285 mm, hardback, 25 pounds (and worth every penny)

I got this book after seeing a lecture given by the author, now
Dr. John Purser. This groundbreaking award winning book evolved from
John's BBC radio series (covering 45 hours). The book covers the whole
of Scotland's music - from 8th Century BC to the present day. The book
covers both classical and traditional music individually and the links
between them. Includes early Celtic plainchant; ballads in Scots and
Gaelic; Renaissance music; music for lutes and virginals; music today:
operatic; symphonic; Gaelic; folk revival and pop.

Chapters include
The Scottish Idiom
Bulls, Birds and Boars (800BC - AD400)
Briton, Pict and Scot (600-800)
The Bell and the Chant (500-1100)
Cathedral Voices (800-1300)
Ballads, Bards and Makars (1100-1500)
Gaelic bards, bagpipes and harps (1100-1600)
The Golden Age (1490-1550)
Reform (1513-1580)
The two Maries (1540-1590)
At the courts of the last King (1570-1630)
Music of the West (1530-1760)
From Covenanters to Culloden (1630-1750)
From Rome to Home (1660-1720)
The Temple of Apollo (1740-1770)
The Scots Musical Museum (1760-1850)
The Withdrawing room and the concert hall (1820-1920)
Sea, field and music hall (1820-1910)
The classical takes root (1910-1970)
A new accommodation (1950-)
also includes
  select bibliography; select discography; libraries and archives;
  glossary of Scottish musical terms; plates in colour and black
  and white; over 200 musical examples; full index.

An absolutely brilliant work, meticulously researched, magnificient in
scope and beautifully presented. A must for anyone interested in
learning in depth about one of Europe's most musical cultures.

A double CD set was also issued, (1) including one track of particular
interest to soc.culture.scottish:
"Calgacus", by Edward McGuire (for orchestra + pipes), performed by an
unnamed piper and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Can anyone name the
piper?  George McIlwham, perhaps?
(1) "Scotland's Music" (Linn Records 1992, LINN CKD 008; Linn Products
Ltd, Floors Road, Eaglesham, Glasgow G76 0EP).


Musica Scotica
--------------
A new series of scholarly editions of Early Scottish music, edited
by Dr Kenneth Elliott of Glasgow University. The series is being
published in stages. Titles planned include:
The Complete works of Robert Carver
The Complete Sacred Music of Robert Johnson
16th Century Scots songs for voice and lute
17th Century Scots songs for voice and lute/harpsichord
The Cantatas of Sir John Clerk of Penicuik
Early Scottish Music for Keyboard
Early Scottish Psalm-settings

For more information, contact

Dr Kenneth Elliott
General Editor Musica Scotica
Department of Music
University of Glasgow
Glasgow
G12 8QQ
Scotland
Tel: 0131 339 8877 (extn 4094)
Fax: 0141 307 8018
mailto:kenneth@music.gla.ac.uk


Book information
----------------
Get more information on the books listed here
via our books page in association with Amazon.
http://www.siliconglen.com/Scotland/books/amazon.html#[4.21]


[4.22] The Piano film music

The music for this film is similar to "Gloomy Winter" (Sung often and
well by Dougie MacLean) by Robert Tannahill (see [11.14]). Also sung by
Chantan on their album "Primary Colours" on Culburnie records.
mailto:ukinfo@culburnie.com

An addition to the above - although the tune Gloomy Winter is very similar,
the stresses are slightly different. There appears however, to be an old
Gaelic song which matches The Piano theme music almost identically. This
Gaelic song is sung by the group "ho-ro-gheallaidh" who won the Gaelic rock
competition at the 1997 National Mod. The tune, with some of the lyrics in
Gaelic and English appear on P208 of the Purser book mentioned in [4.21].
The tune is by Alexander Campbell (born 1764) and this was the tune to
which Robert Tannahill wrote the lyrics "Gloomy winter's now awa'". The
first name of the tune is "Lord Balgonie's favourite" (later renamed to
"Come my bride, haste haste away" and Campbell describes it as "A very
old Highland tune". The song appeared in print on P67 of Albyn's anthology
in 1816.


[5.1] Primary literary figures

Further information
-------------------
http://www.slainte.org.uk/scotauth/scauhome.htm
Gateway to Scottish authors

Alphabetic order by surname
---------------------------
Iain Banks (The Crow Road, The Wasp Factory, etc)

Boswell and Johnson's (tour to the Western Isles)

George Douglas Brown (The house with the green shutters)

John Buchan (The thirty nine steps)

Robert Burns (details in [5.2])

William Dunbar

Janice Galloway (The trick is to keep breathing)

Lewis Grassic Gibbon (Sunset Song) (voted Scotland's best novel by
Herald readers Oct 98)

Alasdair Gray (Lanark)

Neil Gunn (particularly recommended is Highland River/The Silver Darlings)

George Campbell Hay

Hamish Henderson (Alias MacAlias - his autobiography and
"The Armstrong nose" - Hamish's collected letters)

James Hogg (Confessions of a Justified Sinner)

Robin Jenkins (The cone gatherers)

Norman MacCaig (Collected poems)

Hugh MacDiarmid (especially "A drunk man looks at the thistle")

Sorley Maclean (From Wood to Ridge)
One of the greatest Gaelic poets of all time. Book is bilingual; author's
own translations.       Astoundingly powerful stuff. ISBN 0 09 988720 7
(published by Vintage, London)

James McPherson ('Ossian')

Neil Munro (The new road)

J. K. Rowling (award winning and best selling author of the "Harry Potter"
series.)

Sir Walter Scott (The Heart of Midlothian, Old Mortality, Waverley -
see [5.5])

Iain Crighton Smith (in Gaelic: Iain Mac a' Ghobhainn) (Consider the lillies)

Muriel Spark (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie)

Robert Louis Stevenson (Kidnapped, Weir of Hermiston, Treasure Island,
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde)

Jeff Torrington (Swing hammer swing)

Nigel Tranter ("The Story of Scotland")

Alan Warner (Morvern Callar)

Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting)

There's a very strong argument which says the best writing in English
right now is from Scotland. 'Trainspotting' is about Edinburgh, just as
much as 'Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner'. There's a
heap of authors to recommend: Jeff Torrington, James Kelman, Robin
Jenkins, Alistair Gray, William McIlvanney - these are some I like and
frankly, I can't think of any current author whom I would rather read.

The Enlightenment
-----------------
Any writings by David Hume and Adam Smith from the age of the
Scottish Enlightenment are recommended.

For those interested in the Scottish Enlightenment and it's
enormous contribution to human understanding, I can thoroughly
recommend a book by Alexander Broadie. It's published by Canongate
Edinburgh, ISBN 0 86241 738 4 price 10.99. It is an excellent
anthology for those wishing to get a good grasp of the contribution made
to the age of reason by Scots. My only rebuke is the missing scientific
contributions which the editor admitted were entirely due to his personal
inadequacies on matters scientific. However, the philosophical content
is worth the money alone.


Book information
----------------
Get more information on the books listed here
via our books page in association with Amazon.
http://www.siliconglen.com/Scotland/books/amazon.html#[5.1]


[5.2] Info on Robert Burns

See also Answer [5.3]

Robert Burns, the National Bard of Scotland, was born in on 25 Jan 1759, the
son of an Ayrshire cottar. A cottar is a Scots word for a tenant occupying
a cottage with or (from the late 18th century) without land attached to
it or a married farmworker who has a cottage as part of his contract.
The word dates from the 15th century. Anyway, back to Burns. He
apparently developed an early interest in literature. Between 1784 and
1788, whilst farm-labouring, he wrote much of his best poetry,
including "Halloween", "The Cotter's Saturday Night" and the skilful
satires "Death and Dr Hornbrook" and "Holy Willie's Prayer". In 1786
the "Kilmarnock" edition of Robert Burns' early poems was published,
bringing with it fame and fortune, and the second edition, published by
William Creech, brought him enough financial security to marry his
mistress Jean Armour. The couple settled to a hard life in Ellisland
with their four children, and to supplement their meagre income, Burns
took a job as an excise man. From 1787, Burns concentrated on
songwriting, making substantial contributions to James Johnson's "The
Scots Musical Museum", including "Auld Lang Syne" (see [9.3.2]) and
"A Red, Red Rose". On 21st July 1796, at the age of 37, he died, his
health undermined by rheumatic fever.

Most of the above was taken from a recommended book "The complete
illustrated poems, songs and ballads of Robert Burns" 12 pounds 95p.
Published by Lomond Books, ISBN 1 85152 018 X. This is a reprint of a
1905 publication so the print is a bit strange and unfortunately there
is no index and the contents aren't in alphabetical order. However, it
is 650 A5 size pages (hardback) and can often be found in bargain bookshops
for about 5 pounds.

The picture most usually seen of Burns (but not the one on the Bank of
Scotland five pound note) is from an engraving after a portrait by
Alexander Nasmyth, 1787. Today, many thousands of Scots around the
world celebrate Burns night on his birthday, 25th January. Burns night
has even been commemorated in the Kremlin. Burns suppers consist of
having a meal of tatties (mashed potatoes), neeps (turnips - not
swede!) and haggis. Details of how to buy haggis are in [13.1] in this
FAQ. There is usually quite a bit of whisky drunk at these occasions
too, particularly as Burns was a well known drinker (and womaniser).
Usually a bloke makes a speech remembering Burns and how his thoughts
and poems are timeless and as relevant today as they were when they
were written. Then there's a "reply from the lassies" where it's usual
to point out the other side of Burns and how he left many women broken
hearted. Well,  that's the general idea anyway, there's lots of
variations. Some of the features of Burns Suppers are rather
inauthentic: the kilts/tartans worn are really the garb of the
Gael, and the Great Pipe is the Gael's instrument. Burns himself
wasn't a Gael, and would have been more acquainted with
breiks and the fiddle. For more information on Burns Suppers, see
http://www.visitscotland.com/aboutscotland/UniquelyScottish/theburnssupper

Probably Burns' most famous composition is Auld Lang Syne, however most
people do not sing either the right lyrics or the original tune. A lot of
people erroneously insert the words "the sake of" in the chorus - this
was not written by Burns. The tune is a bit confused too. Burns
originally wrote the lyrics to a tune which his publisher didn't like,
so he then put the lyrics to the tune which most people know. However,
the second tune is also claimed by the Japanese!. The original tune is
available on some recordings, including "The Winnowing" by The Cast and
"File under Christmas" by Scotland's leading Clarsach (Harp) duo,
Sileas (pronounced "Shee-lis"). The old tune is rapidly gaining
momentum however, and I have heard hundreds of people sing it in
Edinburgh without difficulty. The old version of the tune is also in
The Digital Tradition (see [9.1] for details) and off
http://www.siliconglen.com/culture/songs.html
Lyrics are at [9.3.2] in this FAQ.

It is someting of a comment on the English-biased nature of Scottish
education that Scotland has produced one of the world's greatest and
best loved poets and yet he is hardly studied in his own country, most
people studying Shakespeare at school. Shakespeare was obviously a
world class bard as well, but isn't there room for Burns too?
It is also something of a comment on the English education system in
England. Burns and Scott tend scarcely to get a look-in on Eng. Lit.
courses at univ. - certainly very rarely at Cambridge. This is a comment
from an English graduate of Cambridge who says the only Scottish author
they recall being vaguely mentioned was Henryson.

To hear some of Robert Burns' poetry read by a native of Prestwick,
go to http://metalab.unc.edu/gaelic/gaelic.html and look in the
Scots section.

To balance this "traditional" information on Burns it should be
pointed out that, as well as being quite the poet, Burns was
also a sexist, philandering and womaniser. His sentiment of "A man's a
man for a' that" doesn't carry over very well into his treatment of
women. It is also perhaps true to say that Burns had the same casual
relationship with his music as he did with many of his women. Burns is
often hailed as the champion of Scots but he was broader than that and
drew extensively on Highland music too, perhaps through his relationship
with Highland Mary. For a' that, for instance exists as a Gaelic puirt
a beul. Whether the Gaelic one predates the Burns version is not known,

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