Twenty-Five Scottish Songs (Beethoven)

Twenty-Five Scottish Songs (or in full Twenty-five Scottish songs: for voice, mixed chorus, violin, violoncello and piano) (Opus 108) was composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. The work was published in London and Edinburgh in 1818, and in Berlin in 1822.^[1] It is the only set among Beethoven's folksong arrangements to be assigned an opus number; the rest are only given WoO numbers.

The names of the Twenty-Five Scottish Songs (Op. 108) are:

1. "Music, Love and Wine"; "O let me music hear, night and day!" 1817, words by William Smyth, folk song setting
2. "Sunset"; "The sun upon the Weirdlaw Hill;" 1818, words by Sir Walter Scott, folk song setting
3. "O sweet were the hours;" 1817, words by William Smyth, folk song setting
4. "The Maid of Isla"; "O maid of Isla from yon cliff;" 1817, words by Sir Walter Scott, folk song setting
5. "The sweetest lad was Jamie;" 1815, words by William Smyth, folk song setting
6. "Dim, dim is my eye;" 1815, words by William Brown, folk song setting
7. "Bonnie Laddie, Highland Laddie"; "Where got ye that siller moon" 1815, words by James Hogg, folk song setting
8. "The lovely lass of Inverness;" 1816, words by Robert Burns, folk song setting
9. "Behold, my Love"; "Behold my Love how green the groves;" 1817, words by Robert Burns, folk song setting
10. Sympathy; "Why, Julia, say, that pensive mien?" 1815, words by William Smyth, folk song setting
11. Oh, Thou Art the Lad of My Heart, Willy; 1815, words by William Smyth, folk song setting, variations on this air: Op 107 #9
12. Oh, Had My Fate Been Join'd With Thine; 1816, words by Lord Byron, folk song setting
13. Come Fill, Fill, My Good Fellow; 1817, words by William Smyth, folk song setting
14. O How Can I Be Blithe; 1816, words by Robert Burns, folk song setting
15. O Cruel was My Father; 1816, words by Alexander Ballantyne, folk song setting
16. Could This Ill World Have Been Contriv'd; 1816, words by James Hogg, folk song setting
17. O Mary at Thy Window Be, 1817; words by Robert Burns, folk song setting
18. Enchantress, Farewell; 1818, words by Sir Walter Scott, folk song setting
19. O Swiftly Glides the Bonny Boat; 1815, words by Joanna Baillie, folk song setting
20. Faithfu' Johnie; "When will you come again;" 1815, words by Anne Grant, folk song setting^[2]
21. Jeanie's Distress; "By William late offended;" 1817, folk song setting
22. The Highland Watch; "Old Scotia, wake thy mountain strain;" 1817, words by James Hogg, folk song setting for voice, chorus and piano trio
23. The Shepherd's Song; "The gowan glitters on the sward;" 1818, words by Joanna Baillie, folk song setting
24. Again, my Lyre, yet once again; 1815, words by William Smyth
25. Sally in Our Alley; "Of all the girls that are so smart;" 1817, words by Henry Carey, folk song setting^[1]

The names of the Twenty-Five Scottish Songs (Op. 108) in German are:

1. Musik, Liebe und Wein: Es schalle die Musik, Nacht and Tag!
2. Der Abend: Die Sonne sinkt ins Ettrick Thal
3. O köstliche Zeit: O kostliche Zeit
4. Das Islamädchen: O Islamagdlein, die du kuhn
5. Der schönste Bub: Der schönste Bub war Henny
6. Trub ist mein Auge: Trub, trub ist mein Auge wie
7. Frische Bursche, Hochlands Bursche: Wem den Silbermond ihr dankt
8. Die holde Maid von Inverness: Die holde Maid von Inverness kennt
9. Schau her, mein Lieb: Schau her, mein Lieb, der Walder Grun
10. Sympathie: Was, Julia sagt der Blick voll Gram
11. O du nur bist mein Herzensbub: O du nur bist mein Herzensbub
12. O hatte doch dies gold'ne Pfand: Ohatte doch dies gold'ne Pfand
13. Trinklied: Schenk ein, mein guter Junge, schenk hoch
14. O, wie kann ich wohl fröhlich sein: O, wie kann ich wohl fröhlich sein?
15. O, grausam war mein Vater: O, grausam war mein Vater
16. Wenn doch die ärge böse Welt: Wenn doch die ärge böse Welt
17. Mariechen, komm ans Fensterlein: Mariechen komm ans Fensterlein
18. O Zaub'rin, leb'wohl: Leb'wohl, o of the Zaub'rin
19. Wie gleitet schnell das leichte Boot: Wie gleitet schnell das leichte Boot
20. Der treue Johnie: O wann kehrst of the zuruck
21. Jeanie's Trübsal: Als William jungst mich schmahte
22. Die Hochlands Wache: Alt Schottland, wecke deiner Hohn
23. Des Schafers Lied: Die Masslieb glänzt auf grunem Grund
24. Noch einmal wecken Thränen: Noch einmal wecken Thränen bang
25. Das Baschen in unserm Strasschen: Von allen Mädchen glatt und schön

References

1. Folksong arrangements
2. Faithful Johnny (useful information amongst the chaff)

External links

• Beethoven manuscript: draft for the disposition of the Scottish songs op. 108, Autograph. From the Digital Archives of Beethoven-Haus, Bonn. After the first edition, published in England in 1818, Beethoven prepared a German edition. On this manuscript we see Beethoven's reordering and renumbering of the songs for the German edition, published by Schlesinger in Berlin in 1822.
• "2005-2006 Season, Program V" (PDF). Sierra Chamber Society. Retrieved July 2013. - Program notes for a performance of a selection from the Twenty-Five Scottish Songs (Op. 108).