Roll Over Beethoven-

Great Composer’s Ties to Scotland

 Longer ago than I care to remember I was taught by a direct ancestor of Beethoven’s publisher George Thomson, without the ‘P’, he was also called George. So it was with some interest that I read that there was a certain amount of misdirection when Mr Thomson published  that the  Gaelic roots of Beethoven’s Scottish lieder were hidden or should I say not mentioned, because of the war. It was 1810 and Edinburgh was the ‘Athens of the North’ after the Scottish Enlightenment and naturally with a national reputation for probity and canniness in matters financial a Scottish publisher was a natural thing. It was also the height of the Napoleonic War and Old Boney was terrorising the continent and unity was the name of the game in these isles. So Jacobite references were removed or toned down. It was after all very little time since the Rising of 1745. And the Battle of Waterloo was still five years away.

 Poets to Be Sniffed at? I Think Not.

The songs became national favourites including the song Charlie is My Darling, which is a little on the saccharine side for most tastes. Now this may seem like old news, but in 2020 on our 130th anniversary year the world will be marking 250 years since Beethoven’s birth. So we are actually ahead of the news cycle in remarking on it now! George Thomson was a collector of folk songs, some say preserver and others less nice things - which is a shame as to how we rewrite history for our present time. Thomson sent the folk melodies he collected to Ludwig Van B and Beethoven turned them into high art.  The composer wanted lyrics as well, but Thomson controlled the words and he got local poets to supply them, so controlling the political situation that might have been problematic otherwise. The local poets weren’t to be sniffed at either as he employed the wonderful Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott. Folks in Glasgow can hear these melodies on February 3rd at Queen’s Cross in the Mackintosh Church in Glasgow.

Old Traditions Endure

Now as you know we are doing our bit to keep old traditions going and I’m sure at Christmas you got given some handy bottles of the finest nectar that can be brought to the lips, so why not take a gander at our fabulous selection of whisky gifts. Take this five star rated item the Royal Scot Crystal - Edinburgh - 4 Crystal Small Whisky Tumblers all boxed to perfection. It is on at a reduced price just now and is a classical hand cut wine suite inspired by the great tradition of the City which has been making a legend out of glass for over four centuries. Go on. The whisky deserves it, so do you!

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