Happy Birthday Robert Burns!
Danny Johnson
…A Month Belated
Portrait of Robert Burns by Alexander Nasmyth, 1787, Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
I mean…we could have had our Celtic concert during his actual birthday week, but I’m afraid that would have interfered with the famous and fabulous Burns Night celebrations that some of you have, and that just wouldn’t do. We decided that giving you almost a whole month to recover from your haggis and Scotch whisky was the considerate and compassionate thing to do so that you could enjoy our concerts better without that pounding ache in the space between your ears. [Extra points: What movie is that phrase from? Hint: It has nothing to do with Scottish Ballads or Irish dances. That I recall, at least.]
At any rate, Burns contributed a lot of poems to this concert, either in whole or by doing some minor (sometimes major) editing of pre-existing poems. Speaking of Scottish poems, do you know the correct pronunciation of the word ‘poem’ in Scotland? It’s a keeper!
Speaking of keepers, TEMP’s Celtic concerts date back to my UT EME days and we’ve been doing a couple of these Scottish ballads since then. But you can read more about TEMP’s history with the ballads in the concert blurb below. I need to go find some pain relievers because I’ve got an empathy headache just thinking about you folks recovering from Burns Night.
See you at the concert, I hope!
—Danny
Celtic Memories
Saturday, February 22, 2025, at 7:30 pm
&
Sunday, February 23, 2025, at 3:00 pm
Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2111 Alexander Avenue
Hosted by Arts on Alexander on the campus of Redeemer Presbyterian Church,
2111 Alexander Ave, Austin, TX 78722.
Visit the Arts on Alexander 2024-2025 events on the AoA website.
Admission $35 general; $30 seniors (60+); $5 students with ID
Tickets available in advance online or by cash, check, or credit card at the door.
For more information, email boxoffice@early-music.org.
Scottish ballads from the 18th century have been a part of TEMP’s core repertoire for decades. With roots dating back to performances with the UT Early Music Ensemble in the mid-90s, TEMP presented Celtic concerts focused mostly on Scottish ballads in 2007, 2008, 2013, 2019, and 2022 and they were the subject of our only ‘studio’ recording, The Bonny Broom and Other Scottish Ballads, from 1999.
With musical sources dating from the 16th–18th centuries featuring poems by Robert Burns and a few other poets, both known and unknown, the concert will give wonderful insight into the culture that created this very popular and accessible music. Even the English held Scottish ballads in high esteem and our own Benjamin Franklin adored these songs and considered them the height of great art. Scottish ballads are renowned for their evocative, heartfelt, and humorous aspects, but also for their beautiful and expressive melodies.
Some of the songs provide a glimpse into historical or cultural events, such as The Bonny Earle of Murray and There’ll never be peace till Jamie comes hame. Others create immediately visceral emotions with strong connections to the land (The Birks of Invermay) and strong connections to the human condition (The Winter of Life). And there are plenty of love songs to go around, including Etrick Banks, And I’ll kiss thee yet, yet, and Ae Fond Kiss! There will also be stirring reels and other dance pieces from Ireland and Scotland as well, such as old favorites Muileann Dubh, The Reel of Tulloch, and more.
Click on the CD images below to listen to audio teasers!
TEMP’s singers for this concert are Jenifer Thyssen, Cayla Cardiff, Jenny Houghton, Page Stephens, Jeffrey Jones-Ragona, Ryland Angel, Holt Skinner, and Joel Nesvadba. Harpist Therese Honey will perform a solo or two and will be joined by TEMP core players Marcus McGuff (flute), Bruce Colson (violin), John Walters (mandolin), Héctor Torres (lutes and guitar), Carolyn Hagler (cello), and kantele player Viktoria Nizhnik from Karelia! Hey, people traveled a lot back in those days, too.
Music for the heart and soul and feet (dancing in your seats)
BYO haggis.
