Bluebells of Scotland

Bluebells of Scotland is a traditional Scottish folk song (Roud # 13849).

Text

As with most folk songs, it exists in multiple versions. In the version printed in 1803 in the "Scots Musical Museum", the words are:

:O where and O where does your highland laddie dwell;:O where and O where does your highland laddie dwell;:He dwells in merry Scotland where the blue bells sweetly smell,:And all in my heart I love my laddie well'

A broadside ballad version from slightly later in the 19th century makes references to George III and the Napoleonic wars:

:Oh, where, and oh, where is my highland laddie gone, :Oh, where, and oh, where is my highland laddie gone, :He's gone to fight the French, for King George upon the throne, :And it's oh in my heart I wish him safe at home [Both versions taken from http://www.nls.uk/broadsides/broadside.cfm/id/20870.]

The bluebell is a flower; see Common bluebell and Campanula rotundifolia.

Tune

Arrangements

The song has been arranged by Arthur Pryor for trombone with potential orchestra accompaniment. Although the exact date is disputed due to some naming questions, Pryor probably composed the piece around 1899. The piece is technically challenging.

The piece allows the trombonist to show off a flowing legato while, in different places, requiring some difficult jumps and leaps. The sheer speed and volume of notes also poses a significant challenge. It is in theme and variation form, and opens a 24-bar intro. After the theme, it moves to the allegro section, in which the variations begin. Variation one involves triplets, while variation two involves syncopated sixteenth-eighth note rhythms. The cadenza that follows demonstrates the performer's range; jumping from a high C (an octave above the Middle C) to a low pedal G, for example. The vivace finale brings all these techniques into one, requiring the trombonist to exhibit advanced range, legato, double tonguing and flexibility. Thus, the piece is limited to all but the best trombonists, although there have been numerous recordings of the piece by such famed players as Joseph Alessi and Christian Lindberg.

"Bluebells of Scotland" is often likened to be the trombone and euphonium equivalent (in terms of required mastery of the instrument) to the "Carnival of Venice" for trumpet and cornet by Jean-Baptiste Arban.

Notes

Bibliography

*Herbert, Trevor and John Wallace, eds. (1997). "The Cambridge Companion to Brass Instruments". Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
*Less, Gene (2003). "Friends Along the Way: A Journey Through Jazz". New Haven: Yale University Press.