This week on My Poetic Side we take a look at the Paisley Weaver, the Seamus Heaney inspired Concerto and the rare book donation to the Mitchell Library.
Robert Tannahill – the Paisley Weaver – Celebrated
The programme of events that will be taking place to celebrate the Paisley Weaver, poet Robert Tannahill’s 250th anniversary has been announced. The event is being supported by the charity OneRen and will help to offer ongoing support for the cause of men’s mental health. It is believed that Tannahill’s 1810 death was in fact a suicide.
Born on 3rd June 1774, Tannahill created most of his poetry in the early 1800s. He partnered with Robert Archibald Smith, a composer who set many of his poems to music. One of the most notable pieces that the pair worked on was “The Braes of Balquhidder” which went on to become the basis for “Wild Mountain Thyme.”
Events that are taking place will include an evening of verse and song, the reading of a new poem, talks about Tannahill’s anti-war songs and a dedicated display that will be placed in the Paisley Museum once its current renovation programme has been completed.
Tannahill is considered to be one of Scotland’s best songwriters; he is said to have inspired Robert Burns.
“The Given Note” Inspired by Seamus Heaney
The latest work by the composer Osvaldo Golijov, ”The Given Note” was inspired by the work of the late Seamus Heaney. The composer said that his composition was inspired by just one line from one of the poems written by Heaney, “Sing yourself to where the singing comes from.”
He felt that the line was an invitation to write his own concerto as a homage to the poem which carries the same title. The concerto like the poem takes it inspiration from “Pirt NaBoucai” which is a traditional Irish folk song.
The world debut of the piece took place last month at the College of the Holy Cross Prior Performing Arts Center. Golijov is the composer in-residence there
Mitchell Library Receives Rare Book of Burns poetry
A volume of the works of Robert Burns, translated into Ukrainian has been donated to Mitchell Library, one of the biggest libraries in Scotland. The translations in to look date from this century to around 200 years ago.
The now out of print volume was put together by Dr Peter Kormylo and Hanna Dyka, a Ukrainian who is a translator, editor and teacher and now residing in Edinburgh
The book “Robert Burns: Selected Works” was presented to the Special Collections Librarian of the library in Glasgow during an event that took place on 23rd May. There were recitals of Burns poetry in both Scots and Ukrainian during the event as well as a performance of one of the poets songs.
The books donation is a further show of the friendship that exists between Ukraine and Scotland. Glasgow recently announced its twinning with Mykolaiv as part of it show of support and solidarity.
The Mitchell Library is home to a world-class Burns Collection, which makes it the perfect place for this donation. The collection currently contains more than 5,000 items and is a popular source of information for academics.
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