Annotation:Flowers of the Forest (2)
X:1 T:Flowers of the Forest [2], The M:C| L:1/8 S:James Christie music manuscript collection (Banff, Northeast Scotland, 1730-1760) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:D A2 A>A (3ABd (3efg|f>a (3fed {A}B>d (3BAF|\ L:1/16 (E2FA) A3B (3A2B2d2 (e3f/g/)|\ L:1/8 f2 Te2 {de}d4:| |:(=c2 c/)e/d/c/ B2 (3ABd|Afe>d B>d (3BAF|(=c2 c/)e/d/c/ B2 (3ABd|Af Te>d d4| (=c2 c/)e/d/c/ TB2 (3ABd|Afed B>d (3BAF|\ L:1/16 (E3F/A/) A3B (3A2B2d2 (e3f/g/)|\ L:1/8 f2Te2 {de}d4:| |:(fg/a/) a>b a2 (gf)|f>a (3fed A2 A>d (3BAF|(fg/a/) a>b a2 (gf)|(e/f/g/f/) (e>d) d3e| (fg/a/) (a>b) a2 (gf)|f>a (3fed {A}B>d (3BAF|EF/A/ A>B (3ABd (ef/g/)|f2e2d4||
FLOWERS OF THE FOREST [2] (Blata Na G-Coll). AKA and see "I've Heard of Lilting." Scottish, Air (adagio), March or Reel (cut time); Irish, Slow Air (4/4 time). D Major (Neil, O'Farrell, O'Neill, Ross): D Mixolydian (Johnson): A Mixolydian (Neil/air). Standard tuning (fiddle). One part (Neil): AAB (Ross): AABB'C (O'Neill): AABBCC' (Johnson). O'Farrell (c. 1805) lists the melody as "Scotch." The tune was selected by Queen Victoria for widely acclaimed singer of Scottish songs John Wilson's recital during her visit to Taymouth Castle in 1842.
I've seen the Forest adorned the foremost,
With flowers of the fairest, both pleasant and gay;
Full sweet was their blooming,
Their scent the air perfuming
But now thy are wither'd and a' wede away. (Alison Rutherford {Mrs. Cockburn})
The melody also appears in the music manuscript collections of multi-instrumentalist John Rook (1840, Waverton, Cumbria) and fiddler James Christie (1730-1760, Banff, Scotland).
