Alloway Tales - Peter Graham

Scotland's greatest storyteller, Robert Burns, was born in Alloway, near Ayr in 1759, and died in 1796. This arrangement of three of his best songs includes an optional part for speaker (Scots accent preferred!)

The first song is a portrait of Duncan Gray, who rides into the village to woo Maggie. After some initial misgivings on Maggie's part, wedding bells are in the air, and both live happily ever after. The second portrait is of Mary Campbell, who lies asleep by the gently flowing Afton Water. This is one of the most beautiful of Burns' settings, and in this arrangement the flugel horn is featured. The final song, The De'il's awa wi th' Exciseman, sees the scourge of the village, the customs man, spirited away by the Devil in a flurry of dust and hooves. They leave behind some very happy villagers who waste no time in celebrating their good fortune with jigs, drums and fun galore.