Land o' the Leal

A collector of folk tunes, Lady Nairne (Carolina Oliphant) undoubtedly chose the traditional Scottish air "Hey, Tuttie, Tattie" as the setting for her melancholy text because of its beauty and simplicity. Also known as the melody to Robert Burns' nationalistic "Scots Wha Hae", the folk tune has been part of Scottish life for centuries. Lady Nairne wrote her words upon the passing of the only child of her friend, Mrs. Archibald Campbell Colquhoun. In her setting, Land O' The Leal is a reference to heaven, where they will someday be reunited. This orchestral arrangement of the old Scottish tune hopes to capture the serenity and hopefulness of her poem.