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Happy Burns’ Night 2020

Robert (Rabbie) Burns, the Scottish poet and lyricist, was born on 25 January. 1759. Generally regarded as one of the most influential Scots of all time, his literary work is celebrated throughout the world.

Portrait of Robert Burns, 1787

Burns is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic Movement and, after his death in 1796, he became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both Liberalism and Socialism. Indeed, it would be true to say that, throughout the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, his work and life have achieved charismatic proportions. Translations of his work are particularly held in high regard in France and Russia.

When I was at school, we studied Burns’ poetry as part of the national school curriculum and, to me, he was as famous as Shakespeare, Keats, Shelley and Wordsworth.

In 2009, he was chosen as the greatest Scot by the Scottish public in a vote run by Scottish Television (STV)

As well as writing original compositions, Burns also collected folk songs from across Scotland, often revising or adapting them. His poem (and song) “Auld Lang Syne” is often sung at Hogmanay (the last day of the year), and “Scots wha hae” served for a long time as an unofficial national anthem of the country.

Other poems and songs of Burns that remain well known across the world today include “A Red, Red Rose”, “ A Man’s a Man for a’ That”, “To a Louse”, “To a Mouse”, “Tam O’Shanter” and the very sad but beautiful “Ae Fond Kiss”

I have chosen my piano solo version of “A Red, Red Rose” to celebrate the life of one of the finest British poets ever to have lived. It is regarded by many to be one of the most charming love songs ever written, full of glorious hyperbole.

A Red Red Rose🌹, Piano Solo by John McGuinness

A Red, Red Rose.

“ O my Luve is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in june;
O my Luve is like the melodie
That’s sweetly play’d in tune:

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I:
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry:

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun:
I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only Luve
And fare thee weel, a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho’ it were ten thousand mile.”

Robert Burns
Audio

My Musical Diary

When Will I See You Again?

Following the death of my wife, Michèle, in December 2010, I found that music and walking helped me greatly during the long hours of sustained grief. I felt I was in a bubble far from the world of people and events. Within this place, I found myself composing little pieces of music, my “rien du touts” (“nothing at alls”)

These piano pieces were inspired by lengthy walks along the River Trent. Despite the sadness, I usually found myself humming little melodies in my head. The minute I got home, I would rush to the piano and scribble down each melody in my notepad. I would then work for hours, transcribing the music using a notation app before recording it on the piano. I would lose myself in these little compositions and they soon became my emotional connection to the world, describing the places I visited, the characters I met and the people I love – a kind of musical diary.

In time, these little tunes became an intrinsic part of my life and I began to realise that they expressed who I was as a person, sometimes in emotionally charged ways, sometimes in quite subtle ways! When someone suggested to me that I should share my work with others, I became aware that sharing my music would be akin to exposing parts of myself to external scrutiny. I found this difficult to contemplate because, by nature, I am a very private person.

I had found in the past – largely through my professional work as a psychology lecturer – that it is damned difficult to expose even a little bit of yourself to public evaluation and criticism. I believe this to be a fundamental fear in everyone and pertains heavily to individuals who share their creative works with other people, whether they are in education, business or the creative arts. Nevertheless, in November 2018 I released my first Album, “Riversongs”.

Depite my initial reticence, I have received many kind words about my music from people all over the world. I have found this both pleasing and deeply moving. My only disappointment is that a few of my little “rien du touts” have remained just that, “nothing at alls” because they haven’t been played a great deal. However, they are still very special to me!

Some of my earliest compositions are featured in my first two albums Riversongs and Reflections. These include Riversong, Snowdrops, Song for Michèle, When Will I See You Again, First Light and Amour; which can be found by clicking the album cover images below.

A Red Red Rose

My Love is Like A Red Red Rose; Trad. Scottish; Piano Solo arrangement by John McGuinness

We are approaching St. Andrews Day so I thought it timely to share my piano solo arrangement of one of the most beautiful Scottish love songs ever written – Robert Burns’ “A Red Red Rose”.

I have tried to bring out the romanticism in the music by giving the melody a “nocturne” style. I hope you enjoy it and sing along with it. In a future ‘blog’, I intend to write a little on the subject of the “Nocturne” or “Notturno”.

A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns

O my Luve is like a red, red rose
   That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melody
   That’s sweetly played in tune.

So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
   So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
   Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
   And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
I will love thee still, my dear,
   While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only luve!
   And fare thee weel awhile!
And I will come again, my luve,
   Though it were ten thousand mile.

From Wedding Album

You’ve Got a Friend in Me

You’ve Got a Friend in Me
Music by Randy Newman; arranged for piano solo by John McGuinness

This delightful song was revived this year with the release of the film “Toy Story 4”. You may be asking why this particular song found its way into a wedding album. It is a personal favourite of mine and, despite its sentimental flavour, it speaks charmingly of friendship and love. I watched the original “Toy Story” films with my little grandchildren and I still have fond memories of singing the title song with them. It also has a special meaning for David & Steph and, of course, friendship lies at the root of all loving relationships.

For me, the enduring appeal of the song resides in the fact that most of us, early in our lives, had special toys that we bonded with. They were a profound part of our lives, becoming the central focus of our imaginative play. They acted as a sort of half-way house between our provisional attempts to separate from our primary attachment figures (e.g. mum and dad) and our journey towards the broader world of relationships.

Through our special toys, we could safely and unconsciously project all our worst fears, anxieties, hopes, desires and loves onto them and so learn to manage our feelings. We could also “bring them to life”, to hug and comfort us. We could even tell them off in order to gain some kind of control and they would look back at us and speak to us with our own voices. We would hug them and they would hug us back, thus protecting us from the “monsters” of the night. Sadly, some children never get to experience this and as a psychologist, this thought would bring more than a tug to my heartstrings.

Perhaps the above explains the enduring appeal of these films. They cut deeper than we think because they take us back to all our own infantile needs and wants and fears and anxieties. The films remind us that we learned, through our toys, to find love and enduring companionship in the world – a world that, even now, as older children and adults, often conspires to make our lives more difficult.

The “Toy Story” films are full of fun and humour, something else we develop through our play with others – but that is another “story” in itself! “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” is a song full of this fun. In my view, it is a small and enduring classic and for all the above reasons I decided to make it the first song on “Wedding Album”.

If you enjoy my piano version, please sing along, like this post and share it with your friends and family. You might like to share some of your own “Toy Stories” along with your thoughts on the song (in the comments section below).