HEBRIDEAN SONGS

Evening Star, Issue 22273, 26 February 1936, Page 12

HEBRIDEAN SONGS

PUREST IN THE WORLD THEIR SENTIMENT IS GENUINE An earnest student of Hebridean folk songs, which she considers are without parallel in any country in the world, Miss Russell-Fergusqn, a Scottish soprano, who is visiting Dunedin, tells an interesting story of the old songs and the efforts that are being made to revive them in many parts of the world. “ Hebridean songs are among the purest examples of folk songs in the world to-day,” said Miss Russell-Fer-guson to the * Star.’ ‘ They are unequalled by the songs of any other nation, partly because of their spontaneity and simplicity. I have sung them practically all over the world, and have found that the fact that they are in Gaelic does not bar their acceptance by all audiences. The secret of their charm lies in the entire genuineness of their sentiment. “ Tli© old Celtic people had songs for every mood, and, therefore, to hear a programme of them is to live a lifetime with the people. The songs have tended to die, but in recent years there have been movements instituted with tho object of attempting to preserve them. The last stronghold of the old songs are in the Hebrides, where the people still remember unnoted melodies. Only this summer I collected some Wa’ulking songs hitherto unnoted. These, of course, were originally sung as the tweed was being shrunk, and are among- the most unusual and unique songs it is possible _to find, with intense rhythm and vivacity of sentiment.” Scottish lads still whistled and sang as they put out to sea in their fishing boats, she said, and sometimes one would hear the herds out on the Machair crooning to themselves quaint old tunes from tHe long ago. The Hebrides, a group of islands lying oft the west coast of Scotland, where these songs had lived for so, many years, were thickly inhabited in ancient days, as all sailing ships travelling to Scandinavia called there. On the islands to-day were to be found ancient burial mounds, standing monoliths, earth houses; and avenues of standing stones rivalling those, of Stonehenge, were to be seen on the Island of Lewis. . Miss Russell-Ferguson, who is making a broadcasting tour of the Dominion, will afterwards appear on the concert platform in this country. Her programmes are comprised of Hebridean songs, and she plays her own accompaniments on the clarsach, which is the Gaelic name for the Celtic harp. This instrument, she said, was now being revived in Scotland. In former days it was played by the hards. Many people were of the impression that it was used by everyone at one time ? but that was not so; In early centuries it was considered one of the attributes of a gentleman to play the clarsach, and after.feasts and banquets it was passed round the company for the various members to play.