Ralph Vaughan Williams ‘Ca’ the yowes’ for tenor and mixed chorus

‘Ca’ the Yowes’ was composed in 1922, between the ‘Pastoral’ Symphony and the Mass in G minor. It was one of several small-scale works written at this time, including the folksong ‘A Farmer’s son so Sweet’, a Dirge for Fidele to words from Shakespeare’s Cymbeline, the part song ‘It was a Lover and his Lass’ and the eight-part motet ‘O Vos Omnes’.

Ca’ the Yowes’ was based on a poem collected and elaborated by Robert Burns (1759-96), originally entitled ‘Hark! The Mavis’. The textual history of the poem is difficult, there being at least three versions in existence. The original would appear to have been sung by a certain Isobel Pagan (c1741-1829). The author John Macintosh writes in his ‘The Poets of Ayrshire’ that Pagan “was born about four miles from Nith-head in the parish of New Cumnock, where she lived till about fourteen years of age. Being lame from infancy she was unfitted for laborious work of any kind and passed the greater part of her life in a cottage romantically situated on the banks of the Garpel Water (the Parish of Muirkirk). She did not live as a recluse, but was always ready to receive visitors, who frequently spent their evenings there singing and carousing, making her house the favourite ‘howff’ of all the wits and ‘drouthy’ neighbours in the district. “

Ca' the yowes tae the knowes, [ewes: hills]

Ca' them whar the heather grows,

Ca' them whar the burnie rows, [stream: flows]

My bonnie dearie.

Hark, the mavis' e'enin' sang, [thrush]

Soundin' Cluden's woods amang;

Then a-fauldin' let us gang, [putting into the sheepfold]

My bonnie dearie.

Ca' the yowes...

Fair and lovely as thou art,

Thou hast stol'n my very heart;

I can die, but canna part,

My bonnie dearie.

Ca' the yowes...

While waters wimple to the sea, [meander]

While day blinks in the lift sae hie [sky]

Till death shall blin' my e'e

Ye shall be my dearie.

Ca' the yowes...

Burns himself made two ‘improved’ redactions of this song. The present a-cappella setting is a concatenation of verses from all three versions. The tune is traditional.

A tenor soloist begins the piece unaccompanied before the chorus reiterates the refrain. The soloist and the choir share the verses and refrains between them with the climax of the piece being the last verse. Commentators have remarked on the sheer simplicity of the setting which is a perfect synthesis of words and music.

In 1935 a transcription was made by Herbert Pearce for baritone solo and male chorus.

My favourite version of ‘Ca’ the Yowes’ was issued by EMI and featured the London Madrigal Singers. His Master's Voice ‎– HQS 1215 (1970) LP. It was my first opportunity of hearing this piece. There have been several other excellent recordings issued over the years.

With thanks to the English Music Festival where this note was first published.