Hidden Holst No.1: Seven Scottish Airs (1907)

In the coming days and months there will no doubt be many events to celebrate the Sesquicentennial Anniversary of Gustav Holst’s birth. The Planets may well feature at this year’s Proms. The English Music Festival has already programmed the Cotswold Symphony, A Song of the Night, and the Hymns from the Rig Veda, 3rd Group as well as some short choral pieces for their May Festival. Hopefully, there will be a raft of CDs, articles, and essays.

In Cobbett’s Cyclopaedia Survey of Chamber Music (1929) Edwin Evans mentions that Holst’s only published chamber work at that time was the Seven Scottish Airs written during 1907. The composer did not want it mentioned in the Survey. He was equally reticent about Three Pieces (1896/1910), a Wind Quintet in A minor (1896) and a Quintet for winds in Ab major (1903). Since that time, much of Holst’s chamber music has been published, and virtually all of it recorded.

The year of composition saw the birth of Gustav and Isobel’s only child, Imogen. He had also been appointed Director of Music at Morley College for Working Men and Women. Important works from around this time included A Somerset Rhapsody, popular Two Songs Without Words, and Songs of the West, all for orchestra.

Seven Scottish Airs was originally composed for piano and strings and was deemed suitable for “school purposes.” In a letter (15 April 1929) Holst told Evans that it was published “because I was hard up.”  It was dedicated “To H.S.,” probably Harriet Solly, leader of the Solly String Quartet and the Morley College Orchestra.

Michael Short (1990, p.80) states that the piece was probably premiered at Leighton House by the Israfil Sextette under the German title Schottische Skizze and was described by one newspaper as ‘curious and eccentric’.” This information came from an undated newspaper clipping found at the Holst Birthplace Museum, ostensibly from the Daily News. I was unable to find this reference in the files of that publication.

Structurally, the Seven Scottish Airs is a rhapsody, with little development. The “airs” unfold one after the other. It includes the tunes: The Women are a’ gane wud, My love’s in Germany, O how could ye gang, lassie, Stu mo run (Red is the Path), We will take the good old way, O! gin I were where Gadie rins and Auld lang syne.

The work was published as No. 28 of Novello's Albums for pianoforte and stringed instruments. (Novello & Co., Ltd.). The Musical Times (1 April 1909, p.256) reviewer of the score stated that “Gustav von Holst has skilfully arranged seven Scottish airs as a quintet for pianoforte and strings. The setting should find favour in school circles where there are string orchestras. With the exception of Auld lang syne, which effectively concludes the whole, the chosen tunes are well away from the beaten track…The string parts present no special difficulties.”

Michael Short (op. cit.) further explains that Holst later wrote (5 November 1916) to his pupil Irene Bonnett, suggesting that a chorus could be added to the ensemble: “You can get the words of the 7 Scot: Airs from almost any book of Scottish tunes. It just depends on how many you want to use. A good way is to begin with the Stu mo run…then do “We will take the good old way” without chorus: bring the latter in on “O Gin I were” and then let them wait until the final entry of Auld Lang Syne. But probably you'll hit on a better way.’! To my knowledge, this “version” has not been performed or recorded.

The chamber edition of Seven Scottish Airs has been given at least one recording: Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà – Les Violons Du Monde Analekta – MRK 8722 (2002), on YouTube, here.

In 2006, Alfred Publishing issued Bob Phillips’ arrangement for full string orchestra and optional piano accompaniment. The advertising blurb explains that this is a “great musical find...technically easier than the St. Paul's Suite, but with a similar feel, Seven Scottish Airs is the perfect introduction to the music of Holst.”

Bob Phillips edition can be heard on YouTube, here. It includes the full score.