Bonnie Laddie, Highland Laddie, First version of Violin part to Op. 108 nr. 7, Hess 201 (mp3)
This Scottish folksong has several alternative versions of the violin voice. The original version of the violin voice, presented here as the first version is a very active participant, with constanting rippling arpeggios throughout. The second version is more similar to the final version, in that the violin in substantial part doubles the voice, but adds little filigrees at the end of each phrase that give a delightful variation to the piece. George Thomson, upon receipt of the first version, wrote Beethoven and asked him to provide an easier string part. Beethoven complied with the second version. However, Thomson found it unusable because of the awkward double-stopping and published his own simplification. When the song was collected as part of Op. 108, Beethoven wrote the final string part, incorporating parts of both of these versions.
Bonnie Laddie, Highland Laddie
Where got ye that siller moon,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie,
Glinting braw your belt aboon,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie?
Belted plaid and bonnet blue,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie,
Have ye been at Waterloo,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie?
Weels me on your tartan trews,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie,
Tell me, tell me a' the news,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie!
Saw ye Bonnie by the way,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie?
Blucher wi' his beard sae grey,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie?
Or that doure and deadly Duke,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie,
Scatt'ring Frenchmen wi' his look,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie!
Some say he the day may rue,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie,
Ye can tell gin this be true,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie.
Wou'd ue tell me gin ye ken,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie,
Aught o' Donald and his men,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie?
Tell me o' my kilted Clan,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie,
Gin they fought, or gin they ran,
Bonnie laddie, highland laddie?
---James Hogg
Opus: 108
Hess: 201