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The Scots Musical Museum

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by James Johnson, 1787 - 1803

Postcard of The Scots Musical Museum.
000-000-579-603-C
© National Museums Scotland

The Scots Musical Museum

The Scots Musical Museum, published in Edinburgh in six parts between 1787 and 1803, includes more than 600 tunes and songs, and represents one of the most important and comprehensive collections of traditional Scottish music.

The collection was instigated by James Johnson (1754 - 1811), engraver and publisher, who was, until he met Robert Burns in April 1787, planned to produce a collection of the best songs to be found in Scotland, Ireland and England. Under the influence of Burns and then with his collecting and editing help, Johnson restricted the collection to Scottish songs only. As against prevailing fashions in 18th century Scotland for Italianate musical forms, Johnson and Burns presented their 'folk music' in its true simplicity' and stated on their title page 'In this publication the original simplicity of our Ancient National Airs is retained unencumbered with useless Accompaniments and Graces depriving the hearers of the sweet simplicity of their native melodies'.


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Online ID: 000-000-579-603-C
Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
Project: 0869: The Bagpipe Collection
Project description | View all records in project
Ref: National Museums Scotland  Bagpipe Archive 4.1
Date: 1787 - 1803 (date of publication)
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What:
Subject:
Who: James Johnson (author)
Robert Burns (influential in collection)
Where: Scotland, Edinburgh (place of publication)
Event:
Description: The Scots Musical Museum.
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