"Lachin y Gair", often known as "Dark Lochnagar" or "Loch na Garr", is a poem by Lord Byron, written in 1807. It discusses the author's childhood in north east Scotland, when he used to visit Lochnagar in Highland Aberdeenshire. It is perhaps one of the poet's most Scottish works, both in theme and sentiment.
Lachin y Gair is essentially about childhood, ancestry (dualchas), and sense of place (duthchas) presented as Sehnsucht.
Byron begins with contrasting the gentrified landscapes of southern England, with the harsher, colder East Highlands:
Away, ye gay landscapes, ye gardens of roses! In you let the minions of luxury rove; Restore me the rocks where the snow-flake reposes, Though still they are sacred to freedom and love. Yet, Caledonia, beloved are thy mountains, Round their white summits though elements war; Though cataracts foam 'stead of smooth-flowing fountains, I sigh for the valley of dark Loch na Garr.[1]
— lines 1-8
Then in the second stanza Byron refers to how his "young footsteps in infancy, wander'd" around the area, and how he would hear the "traditional story,/Disclos'd by the natives of dark Loch na Garr."
In the third and fourth stanzas, Byron mentions his Jacobite ancestors who haunt the area and who were "Ill starr'd, though brave, did no visions foreboding/Tell you that fate had forsaken your cause?/Ah! were you destined to die at Culloden" Byron himself says
I allude here to my maternal ancestors, "the Gordons," many of whom fought for the unfortunate Prince Charles, better known by the name of the Pretender. This branch was nearly allied by blood, as well as attachment, to the Stuarts. George, the second Earl of Huntley, married the Princess Annabella Stuart, daughter of James I. of Scotland. By her he left four sons: the third, Sir William Gordon, I have the honour to claim as one of my progenitors.
In the fifth stanza, Byron laments his exile from Scotland:
Years have roll'd on, Loch na Garr, since I left you, Years must elapse ere I tread you again: Nature of verdure and flow'rs has bereft you, Yet still are you dearer than Albion's plain. England! thy beauties are tame and domestic [...][1]
— lines 33-37
Folk songedit
The work has been set to a tune attributed to Sir Henry Bishop,[2] and remains a popular standard in Scottish folk music.[3] A number of versions exist, but it was notably recorded by The Corries. Jimmy McDermid, father of Val McDermid also used to sing the song.[4]
The Fiddler's Companion claims that the tune also travelled to Ireland:
Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin believe this tune may have been learned in County Clare from Scottish sappers in the 1830s who were sent to the region as part of the British survey of the country.
As the Penguin Book of Scottish Verse says:
There are few major English poets who can be heard sung in peasant bothies among the more native fare, but Byron's Lachin A Gair is a popular favourite, and those sophisticated critics who sneer at the poem but don't know the tune should hear it sung by a farm-labourer's 'tenore robusto'.[5]
Beethoven set the poem as "Lochnagar" (No. 9 in his 12 Scottish Folksongs WoO 156, published 1814–15) to a purportedly Scottish folk melody, but the tune was actually written by an Englishman called Maurice Greene (1696-1755), a composer of the late Baroque period.[6]
^ abByron, George Gordon, Lord (1905). The Complete Poetical Works (Cambridge ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 117–118.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Dark Lochnagar". Mysongbook.de. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
^"Dark Lochnagar". Tobar an Dualchais. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
^. Scotsindependent.org. Archived from the original on 30 November 2006. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
^(PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
^Byron, George Gordon, Lord (1905). The Complete Poetical Works (Cambridge ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p. 423.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
External linksedit
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Lachin y Gair
Lochnagar at the Scottish Poetry Library
Byron on Undiscovered Scotland
January 01, 1970
lachin, gair, often, known, dark, lochnagar, loch, garr, poem, lord, byron, written, 1807, discusses, author, childhood, north, east, scotland, when, used, visit, lochnagar, highland, aberdeenshire, perhaps, poet, most, scottish, works, both, theme, sentiment,. Lachin y Gair often known as Dark Lochnagar or Loch na Garr is a poem by Lord Byron written in 1807 It discusses the author s childhood in north east Scotland when he used to visit Lochnagar in Highland Aberdeenshire It is perhaps one of the poet s most Scottish works both in theme and sentiment Lochnagar corrie in winter Contents 1 Textual analysis 2 Folk song 3 Lochnagar elsewhere in Byron 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksTextual analysis editLachin y Gair is essentially about childhood ancestry dualchas and sense of place duthchas presented as Sehnsucht Byron begins with contrasting the gentrified landscapes of southern England with the harsher colder East Highlands Away ye gay landscapes ye gardens of roses In you let the minions of luxury rove Restore me the rocks where the snow flake reposes Though still they are sacred to freedom and love Yet Caledonia beloved are thy mountains Round their white summits though elements war Though cataracts foam stead of smooth flowing fountains I sigh for the valley of dark Loch na Garr 1 lines 1 8 Then in the second stanza Byron refers to how his young footsteps in infancy wander d around the area and how he would hear the traditional story Disclos d by the natives of dark Loch na Garr In the third and fourth stanzas Byron mentions his Jacobite ancestors who haunt the area and who were Ill starr d though brave did no visions foreboding Tell you that fate had forsaken your cause Ah were you destined to die at Culloden Byron himself says I allude here to my maternal ancestors the Gordons many of whom fought for the unfortunate Prince Charles better known by the name of the Pretender This branch was nearly allied by blood as well as attachment to the Stuarts George the second Earl of Huntley married the Princess Annabella Stuart daughter of James I of Scotland By her he left four sons the third Sir William Gordon I have the honour to claim as one of my progenitors In the fifth stanza Byron laments his exile from Scotland Years have roll d on Loch na Garr since I left you Years must elapse ere I tread you again Nature of verdure and flow rs has bereft you Yet still are you dearer than Albion s plain England thy beauties are tame and domestic 1 lines 33 37Folk song editThe work has been set to a tune attributed to Sir Henry Bishop 2 and remains a popular standard in Scottish folk music 3 A number of versions exist but it was notably recorded by The Corries Jimmy McDermid father of Val McDermid also used to sing the song 4 The Fiddler s Companion claims that the tune also travelled to Ireland Gearoid o hAllmhurain believe this tune may have been learned in County Clare from Scottish sappers in the 1830s who were sent to the region as part of the British survey of the country As the Penguin Book of Scottish Verse says There are few major English poets who can be heard sung in peasant bothies among the more native fare but Byron s Lachin A Gair is a popular favourite and those sophisticated critics who sneer at the poem but don t know the tune should hear it sung by a farm labourer s tenore robusto 5 Beethoven set the poem as Lochnagar No 9 in his 12 Scottish Folksongs WoO 156 published 1814 15 to a purportedly Scottish folk melody but the tune was actually written by an Englishman called Maurice Greene 1696 1755 a composer of the late Baroque period 6 Lochnagar elsewhere in Byron editByron also referred to Lochnagar in The Island The infant rapture still survived the boy And Loch na gar with Ida looked o er Troy 7 The Island Canto II stanza XII lines 290 291See also editEarly life of George Gordon ByronReferences edit a b Byron George Gordon Lord 1905 The Complete Poetical Works Cambridge ed Boston Houghton Mifflin pp 117 118 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Dark Lochnagar Mysongbook de Retrieved 17 May 2014 Dark Lochnagar Tobar an Dualchais Retrieved 17 May 2014 Dark Lochnagar Scotsindependent org Archived from the original on 30 November 2006 Retrieved 17 May 2014 Penguin Book of Scottish Verse p 47 Biamonte Nicole Modality in Beethoven s Folk song Settings University of Illinois 2006 Retrieved 7 April 2014 PDF Archived from the original PDF on 18 July 2010 Retrieved 7 April 2014 Byron George Gordon Lord 1905 The Complete Poetical Works Cambridge ed Boston Houghton Mifflin p 423 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link External links edit nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Lachin y Gair Dark Lochnagar on the Scots Independent Lochnagar at the Scottish Poetry Library Byron on Undiscovered Scotland Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lachin y Gair amp oldid 1212567805, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
