Halfway Stage For Marathon Series On Songs of Burns

The most comprehensive study of the songs of Robert Burns ever broadcast reaches its half-way mark this evening on Celtic Music Radio.

The carefully crafted marathon series, Rantin’ Rovin’ Robyn, presented by Gordon Hotchkiss, is due to run for a period of 34 weeks with the final edition going out, appropriately, on December 31.

The series, which started on May 14, is reckoned to be the most detailed and lengthy radio tribute ever to Burns.

“So far the feedback at this halfway stage has been very good,” said Gordon. “Listeners have commented that it’s the best tribute to Burns that they can remember, so I’m really pleased to learn that.

“Hopefully, future episodes between now and the end of the year will continue to interest and entertain everyone who listens in.”

Only a very limited number of Burns’ songs, said Gordon, are ever broadcast – between ten and 20 at most.

So, he was keen to play many, many more on the radio.

A lifelong fan of the Bard, Gordon has spent the best part of the last five years researching Burns’ extensive catalogue of around 400 songs that he was associated with – songs he actually wrote or collaborations or others he adapted.

Gordon, whose series will feature more than 370 songs in total, said Burns was a romantic songwriter and he also wrote about customs and traditions he encountered in his daily life.

“He also wrote radical, political, Jacobite songs and though many were of their time, they are of historical relevance in many ways, I believe.”

Burns was readily celebrated for his bawdy output but Gordon has been advised these are inappropriate for his radio show as they breach broadcasting output conditions.

When launching his series, Gordon freely admitted some of the songs were ‘not great ones’ but he makes a valid point about their long lasting appeal.

“How many of today’s songwriters reckon their songs will be listened to 250 years on, but Burns achieved that with these compositions,” said Gordon. “Burns has an international fan club as his songs are accepted and admired the world over, and many have been translated into other languages for recording so, clearly, his appeal is still strong.”

Rantin’ Rovin’ Robyn will feature up to 70 different singers from a variety of sources overall, including Gordon’s own collection and Celtic Music Radio’s library.

• Rantin’ Rovin’ Robyn, an in-depth series of Burns’ music presented by Gordon Hotchkiss, every Wednesday at 7 pm.