Scored for
countertenor or alto and organ
Duration
8 min
Short description
My Heart’s in the Highlands was composed for the 50th birthday of the countertenor David James, a member of The Hilliard Ensemble, and is also dedicated to him. A poem by Scottish poet Robert Burns has been conveyed in the contertenor part in syllabic singing on a single note. The static vocal part has been compensated for with a fairly dynamic organ part, which shows each note of the vocal part in a new harmonious colouration.
During the premiere in Avignon in May 2000, David James sang with Christopher Bowers-Broadbent, one of the most renowned interpreters of Pärt’s organ compositions.
World premiere
27.05.2000
Chapel of the Convent Sainte-Claire, Avignon, France
Exhibition: La beauté in fabula
Christopher Bowers-Broadbent (organ), David James (countertenor)
Completion year
2000
Dedication
to David James
Commissioned by
"Mission 2000 en France" and the exhibition "La Beauté"
Scored for
countertenor or alto and organ
Duration
8 min
Publishers
Universal Edition
Language
English
Vocal text
Poem ‘My Heart's in the Highlands’ by Robert Burns (1759–1796)
My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,
My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer –
A-chasing the wild deer, and following the roe;
My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go.
Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North –
The birth place of Valour, the country of Worth;
Wherever I wander, wherever I rove,
The hills of the Highlands for ever I love.
Farewell to the mountains high cover’d with snow;
Farewell to the straths and green valleys below;
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods;
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.
My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,
My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer –
Chasing the wild deer, and following the roe;
My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go.
My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,
My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer –
A-chasing the wild deer, and following the roe;
My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go.
Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North –
The birth place of Valour, the country of Worth;
Wherever I wander, wherever I rove,
The hills of the Highlands for ever I love.
Farewell to the mountains high cover’d with snow;
Farewell to the straths and green valleys below;
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods;
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.
My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,
My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer –
Chasing the wild deer, and following the roe;
My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go.