This chapter discusses Thea Musgrave's settings of nursery rhymes from her native Scotland. The poems are aptly projected, in music of an approachable style, with some rhythmic quirks, all in an unmistakeably Scottish vein. A young and relatively inexperienced singer will feel happy and comfortable performing them, and should relish the challenge of enunciating the dialect words. For the faint-hearted, however, the author has made a straight English translation, but this could perhaps diminish the bracing effect of the piece. The composer has set the Scottish words meticulously, so some of the translations do not roll off quite so easily in the voice. Moreover, a light, clear tone is appropriate for the infectious, dancing lines, and there is plenty of contrast in mood and tempo, making it a beautifully balanced item for a recital.
