James Oswald
(1710 - 1769)

Oswald : Macbeth : illustration

Macbeth
(Fl./Vn.Continuo)
Score, part(s) and cover page (PDF), €1.20 for bundled copies   Buy this item

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Lady McDuff's lament - Lady MacBeth's dream - The Banks of Tay - Strily Vale - Banquo's ghost - Hamilton House - The Braes of Birnham - The Braes of Ewes - Scoon House - Esk side.

Identified as "some Tunes for the Tragedy of MacBeth, all Compos'd by Mr Oswald. Except the First." A set published for the German (transverse) flute in vol.2 of the Caledonian Pocket Companion, London c.1750. Oswald had included the tunes separately in his Curiuos Scots Tunes of 1742, but appears not to have regarded them as a set.

When Garrick revived MacBeth in 1744, stimulating a wave of bardolatry, the available incidental music (Locke or Leveridge) was much-used and much-loved, but not noticeably Scottish in character. Oswald's use of Scottish airs to set the scenes was the first, and was later copied by Samuel Arnold (also available in a notAmos edition). I can find no evidence to suggest that this set was ever used in a theatrical production.