Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is in a “light Scots dialect” of English, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. He also wrote in standard English, and in these writings his political or civil commentary is often at its bluntest.
He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement, and after his death he became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism, and a cultural icon in Scotland and among the Scottish diaspora around the world. Celebration of his life and work became almost a national charismatic cult during the 19th and 20th centuries, and his influence has long been strong on Scottish literature. In 2009 he was chosen as the greatest Scot by the Scottish public in a vote run by Scottish television channel STV.
As well as making original compositions, Burns also collected folk songs from across Scotland, often revising or adapting them. His poem (and song) “Auld Lang Syne” is often sung at Hogmanay (the last day of the year), and “Scots Wha Hae” served for a long time as an unofficial national anthem of the country. Other poems and songs of Burns that remain well known across the world today include “A Red, Red Rose”, “A Man’s a Man for A’ That”, “To a Louse”, “To a Mouse”, “The Battle of Sherramuir”, “Tam o’ Shanter” and “Ae Fond Kiss”.
Robert Burns was a founding member of the world famous and culturally significant Bachelors’ Club in Tarbolton, Ayrshire.
If you’d like to know more about Robert Burns …
Robert Burns Compositions
You are most welcome to browse, download and play any of the compositions. All compositions remain copyright © John C Grant.
All of these compositions, spanning various printed publications, are related to Ayrshire’s bard - Robert Burns.
You can download all PDFs here
| Name | Collection |
|---|---|
| Agnes Broun | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Agnes Burns | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Alexander Brown | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Alison Begbie | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Annabella Burns | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| David Sillar | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Gilbert Burns | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Hugh Reid | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Isabella Burns | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| James Paterson | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| John Burns | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| John Orr | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| John Richard | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| John Wilson | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| John Wilson of Tarbolton | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Johnie Ged | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Johnie Simson | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Lodge Tarbolton Kilwinning St James No 135 | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Manson's Inn | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Mary Campbell | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Matthew Paterson | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Robert Burns | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Saunders Tait | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Tarbolton Mill | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| The Bachelors' Club | The Kilmarnock Collection,The Three Six Five Collection,The Tarbolton Collection |
| The Gregg Fiddle | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Thomas Wright | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Tibbie Stein | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| Walter Mitchell | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| William Burnes | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| William Burns | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| William Gregg | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| William M'Gavin | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
| William Muir | The Tarbolton Collection,The Three Six Five Collection |
Guide Tracks
All guide tracks for the Robert Burns Collection.
