Guest guest Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 Ellen thanks to you for all the help in the past C Auld Lang Syne > > My wish to you all ~~~~ a heathly 2005! Happy New Year everyone! > > Ellen > ******************************************************************************* > > http://www.wilstar.com/xmas/auldlangsyne.htm > (click here & turn volume up) > ******************************************************************************* > > THE STORY OF AULD LANG SYNE > > Undoubtedly, millions of people throughout the world will sing Auld > Lang Syne to see out 1995. Few will know all the words and fewer still > what they mean. > > They are attributed to Burns who apparently picked up the tune > and some of the words from an old man singing in the dialect of southwest > Scotland. Auld Lang Syne has become the international song of departure, > and is sung by more people than any other. > > The possibility is that Burns only wrote two of the five verses. But, > as he did with numerous other ish songs, he modified them and, in > some cases, purified them. > > It seems likely that the song was first sung either in Poosie 's > Tavern in Mauchline, or the Bachelors Club in Tarbolton located a few > miles away. > > The song was initially centred on two young men who drifted apart > after their early schooling, and who, after re-uniting, reminisced about > their earlier times together, the happy experiences they had together and > the kindly folk they met. > > When Burns became a Freemason at the age of 23 he quickly absorbed > the superb symbolism of the Craft. > > Conviviality was, for Burns, one of the most important virtues. For > him, Auld Lang Syne is a concrete expression of his love of mankind and > his ideal of International Brotherhood. > > The Masonic routine is to from a circle in which everyone is > equidistant from the centre, demonstrating they are all equal. In this > regard, the practice adopted in some lodges by placing the masters or > other distinguished brethren in the centre defeats the purpose of the > ceremony associated with the song. > > At the beginning of the song the brethren stand with hands by their > sides, symbolising they are relative strangers. > > The early verses should be sung (or hummed) very softly as brethren > reflect both on cherished memories of earlier times together and on those > brethren who have since passed to the Grand Lodge Above. > > When they come to the last verse, " And there's a hand, my trusty > frier (friend)... " , each brother then extends his right hand of fellowship > to the brother on his left, then the left hand to the brother on his > right. > > This symbolises two things: firstly, that they are crossing their > hearts; secondly, that they automatically form a smaller and more intimate > circle of friendship. Now they have an unbroken chain of brethren who are > close friends. > > The tempo should then rise and, to the tapping of feet, all > enthusiastically sing the final chorus. > > At non-Masonic functions the foregoing routine should be followed as > far as is practicable. If necessary, small circles can be fommed around > tables. > > At ish functions they usually wind up by singing " O we're no' > awa' tae bide awa', " form a " snake " and move round the hall in > increasingly smaller circles. Then the leader reverses the movement and > all participants revert to a large circle. > > The preceding is excerpted from an article written by T. G. > . is a noted authority on Burns. He was born in > Mauchline, Ayrshire, where " Auld Lang Syne " had its genesis. > ************************************************************** > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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