“Oh My Luve’s Like a Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns (1759-1796)
Eighteenth-century Scottish poet Robert Burns composed the text for “Oh My Luve’s Like a Red, Red Rose” to depict the immense longing and passion of romantic love. Rene Clausen’s setting of this text would have ended our spring program’s set of love songs. The arrangement begins with obbligato violin and cello imitating the heart’s flutter. A sweeping piano accompaniment drives a dance-like 3/4 meter to encapsulate the meaning of Burns’ text, while the chorus stays in strict homophony to bring all hearts to one beating pulse.