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Opus 68 "The Twa Sisters o' Binnorie"
for SATB voices a cappella

Written in 1922, this miniature work sets a North Country ballad: CBR had used the same story for his three-act opera "The Two Sisters" Op.55 (composed 1916-1920).

History

This strange Northumbrian ballad about sexual jealousy between siblings held a particular fascination for Cyril Rootham, and he used it as the basis for three separate works:
  •   Op.55 The Two Sisters (three-act opera: 1916-20)
  •   Op.57 The Two Sisters (concert overture: 1918)
  •   Op.68 The Twa Sisters o' Binnorie (part song: 1922)

The ballad "The Twa Sisters" is discussed in some detail in a fascinating article on Wikipedia. The same story (with variants) appears in Scandinavian, Polish and Hungarian literature.

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Publication status

Originally published in 1923 by Curwen & Sons Ltd, this part song has been out of print for many years. But thanks to Stewart Thompson we now have a newly-typeset version, which we intend to publish in the course of 2019.

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About this recording

Disclaimer   In the absence of a live recording, we can only play a synthesized MP3 file generated from the typeset score. It makes no artistic claims, and should only be used to gain a rough impression of the work.

The Twa Sisters o' Binorrie

        There were twa sisters sat in a bow'r,
            (Edinbro'! Edinbro'!)
        There were twa sisters sat in a bow'r,
            (Stirling for aye!)
        There were twa sisters sat in a bow'r,
        There cam' a knight to be their wooer.
            (Bonny St. Johnston stands on Tay!)

        He courted the eldest wi' glove and ring
            (Edinbro'! Edinbro'!)
        But he lo'ed the youngest aboon a' thing
            (Stirling for aye!)
        The eldest she was vexed sair,
        And sair envied her sister dear.
            (Bonny St. Johnston stands on Tay!)

        She's ta'en her sister by the hand,
            (Edinbro'! Edinbro'!)
        And down they went to the river strand;
            (Stirling for aye!)
        The youngest stood upon a stane,
        The eldest cam' and push'd her in.
            (Bonny St. Johnston stands on Tay!)

        Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam,
            (Edinbro'! Edinbro'!)
        Till she cam' to the mouth of yon mill-dam;
            (Stirling for aye!)
        And out there cam' the miller's son,
        And saw the young maid swimming in.
            (Bonny St. Johnston stands on Tay!)

        Oh! father, father, draw your dam,
            (Edinbro'! Edinbro'!)
        For there's a mermaid or a swan.
            (Stirling for aye!)
        The father quickly drew his dam,
        And there they found a drownèd woman.
            (Bonny St. Johnston stands on Tay!)

        Round about her middle sma',
            (Edinbro'! Edinbro'!)
        There went a gouden girdle braw;
            (Stirling for aye!)
        All amang her yellow hair
        A string of pearls was twisted rare.
            (Bonny St. Johnston stands on Tay!)

        And by there cam' a harper fine,
            (Edinbro'! Edinbro'!)
        Harpèd to the nobles when they dine.
            (Stirling for aye!)
        He's ta'en three locks of her yellow hair,
        And with them strung his harp sae fair.
            (Bonny St. Johnston stands on Tay!)

        He went into her father's ha',
            (Edinbro'! Edinbro'!)
        And played his harp before them a';
            (Stirling for aye!)
        And soon the harp sang loud and clear
        "Farewell, my father and mother dear!"
            (Bonny St. Johnston stands on Tay!)

        And next when the harp began to sing,
            (Edinbro'! Edinbro'!)
        'Twas "Farewell, sweetheart!" said the string;
            (Stirling for aye!)
        And then as plain as plain could be,
        "There sits my sister who drownèd me."
            (Bonny St. Johnston stands on Tay!)

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