Dr. FRED FREEMAN |
| Dr. Fred Freeman, Hon. Fellow in English at
the University of Edinburgh, began to re-assess the achievement of Robert Burns
in the 1970’s, in the course of his Doctoral Thesis on Robert Fergusson, Burns’
favourite poet. "I found that not only was Burns primarily a song-writer but that justice had never been done to his songs. Most of them - upwards of 400 splendid compositions - had been lying in abeyance for 200 years" Freeman himself has an extensive musical background. Starting at the age of 4, he has played piano, and, then, classical and jazz trumpet, rock bass and highland bagpipes, before concentrating fully on musical arranging and producing. It is his skill as a musical director and producer that has been so important to the Linn Record, 12 volume CD collection "The Songs of Robert Burns". Over a 7 - 8 year period Dr. Fred has collected together the finest of Scotland’s singers and musicians and has selected just the right singer for each song. His greatest contribution to the "Burns" series have, no doubt, been his musical arrangements creating the accompaniment which most closely follows the song writer's intentions. Aside from his work as musical director of the Burns series, Dr. Fred has produced numerous CDs: Piping, Borders Fiddling and Song, National Songs, the works of Hamish Henderson, recordings of solo artistes like Ian Bruce and Gordeanna McCulloch. He is also the author of a book on the 18th century Edinburgh poet Robert Fergusson and upwards of 100 articles on Scottish Literature and Music. It is the dedication of Dr. Fred Freeman that will ensure the many songs of Robert Burns will never be lost and will, undoubtedly, create an even wider appreciation for Robert Burns throughout the world now and for centuries to come. |