Short bio James Oswald
Birthday:
1711 in Crail, Scotland
Died:
1769 in Knebworth, England
Genre:
Classical
Period:
Baroque
Full biography James Oswald
James Oswald (1710-1769) was a Scottish composer, arranger, cellist, and music publisher. He was born in Crail, Fife, Scotland and first found success as a composer in Edinburgh before heading to London in 1741. He sold Scottish tunes and published his own works, which included music for the theatre and chamber music.
Oswald is often regarded as one of Scotland's greatest composers. His works were infused with Scottish folk melodies and rhythms, and he is noted for his masterful use of harmony and counterpoint. Oswald was appointed Chamber Composer for King George III ), a position which brought him great prestige and financial security.
In addition to his work as a composer, Oswald was also a skilled arranger and publisher. He arranged and published many Scottish melodies, including several collections of Scottish folk music. He was also a cellist of some renown, and he often performed his own works.
Oswald's music continues to be performed and appreciated today. His works include chamber music, concertos, sonatas, and songs. He was a contemporary of Scottish poet Robert Burns, who regarded Oswald as Scotland's finest composer and wrote lyrics for several of Oswald's songs.
Overall, James Oswald was a highly accomplished and influential composer in Scottish music history, and his legacy continues to live on through his music.
Compositions featuring James Oswald
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawthorn, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Winter) | 3:40 min | Concerto | 1761 |
| 2 | Lady's Mantle, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | Concerto | 1761 | |
| 3 | Myrtle, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | Concerto | 1761 | |
| 4 | Oriental Mallow, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Autumn) | Concerto | 1761 | |
| 5 | The Almond, for violin (or flute) & continuo | 4:06 min | Chamber Music | 1761 |
| 6 | Divertimento for guitar No. 1 | 3:38 min | Chamber Music | 1759 |
| 7 | Divertimento for guitar No. 2 | 4:43 min | Chamber Music | 1759 |
| 8 | Divertimento for guitar No. 3 | 6:06 min | Chamber Music | 1759 |
| 9 | Divertimento for guitar No. 4 | 4:28 min | Chamber Music | 1759 |
| 10 | Divertimento for guitar No. 5 | 5:46 min | Chamber Music | 1759 |
| 11 | Divertimento for guitar No. 6 | 4:54 min | Chamber Music | 1759 |
| 12 | Divertimento for guitar No. 7 | 4:46 min | Chamber Music | 1759 |
| 13 | Divertimento for guitar No. 8 | 4:11 min | Chamber Music | 1759 |
| 14 | Divertimento for guitar No. 9 | 4:37 min | Chamber Music | 1759 |
| 15 | Divertimento for guitar No. 10 | 4:58 min | Chamber Music | 1759 |
| 16 | Divertimento for guitar No. 11 | 5:14 min | Chamber Music | 1759 |
| 17 | Divertimento for guitar No. 12 | 5:12 min | Chamber Music | 1759 |
| 18 | Belvedere, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Autumn) | Concerto | 1755 | |
| 19 | Crocus, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 2:22 min | Concerto | 1755 |
| 20 | Goldenrod, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Winter) | Concerto | 1755 | |
| 21 | Heart's Ease, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Winter) | Concerto | 1755 | |
| 22 | Heliotrope, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 3:08 min | Concerto | 1755 |
| 23 | Marvel of Peru, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Autumn) | Concerto | 1755 | |
| 24 | Narcissus, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 2:33 min | Concerto | 1755 |
| 25 | Nightshade, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Autumn) | Concerto | 1755 | |
| 26 | Poppy, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 3:31 min | Concerto | 1755 |
| 27 | Ranunculus, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 3:30 min | Chamber Music | 1755 |
| 28 | Snow Drop, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Winter) | Concerto | 1755 | |
| 29 | Veronica, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 2:11 min | Concerto | 1755 |
| 30 | The Dancing Master, for voice & ensemble | 2:38 min | Vocal Music | 1754 |
| 31 | Flowers of the Forest, for harpsichord | 2:16 min | Keyboard | 1751 |
| 32 | The Dust Cart Cantata, for voice & continuo | 3:37 min | Vocal Music | 1751 |
| 33 | Collin's Kisses, for voice & ensemble, No. 1, "The Tutor" | 3:14 min | Vocal Music | 1742 |
| 34 | Collin's Kisses, for voice & ensemble, No. 2, "The Secret Kiss" | 2:35 min | Vocal Music | 1742 |
| 35 | Collin's Kisses, for voice & ensemble, No. 3, "The Borrow'd Kiss" | 1:57 min | Vocal Music | 1742 |
| 36 | Collin's Kisses, for voice & ensemble, No. 4, "The Rapture" | 2:33 min | Vocal Music | 1742 |
| 37 | Collin's Kisses, for voice & ensemble, No. 5, "The Stolen Kiss" | 1:59 min | Vocal Music | 1742 |
| 38 | Collin's Kisses, for voice & ensemble, No. 6, "The Kiss Repaid" | 1:15 min | Vocal Music | 1742 |
| 39 | Collin's Kisses, for voice & ensemble, No. 7, "The Parting Kiss" | 2:59 min | Vocal Music | 1742 |
| 40 | Collin's Kisses, for voice & ensemble, No. 8, "The Imaginary Kiss" | 1:53 min | Vocal Music | 1742 |
| 41 | Collin's Kisses, for voice & ensemble, No. 9, "The Feast" | 1:39 min | Vocal Music | 1742 |
| 42 | Collin's Kisses, for voice & ensemble, No. 10, "The Meeting Kiss" | 2:42 min | Vocal Music | 1742 |
| 43 | Jokey blythe & gay, for violin (or cello/recorder) & continuo | 3:44 min | Chamber Music | 1740 |
| 44 | She rose and let me in, for violin (or cello/recorder) & continuo | 2:43 min | Chamber Music | 1740 |
| 45 | A Highland Battle, for flute, bagpipes, violin, bass viol, guitar & percussion | 10:28 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 46 | A Rock and a Wee Pickle Jon, folk song setting for chamber ensemble | 1:43 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 47 | A Sonata of Scots Tunes, for 3 instruments & continuo in D major (A Curious Collection of Scots Tunes, No. 34) | 8:56 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 48 | Anemone, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 2:49 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 49 | Auricula, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 2:27 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 50 | Bachelor's Button, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 3:07 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 51 | Ballance a Straw | 2:46 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 52 | Barbra Allan | 2:07 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 53 | Benney side | 2:51 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 54 | Columbine, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 2:32 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 55 | Daffodil, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 2:16 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 56 | Divertimento for guitar No. 4 | 5:20 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 57 | Greensleeves, folk song setting for chamber ensemble | 1:54 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 58 | Heather Bells, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 3:24 min | Concerto | - |
| 59 | Hollyhock, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 3:04 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 60 | Honeysuckle, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 2:25 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 61 | Hugar Mu Fean, for flute (or violin) (The Caledonian Pocket Companion) | 2:51 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 62 | Hyacinth, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 2:21 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 63 | Junquill, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 1:56 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 64 | Kennet's Dream | 3:45 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 65 | Larkspur, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 3:03 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 66 | Lily, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 2:24 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 67 | Maggie Lauder, folk song setting for chamber ensemble | 2:17 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 68 | My Aprone Dearie, folk song setting for chamber ensemble | 1:12 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 69 | My Dearie An Ye Die, song | 0:39 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 70 | Nancy's to the Greenwood gone, for violin (or flute) & continuo | 1:13 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 71 | Nanny-O, for voice & continuo (A Collection of the Best Old Scotch and English Songs, No. 16) | 3:14 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 72 | Pentland Hills, for ensemble | 2:09 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 73 | Phesant Eye, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 3:23 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 74 | Polyanthos, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 2:40 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 75 | Primrose, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 2:38 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 76 | Rorate coeli desuper (Drop Down, Ye Heavens, from Above) | 3:52 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 77 | Rory Dall's port | 2:54 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 78 | Scots Lament, for violin (or flute) & continuo | 2:33 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 79 | Serenata for ensemble No. 4 | 7:23 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 80 | Serenata No. 5 in D minor | 8:19 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 81 | Sleepy Maggy, for flute (or violin) (The Caledonian Pocket Companion) | 1:34 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 82 | Sonata on Scot's Tunes | 8:32 min | - | |
| 83 | Steer Her Up & Had Her Gaun | 2:02 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 84 | Sweet William, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 2:53 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 85 | The Banks of Severn | 2:41 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 86 | The Banks of Sligoe | 2:22 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 87 | The Bonny Boat Man | 3:01 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 88 | The Bottom of the Punch Bowl, for violin or flute & continuo (Collection of Curious Scots Tunes, Book 2, No. 27) | 1:42 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 89 | The Braes of Ewes, folk song setting for chamber ensemble | 2:14 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 90 | The Cameronian's Rant, for flute (or violin) (The Caledonian Pocket Companion) | 3:21 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 91 | The Duck's Foot, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 3:26 min | Concerto | - |
| 92 | The Flowers of Edinburgh | 3:27 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 93 | The Laurel, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "airs for the Four Seasons", The Winter) | 4:06 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 94 | The Murrays March | 1:34 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 95 | The Narcissus, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 2:48 min | Concerto | - |
| 96 | The Northern Lass | 2:03 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 97 | The Pink, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 2:41 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 98 | The Rose, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 2:55 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 99 | The Sneezewort, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Autumn) | 2:59 min | Concerto | - |
| 100 | The Spring, suite for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons") | Concerto | - | |
| 101 | The Tears of Scotland, song | 4:00 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 102 | The Thistle, for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Summer) | 5:18 min | Concerto | - |
| 103 | The Wearing of the Green | 2:39 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 104 | To Dauntin Me, gigue | 2:52 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 105 | Tulip, sonata for violin (or flute) & continuo (from "Airs for the Four Seasons", The Spring) | 2:30 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 106 | Up in the Morning Early, for flute (or violin) (The Caledonian Pocket Companion) | 3:09 min | Chamber Music | - |
Albums featuring James Oswald
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
James Oswald, Rob MacKillop – Twelve Divertimentis For The Guittar (1759)(CD, Album) | 2001 | ASV |
| 2 |  |
Concerto Caledonia, David McGuinness, Catherine Bott, Iain Paton, James Oswald – Colin's Kisses: The Music of James Oswald(CD, Album) | 1999 | Linn Records |
| 3 |  |
James Oswald, The Broadside Band – Airs For The Seasons: Floral Suites of James Oswald(CD, ) | 1998 | Dorian Discovery |
| 4 |  |
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Henry Purcell, Thomas Arne, Henry Carey, James Hook, James Oswald – The Intimate Opera Of The Baroque: The Music Master, Masque From Timon Of Athens, Thomas & Sally (The Sailor's Return), True Blue, Musical Courtship, The | - | Everest |
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