Singing a 17th Century Scottish Song and Playing Harmonium

I've been feeling pretty tired this past couple of weeks, so here's an impromptu performance of "The Lowlands of Holland" played on the harmonium with singing.

No fancy editing, no fancy mics, just one take of practicing this song which I learned a day prior. Enjoy!

Some extra context about the performance:

I started playing harmonium when I was 9 or 10 years old. I learned it because of kirtan at the spiritual and meditation centre I went to with my father many Sundays. Until a few weeks ago, I hadn’t touched a harmonium in about 7 years, but it’s this common thread that has run through many major parts of my life. I felt drawn to share this intimate moment when I was rehearsing a new song in my kitchen I recently learned.

This is a (most likely) Scottish traditional song called “The Lowlands of Holland,” said to have originated during the Anglo-Dutch Wars in the 17th century, though it is also well-known throughout Ireland and England. The Ye Vagabonds version is one of my favourite songs.

When I was 18 I was houseless for a year and often lived in my car, and I would busk playing harmonium and singing. Now in my late 20s, the harmonium feels like a recollection of the full spectrum of my memories, some of the most blissful and also scariest times, acting as a sort of northern star.

I’m a professional singer and used to perform a couple of days a week before everything in our world changed a few years ago, so it feels wonderful to slowly get back into practicing music again. I started working on an EP 5 years ago and it’s actually nearly complete but I’ve had to shelve it for some years due to major life transitions and financial instability. I’m really hoping to release it next year once I have the ability to get into a better financial situation and finally save up the last bit of money.

Also, this is a new linen/cotton dress that I just finished hand-stitching last month! It’s based off a 1485 shift but I modified the sleeves with a fun little ties system to help create more texture to the garment 🥰 It took about 50 hours to make and it was worth every minute.

So amazing! Could you do a video showing us more of your harmonium

Beautiful, just beautiful!

So beautiful ❤

Very beautiful song ❤ It reminded me of Jackie by Sinead o Connor. Would love to hear more.

Breathtaking ! Wow <3

This is absolutely beautiful. Thank you for this.

Holy moly! You have a Harmonium??? AND can use it? Wow.

Beautiful both the performance and the shift ❤

Beautiful!

And this beautiful green piece! So wonderful! I wonder if you could teach us how to make something similar? I’ve been meaning to sew a similar one for myself inspired by Albrecht Dürer…! 💚


Thank you!

Wow! What an incredible performance. I listened to this on repeat while writing on a book. My hat is most certainly off!

❤

I’ve loved that song since I first heard it as a teenager. I’m now a great-grandmother!

😀

hi, can you help me with what thickness of linen thread I should choose (I am from Denmark) when I hand sew. I can buy it from 120/2 - 32/2 and all are also available in 3 ply. I tried an 80/2 but it is very thin and if I can avoid buying one of each it will be a big help.

Your voice is absolutely wonderful.
I would love to hear so much more of your singing.

Plus: That chemise dress is stunningly beautiful. I love the texture and the green.

I love this. It's just a bit hard to understand you--perhaps a little more enunciation?

Lovely!

Atāahua! (Te Reo Māori for beautiful. The English didn't cut it for me).

Just lovely, Miss V. Brought tears to my eyes. And that new dress is very nice. The color is great on you. Hope you are getting rest and feeling better. Thank you for sharing!

This is so very beautiful. Your performance here is technically skilled to be sure, but what touched me most is how honest it felt. It felt like it was watching you really feel in your body how much you connect with the act of singing. I hope this comment doesn't read as too cringe, but I guess that's the risk one takes with being sincere! 😅 Thank you for sharing your music 💜

Beautiful!

this is so beautiful!!!

amazing

Wonderful music! There's a number of beautiful Irish, Scottish & Welsh folk music from the 16th to 19th centuries I've come across in the last year or so, but I haven't heard this one before.

Oh I was hoping you’d start posting some singing V. Beautiful.

Beautiful! Thank you for sharing.

Vasi, thank you for this beautiful rendition. Hope your energy will pick up soon. Any B12 or Iron deficiencies ? Take care !

That was lovely. I love your gentle, yet supported, sound. I hope you are feeling better soon. I'd love to see a video about the instrument and how you came to learn to play it. Be well, friend.

The next steps are to 1) find a man of virtue and marry him, and 2) have children and place your efforts into raising responsible and virtuous children along with supporting your husband—That’s what women of the time period you celebrate (with their clothes and other institutions) would be telling a woman or virtue and character to be doing with her time.

That was lovely! Your heart is so beautifully evident in everything you do!

A dear friend once told me "if you have a song in your heart you must sing it" Thank you Vasi for sharing what was on your heart

Beautiful song, beautiful performance, and beautiful dress.

This recording is a gift to us, thank you so much!

Beautiful Vasi!! Thank you for sharing this lovely song and harmonium music! It was perfect coming straight from you and your home! Loved it!!

This song sounds somewhat familiar. Reading the video description that it was also known in Ireland I guess I must have heard a version by The Dubliners, to which I listened a lot.

I’m crying… it was beautiful! Thank you! ❤

Vasilisa!! Girl of many talents! Breathtaking 💔

Beautiful!

Absolutely beautiful, it made me tear up. I've known only slightly different versions, I guess more modern phrases, but this version is really beautifully written written. Thank you V 😘

This is so lovely! The whole picture - the green shift, the ornate frame in the corner, the harmonium - is strangely entrancing! And you sing in such a captivating way!

There is something so deep and soulful about Scottish music from the past.

I like to imagine myself, lighting a cigar or sipping on my scotch, listening to my wife sing a song just like this.

Beautiful, simply beautiful

Today i have watched a utube upload on thatching roofs & making lye from ash, and now your beautiful song,sung with no effort and playing a near on extinct musical instrument,while also wearing a handmade dress that took you 50hrs to sew...
That is what is failing dramatically in our mainstream society & education system.. all these wonderful talents and almost forgotten arts and workmanship are being left behind and not taught as deemed not inkeeping with todays world...well i feel incredibly strong that your wonderful talents (as you have many) and those ive mentioned should be in the curriculum and taught today.
Thank you V for sharing all of your wonderful talents with us as making a platform for the potential for others to follow in your foot steps.
I hope you manage to feel stronger soon, i have issue with my white blood cells so i fully understand what you are feeling like.
Take care.

You're a beautiful musician, Vasi. My maternal heritage is Dutch and there is an old foot "pump organ" here that my Mom used to play often. One of the pedal straps is broken, but I think I may be able to mend it with a heavy duty backstitch. Gonna try. If that doesn't work, will have someone in to fix it, if I can find anyone! Thank you for sharing.

Wow! Brava! What an amazing interpretation. Absolutely beautiful.

More please

👍💕

A hauntingly beautiful and mournful song. Lovely job.