Greensleeves: A Traditional English Folk Ballad (voice, harp, dulcimer and recorder) and its origins

My acoustic performance of this very known English Traditional folk ballad with harp, hammered dulcimer and recorded. Right by the fig tree by the garden.. lots of green to wish you a blissful closing of the Summer. I really wanted to do a more acoustic performance to showcase the instruments, especially the hammered dulcimer which rarely I show on screen.

greensleeves00094436.gif

Greensleeves (Lyrics)

It is overall a sad lament of a love that is refused and unrequited love. Full of longing and love sickness. Though for sure already circulating in the sixteenth century, the true origin is still cloaked in mystery.

greensleeves_2.52.1 -640- by Priscilla Hernandez.jpg

Alas, my love, you do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously
For I have loved you well and long
Delighting in your company

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my lady greensleeves

Your vows you've broken, like my heart
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Lady Greensleeves

Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu
To God I pray to prosper thee
For I am still thy lover true
Come once again and love me

greensleeves00094056.gif

GREENSLEEVES: An Anonymous XVI century English Ballad

Greensleeves is a very popular English folk tune and song which was originally created sometime in the 16th century. Their true origins are though surrounded by legend and mystery.

English Traditional Folk Ballad (though registered by Richard Jones with the less elegant title "A Newe Northen Dittye of ye Ladye Greene Sleves in 1580). None of the original 1580 register has survived. However, the same Richard Jones printed a book in 1584, "A Handful of Pleasant Delights", in which we can see "A new Courtly Sonet of the Lady Green sleeues" including some of the sentences of the lyrics as we know it today.

greensleeves00094855.gif

Some say it's Elizabethan and there's a persistent rumour that it was by Henry VIII for his lover and future queen consort Anne Boleyn but this is not confirmed. Copies of the poem by Henry is in museum in London tower. Though Henry was said to be a gifted musician, the composition includes innovative elements that became popular later in time so despite the legend, seems unlikely. The structure based on earlier Spanish and Italian style of song that didn't reach England until after Hthe king's death, in 1547.

It is written as passamezzo antico in its verses and the romanesca in its reprise. The romanesca originated in Spain and usually implies the use of four chords and a simple bass to allow repetition and improvisation.

One of the first sources for the tune, in lute tablature as greene sleues can be found in an anonymous amateur anthology dated c. 1592–1603

Most historians now believe 'Greensleeves' dates back to Elizabethan times – after the reign of Henry VIII.

greensleeves00000000.gif

I particularly like that it sounds like "Green Leaves" hahah so though I have sung it as it is, in my mind I always think of the green leaves. . The video is filmed by the fig tree in the garden... which by the way is now about to provide the fruits.

The well known melody has been also used for Christmas Carols since the XVII century being the most popular One of the most popular of these is "What Child Is This?" written in 1865 by William Chatterton Dix.

I wanted to show some of my instruments in the video, so it is a simple recording in the garden played acoustic.

greensleeves00094855.gif

Find the ratties (as always)

As always there are some hidden “Fufunchis” in the video. In this one you can find Tuula, Ritva and Taika. Let me know in comments if you spot any (don't spoil the game for others with the time marks).

Black birds visiting the garden

greensleeves00097098.gif

The video also features the fig tree that gave me so much comfort during lockdown times (though this is a recent recording) and the blackbird and chicks that appear throughout the video were visitors this year, so I enjoyed to observe them and wanted to be part of the video too.

greensleeves_2.17.1 -640- by Priscilla Hernandez.jpg

Priscilla Hernandez Network:

Please consider to support me by following me on socials
✅Digital/Physical albums/Shop: https://priscillahernandez.com/shop
✅Donations and tips: paypal.me/yidneth
✅OFFICIAL SITE: https://yidneth.com
✅Bandcamp: https://priscillahernandez.bandcamp.com
✅Patreonhttps://patreon.com/yidneth
✅Facebook: https://facebook.com/yidneth
✅Instagram.com: https://instagram.com/yidneth
https://blog.priscillahernandez.com

Filmed in Navarra, Spain, July 2021. Camera by Héctor Corcín, Edit by myself.

Credits

Original song (Anonymous, s. XVI century) Greensleeves
Arranged by Priscilla Hernandez: voice, hammered dulcimer, recorder, harp.
Filmed in Summer 2021.
All Rights Reserved

greensleeves harpsicle -1080- by Priscilla Hernandez.jpg

H2
H3
H4
3 columns
2 columns
1 column
16 Comments
Ecency