This is an acoustic fugue rendition of an old english melody. The melody line begins clearly, but gradually becomes more and more convoluted as harmonic 'answers' to the original theme overlap and take the foreground.
medieval harmony voice guitar mandolin renaissiance celtic percussion fugue minstrel bard choral classical boroque victorian elizabethan shakespeare
I am a pseudo-medieval musician, scribe and artificer. With layered levels of simple instruments, my sounds are often uniquely archaic. While some of my music is entirely original, most of my numbers are my personal arrangements of renaissance and medieval melodies from antiquity. There's much more information to be found about me on my web site at
Story behind the song
I know someone who has stated how much he hates this song. He evidently equates it to the Renaissance "Smoke on the Water." In deference to him, I decided that if I were to record this music, I would attempt to change it's normal perception. Thus the fugue nature of this recording.
Lyrics
These lyrics (not used in this recording) are often attributed to Henry VIII. The melody, however, predates his reign by many centuries.
Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company.
Chorus:
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.
I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have both wagered life and land,
Your love and good-will for to have.
If you intend thus to disdain,
It does the more enrapture me,
And even so, I still remain
A lover in captivity.
My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on thee;
All this was gallant to be seen,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,
but still thou hadst it readily.
Thy music still to play and sing;
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
Well, I will pray to God on high,
that thou my constancy mayst see,
And that yet once before I die,
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.
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.
