Greensleeves And Variations

"Greensleeves" is a traditional English Folk song. The piece was probably composed before the year 1580 since a ballad by this name was registered in that year. Nobody knows who the composer of Greensleeves is, although there is a persistent belief that the piece was composed by Henry VIII. Greenleeves is also mentioned in some of Shakespeare works. Through the centuries, Greenleaves has been a beloved piece. There are many instrumental and song type versions. The guitar arrangement that is used for this lesson includes a main theme in traditional stile plus two variations. The first variation uses a set of arpeggios that follow the classical style from the 1800s. The 2nd variation is stylistically closer to the original theme. It has some counterpoint and ornaments that are found in renaissance music.