Greensleeves (Adapted from an Old Air)

Ralph Vaughan Williams (12 October 1872 – 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over nearly fifty years. Strongly influenced by Tudor music and English folk-song, his output marked a decisive break in British music from its German-dominated style of the 19th century.

Vaughan Williams was born to a well-to-do family with strong moral views and a progressive social outlook. Throughout his life he sought to be of service to his fellow citizens, and believed in making music as available as possible to everybody. He wrote many works for amateur and student performance. He studied in 1907–08 with the French composer Maurice Ravel, who helped him clarify the textures of his music.

"Fantasia on 'Greensleeves'" was composed in 1934, and was extracted from the opera, "Sir John in Love." I was surprised to see that the original key was F Minor.

E(dgar) Stanley Roper (1878-1953) was a chorister at Westmnister Abbey (1888-1894), and later Honorary Assistant Organist of the Abbey, was organist of the Chapel Royal at St. James' Palace. He published a goodly number or arrangements and transcriptions, and was an editor for the Oxford "Series of Modern Anthems."

His fine arrangement of "Greensleeves," the famous 16th century English melody, was published by Oxford University Press in 1947.

Why upload now, with the Feast of the Epiphany coming tomorrow? Because, the melody is used for the hymn "What Child is this?", which is generally used between Christmas and Epiphany.

I've recorded this several times, and was looking to try it "differently," but all my fooling around was for naught, as I wound up going with a pretty "standard performance," played upon the Armley Schulze.

The score is attached below, as well as a photo of as young RVW, and several great ones of E. Stanley Roper! :-)

Full text of the hymn in 1st comment.