Green Growth the Holly - arranged and performed on renaissance vihuela by Denys Stephens

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The setting of ‘Green growth the Holly’ in British Library Add. Ms. 31922 (the Henry VIII Manuscript) is one of my favourite pieces from early 16th century England. The piece is attributed to ‘The kyng h. viii’ in the manuscript, and although it isn’t an overtly Christmas related lyric, the mood it evokes is very much of the season. In the manuscript ‘Holly’ is spelt ‘holy,’ so despite the vagaries of spelling typical of the time, perhaps a pun is intended. It is a love song, which rather than addressing the tribulations of love found in so many sixteenth century chanson lyrics, it expresses the ideals of courtly love, which was still a living tradition at that time. It’s very much in keeping with the early years of Henry Vlll’s reign, and in stark contrast to what came later. Although it was composed for three voices it translates onto the fretboard of a lute (or vihuela!) almost as if it were composed for it. In my setting of the piece I have followed my intabulation of the song with three of my own variations on it.