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MUSIC of Henry VIII
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Henry VIII was a true renaissance prince. He was educated in the classics, and spoke and wrote several languages fluently, including the prerequisite Latin. He studied philosophy, and religion and often had heated debates with the learned thinkers of the age. He was an athlete and he was skilled in the arts of war. He wrote prose and poetry. But his real passion was always MUSIC. It is said that he owned: 10 trombones, 14 trumpets, 5 bagpipes, 76 recorders and 78 flutes. |
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 In season 1 of The Tudors, King Henry VIII is shown playing the song 'Greensleeves', however this is likely an inaccuracy as this song is probably Elizabethan in origin and is based on an Italian style of composition that did not reach England until after Henry's death. |
'Pastyme in Good Company' was written by Henry VIII himself and his most famous composition |
| Original lyrics: Pastyme with good companye I love and shall untyll I dye; Grugge who lust, but noon denye; So god be plecyd, thus leve woll I; For my pastaunce Hunte, syng and daunce' My hert ys sett All godely sport For my cumfort: Who shall me lett? Yowth must have sum dalyaunce, Of good or yll some pastaunce; Companye my thynckyth then best All throftes and fancys to digest. For idelnes Ys cheff mastres Of vices all; Than who can say But myrth and play Ys best of all? Cumpany with honeste Ys vertu, vices to flee; Cumpany ys gode and yll But every man hath hys frewyll The best insew. The worst eschew My mynde shall be Vertu to use Vyce to reffuse Thus shall I use me. | Lyrics in modern English: Pastime with good company I love and shall unto I die. Grudge whoso will, but none deny, So God be pleased, this live will I. For my pastance Hunt, sing, and dance. My heart is set All goodly sport To my comfort. Who shall me let? Youth will have needs dalliance, Of good or ill some pastance. Company me thinketh then best All thoftes and fantasies to digest. For idleness Is chief mistress Of vices all. Than who can say But "pass the day" Is best of all? Company with honesty Is virtue, and vice to flee. Company is good or ill But every man hath his free will. The best ensue, The worst eschew, My mind shall be. Virtue to use, Vice to refuse, I shall use me. |
| King Henry's greatest hit is still performed 500 years later and below are several modern renditions: |
'Green groweth the holly' & others |
| Grene growith the holy, So doth the ive, Thow wynter blastys blow never so hye, Grene growith the holy. As the holy grouth grene And never chaungyth hew, So I am, ever hath bene, Unto my lady trew. Grene growith the holy, etc. As the holy grouth grene With ive all alone When flowerys cannot be sene, And grenewode levys be gone. Grene growith the holy, etc. Now unto my lady Promyse to her I make, Frome all other only To her I me betake. Grene growith the holy, etc. Adew, myne owne lady, Adew, my specyall, Who hath my hart trewly, Be suere, and ever shall | |
Alas, what shall I do for love? For love, alasse, what shall I do, Syth now so kynd I do you fynde To kepe yow me unto? Alasse! | |
| Thow that men do call it dotage, Who lovyth not wantith corage. And whosever may love gete, Frome Venus sure he must it frett; Or elles from her which is her hayre; And she to hym most seme most fayre. Wyth ee and mynd doth both agre, There is no bote; ther must it be. The ee doth loke and represent; But mynd afformyth with full consent. Thus am I fyxed withowt gruge, Myne ey with hart doth me so juge. Love maynteynyth all noble courage; Who love dysdaynyth ys all of the village. Soch lovers though thay take payne It were pete thay shuld optayne; For often tymes wher they do sewe Thay hynder lovers that wolde be trew. For whoso lovith shuld love butt oone; Chaunge who so wyll, I wyll be none. | |
MsSquirrly |
Latest page update: made by MsSquirrly
, Feb 9 2011, 12:29 PM EST
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Keyword tags:
Music
Music of Henry VIII
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| periwimkle | Greensleeves | 6 | Aug 18 2010, 10:45 PM EDT by MsSquirrly | ||
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Thread started: Aug 18 2010, 11:32 AM EDT
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Okay I have a question for all you Tudor experts.......Who really did write the song Greensleeves? This is a question that I have had for a long time. I`ve researched it and find equal claims that he did and he didn`t. Can anyone clear this up for me? Mange tusen takk
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| likesthesilence | Tudors inspired music | 0 | Jun 29 2010, 7:00 PM EDT by likesthesilence | ||
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Thread started: Jun 29 2010, 7:00 PM EDT
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As a music student, I've gone through a lot of different pieces, but my favorite has to be a song cycle I recently encountered: "Try Me, Good King: Last Words of The Wives of Henry VIII" by Libby Larsen. It's a 5 song cycle; Catherine Parr is omitted, presumably because she survived Henry. The songs themselves are slightly done in a post-modernistic style, leaning a little toward 12-tone and early 20th century styles, and the lyrics are all taken from the last words of Henry's queens, either before their death or before the end of their marriage. It's really a very neat set, and I know it's available on itunes; probably also on youtube.
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