Prelude on "Greensleeves" (1642 version)

Alec Rowley was born in London on 13 March 1892, teacher, composer, organist, pianist, lecturer and writer, who studied at the RAM with Frederick Corder and where he won sundry scholarships and prizes. He was an organist at several London churches including, during the Second World War, St Margaret's, Westminster. As a pianist he often broadcast duets with Edgar Moy. He died on 11 January 1958.

Many of his organ solos are brief and simple: chorale preludes, genre pieces, toccatas, marches and voluntaries suitable for the small organ and less experienced player. Sometimes he brought out more ambitious recital pieces, like the Heroic Suite of 1921, the Sonata in A minor and two symphonies in B minor and F major published late in his life, but we do not encounter these nowadays.

"Prelude on 'Greensleeves'" comes from Volume 3 of the composer's "Chorale Preludes Based on Famous Hymn Tunes," and was published by Edwin Ashdown Limited in 1952.

Rowley gives us a unique and poignant setting of the famous tune, and you'll virtually all of Salisbury's justly-famous solo stops in this performance.

Sad and sweet as it is, I can't help but feel that the little "interludes" are always close to breaking into "Holiday on Ice," or some such thing! Listen, and you'll see what I mean... ;-)

I must REALLY like this melody, as I think this is the 3rd version of it that I have uploaded! Well, tomorrow, I have one more - just for the sake of comparison, and then back to one more Rowley.

The work is dedicated to Arthur Hutchings (1906–1989), an English musicologist, composer, and professor of music at the University of Durham.

The score is attached below, as well as a photo of Alec Rowley.

This upload continues my daily presentation of at least one piece, having begun with the Advent Sunday, and continuing each day through the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th.