Heart of Gold

Description

Violin 1, Violin 2, Violin 3, Viola, Cello, Contrabass, Piano — Heart of Gold (A Greensleeves Fantasy) is a fresh take on a traditional favorite, drawing its name from the lyrics of the original secular song, “Greensleeves was my delight, Greensleeves was my heart of gold.” The piece starts with an introduction that flows into the familiar poignant melody, using beautiful and unexpected harmonies for a contemporary sound. The Second Violins and Viola have an opportunity to shine as well as they take over the theme with a wonderful swelling crescendo leading to the heart of the piece. A Solo Violin and Solo Cello restate the melody against the pizzicato accompaniment motif established in the beginning. The Optional Piano part adds magic and enhances the orchestration throughout.Performance Notes: Start the introduction very quietly. Exaggerate the dynamics throughout. Make the pizzicato nice and full while staying under the melody in the first violins. At measure 13, this countermelody in the first violins should be felt and not obscure the Greensleeves melody played by the second violins and violas, so make sure to balance it accordingly. At measure 20, exaggerate the crescendo and once forte is reached, maintain that intensity all the way to the decrescendo at measure 36. The solo violin line should be played with lots of expression and soar above the pizzicato figures. Pizzicato figures should be light and full, played closer to the fingerboard. At measure 45, the cello solo should be strong and connected singing high above the rest of the sections. Make sure the arco strings in this section do not overpower the cello line. Heart of Gold (A Greensleeves Fantasy) is a fresh take on a traditional favorite, drawing its name from the lyrics of the original secular song, “Greensleeves was my delight, Greensleeves was my heart of gold.” The piece starts with an introduction that flows into the familiar poignant melody, using beautiful and unexpected harmonies for a contemporary sound. A solo violin and solo cello restate the melody against a gentle pizzicato accompaniment and the optional piano adds magic and enhances the orchestration throughout.