Composer:	W. Byrd	Suppliers:
Editor:	T. Moore	Quintet	D/A/A/T/B
Publisher:	Schott & Co. Ltd.	Publication:	Schott RMS 792

"The leaves be green" by William Byrd is one of several works which I purchased in June 1983 and was intended to be used by the "Klingende Runde für jung und alt". It was briefly attempted but it quickly became apparent that such a work is simply to rhythmically difficult for a group of intermediate players. Finally, with the able assistance of Bettina Kiefner and Nadia Zaman (both very competent and experienced ladies) it was eventually played a few times in the mid-1990's by Blue Monday.
Inspiration for this work began with a Clas Pehrsson recording which, as mentioned elsewhere on these webpages, I first heard in 1982. This was hotted up even more on listening to David Munrow Ensemble on an NDR broadcast playing this work sometime in the same year or 1983. Three us, myself included, all in the lower voices had to work very hard indeed to meet the rhythmic demands. Speaking for myself, I remember practising almost an hour a day over a four week period just on this one item to become competent enough.
The works starts off with bass voice relatively lightly and smoothly in 6/4 (3/2) and then I love the way the theme is passed between all the voices at eight bar intervals. Things start hotting up when there is a legato change to 3/4 then finally all hell (recorder hell that is) breaks loose when there is another change to 9/8 and finally back to 6/4 (3/2). For me as a player, time seemed to be suspended and the final section was virtually breathtaking.
The efforts were well rewarded at an unforgettable private "Hauskonzert" at Wicki Kirchgäßner's "Vinum", for once I regretted that no recording had been made!