Richard Stephan
Kjos String Orchestra
Grade 4
Full Conductor Score
SO260F
$7.00
SA
M
PL
E
Greensleeves
Variations
Neil A. Kjos Music Company • Publisher
2
The Composer
Richard Stephan earned degrees from the State University of New York at
Fredonia and the Eastman School of Music, with advanced work at the University
of Buffalo and Brigham Young University. He taught instrumental music in the
public schools of Buffalo and was an orchestra director and Coordinator of Music
in the Hamburg, New York, schools for thirteen years. In 1968, Mr. Stephan joined
the faculty of the Crane School of Music, S.U.N.Y. at Potsdam, where he was the
symphony orchestra conductor and string education professor for the following
thirty-two years.
M
PL
The Composition
E
Mr. Stephan has appeared as a guest conductor/clinician in New York, Ohio,
Utah, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and Ontario, Canada. He conducted the
opening ceremonies of the 1980 Winter Olympics and in 1984 was honored with
a Fulbright Senior Scholar Award to lecture and conduct in Australia. His Fanfare
and Frippery was the 1986 National School Orchestra Association Composition Contest winner and he has over three
dozen published works for string, full, and studio orchestra to his credit. Since his retirement from teaching in 2000,
Mr. Stephan has continued his writing and guest conducting.
I have always had a deep regard and admiration for the melody that we now know as “Greensleeves.” Using this
as a basis for a set of variations was quite attractive to me. However, after much thought and with respect for the
beauty of this time-honored tune, I decided to base the variations on the implied harmonic structure of the piece
rather than on the melody.
The original melodic presentation should grow from the simplicity of the legato celli statement to the full,
balanced harmonization at measure 9. Both the theme and the first variation are best served with long, smooth
bowing. The fermati between variations should be as brief as possible, allowing only enough time to prepare physically
and mentally for the next tempo and style.
The odd-numbered variations (with the exception of the last one) are generally in a slow tempo and are to be
played with attention to beauty of tone and sensitivity to phrasing. The even-numbered variations (except Variation
IV) need to be approached with both vigorous, firm bowing that digs well into the string, and with strict adherence
to a lively, steady tempo. Pizzicato movements can easily end up racing to the finish. To maintain a steady, unrushed
pace in Variation IV, have the students subdivide the beat by counting the “ands” while you conduct the piece
in “one.”
SA
A few other details need to be considered, including the delicate staccato on beat two in Variation III; the balance
in the second half of Variation V allowing the cello line to predominate; the accents that create the “rhythmic
dissonance” in Variation VI; and a controlled ritard spread over three measures returning to the majestic Finale.
Although the melody must come through clearly, it is also important that the divisi harmony voices are balanced
properly to obtain the desired richness of texture.
I hope you enjoy!
Instrumentation List (Set C)
8 – 1st Violin
8 – 2nd Violin
5 – Viola
5 – Cello
5 – String Bass
1 – Full Conductor Score
Additional scores and parts are available.
Learning Bank
Each student part includes a Learning Bank featuring historical information about “Greensleeves.” The Learning
Bank is also printed on page 3 of this score.
SO260
3
Learning Bank: The History of “Greensleeves”
The song “Greensleeves” has a long and complicated history that spans over 400 years. Originally written by an
anonymous English musician during the Renaissance, “Greensleeves” has traveled on an intriguing journey to reach
our modern songbook. In the mid 16th century, it was very common for pieces of music to enter popular
consciousness through anonymous sources. Legend has it, however, that the true composer of “Greensleeves” was
King Henry VIII (1491-1547). Modern scholars know that the English king was an active musician and that he wrote
lyrics to the “Greensleeves” melody for his friend Anne Boleyn. Despite this evidence, the theory that the famed
Henry VIII wrote “Greensleeves” has been refuted by many music historians, who claim that the Italian-influenced
style of the piece did not start appearing in England until after Henry’s death. The true origin of one of the most wellknown songs in Western culture, therefore, remains a mystery.
M
PL
E
Lyrics to “Greensleeves” were first published in 1580, but the song almost certainly had a history in the oral
tradition before that date. It was so popular in late Renaissance England that William Shakespeare even mentions it
in his play The Merry Wives of Windsor (c.1602). At the end of the 16th century, lute player Francis Cutting wrote
variations on the “Greensleeves” melody (“variations” are musical structures that repeat the same theme with different
modifications each time). Unlike Richard Stephan’s Greensleeves Variations, which states the melody at the beginning,
Cutting’s piece never states the actual melody. Many scholars agree that the tune was so popular at the time that the
lute player did not need to play it at all; indeed, he simply needed to imply the melody through his variations for the
audience to understand the musical reference. The large number of humorous parodies of the song from the same
period also attest to the ubiquity of “Greensleeves” in late 16th century English life.
In addition to its early history as a love song, “Greensleeves” was first given Christmas-themed lyrics in the mid
17th century (“The Old Year Now Away Has Fled”). This new holiday context for the song remains with us to the
SA
present day. In the 1860s, the Englishman William Chatterton Dix wrote yet another set of lyrics to “Greensleeves”
and published his version under the title “What Child Is This?” Dix’s version endures today as a well-loved Christmas
carol.
SO260
4
Greensleeves Variations
Full Conductor Score
Approx. time – 8:00
Richard Stephan
Peacefully, Smoothly (e = 90)
  
 
Violins
2

  


   


   

Cello

mf

String Bass

2


4





 
Viola cue

  
Vla.


mf
 
Cello


   



6


7
  

   

8

  
  


  
 
     


  

    







end cue
     
 
          




f
  
Play
mf
f
  




  

f
f
  

f
©2008 Neil A. Kjos Music Company, 4382 Jutland Drive, San Diego, California, 92117.
International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
WARNING! The contents of this publication are protected by copyright law. To copy or reproduce them by any method is an infringement
of the copyright law. Anyone who reproduces copyrighted matter is subject to substantial penalties and assessments for each infringement.
SO260


9 Stately

        
mf
mf
Str. Bass

3

SA



 

Vlns.
   

 

5
1

2
M
PL
Viola

1
E
1


5
10
1

 
Vlns.
2



                
11

 
12


   

         

Vla.
Cello


  

Vlns.
dim.
 
dim.
 
Cello
dim.

 
dim.

 

 


 


 
 

     

Vla.
Cello
  
Str. Bass
pizz.
  







mf
 
 

   


 










   
  

  

  



17 Calmly
 

   



19
          
18




     
  
 

mf
   
  


mf
 
 

mf
   
21
   

  


2
  











23
24
         


      







 

           
  

 

       



 


 

   
  
  


SA
Vlns.


mf


 
20
1


 
dim.
 
Vla.


   
14
Variation I
16

2
Str. Bass
 

 
      

15
1
 

  
   
M
PL
Str. Bass
  
13
E
 
 



22



  
SO260
6
28
27
        26  




        


f




 







f



  

  

29
30
 
         
25
Vlns.
2
Vla.
f
  
Cello
f

Str. Bass
  
f






 














   





   

Var. II
 33
 
1
Vlns.

 
2
 
Vla.
  
Cello

  

 
 


rit.
rit.

37
1
Vlns.
2
Vla.
Cello
Str. Bass
SO260

   
   




 



  
36

 

  
  
  

  
  

  



  


f
f

f
rit.
38



       
 

 
f
arco


         
 

  
35
f
rit.
 
 

    

   

 
 
  
34

rit.



SA
Str. Bass
Aggressively (q = 135)
M
PL
32
 




 


31

E
1
 
 
 
       

        

39





 
 
 
  

  

40



 







 








  

 
 
41

  
42

  

  
     

     



7

  

  


   

43
1

Vlns.
2
Vla.
Cello

Str. Bass

   
      
 

  

  
 
   
 
  
Vla.

Cello
Str. Bass
1.

 
2




 





 

48
 




47






  
cresc.
 


 
 

 


 
 
 


 

mf


 

mf
 


Play

mf

  
  

  
  
f
f





   

 


mp
   
mp
   
54
cresc.
   
cresc.
   
   
mp
   



cresc.
cresc.


Var. III
57
2.
      
   

f
    


  

f
f

   

53
mf

      
56
52
mf
  
mp

   

 
 


  


  
cresc.
SA
  

55
Vlns.
46
M
PL
   

   

Play
1st Time Tacit
1

51
   
1st Time Tacit


cresc.
mp
Str. Bass
 
  
   
   

 
Cello

cresc.
mp
Vla.
 
   
   
    
2

50
mp
Vlns.
 
45

 

 

49
1

 

44
E
  




 
f


 
f
  
58
f
  
 
f
  
f
Daintily (q = 90)
    
59
p
   
  
p
     
60
     
 


 


p
p
 
pizz.
p
 



SO260
8
1
 
    
Vlns.
62

    
 
  
2
Vla.
 

Cello

Vlns.
2
Vla.
Cello
  
 


        

2
Vla.
        



 










67
2.

  
    
 


 




 
  


 

 


 




  

72

68

  



  

  


  






 


73

 

74
  



 

 

 

 





 


 

75

76

 

 
dim.


 
 


 

dim.






dim.


 


 
,




 





   


  

 
f
SO260


70


f
Str. Bass

69
f
f
Cello
 


f
Vlns.
65
      


   
71
1
64

SA
Str. Bass



66
1
        
M
PL

Str. Bass
 
63
1.
E
61

dim.
 





dim.





9
1
Vlns.

2

mp

 


Vla.
 

mp
  

   
Vlns.
2

f


 
  



 

84
 


dim.

 


 


  

 




Cello
Str. Bass
 

  

 


 




Var. IV
85
86


p poco rit.

 



90

 

 



 










 
p poco rit.


 

87




pizz.


 



pizz.
 
f

pizz.


f

f


88

pizz.
arco






pizz.

f


f
p poco rit.
SA
Vla.
  


p poco rit.
89
2
  

  


dim.
Vlns.


 
82


p poco rit.
dim.
1
 

Lively (h. = 58)
dim.
Str. Bass

f
  
Cello

81
  

f
mp
dim.
Vla.
  

f
  


 


83
1


80
M
PL

f
  
mp
Str. Bass
79

mp
Cello

 



78
E
77
  

 

 
 

 
 
  


  
   
  


  
   
91
 

 
 

 
 
    

    


92

 





93
94











SO260
10
95














  




  


 

Cello
 

Str. Bass
 

  




 

 
Vla.

101
102







Cello
 


Str. Bass
 


1
Vlns.
2
Vla.
 
 
107
1
Vlns.
2
Vla.


 



 

Cello
 

Str. Bass
 

SO260




100
































 


 


98





103



104



















SA

97
99
M
PL

 
2
 


Vlns.



1
96
E
 








108






105



106












































112















  

111

  




  





  





  



109












110








11
113
1
Vlns.
2
Vla.










 






Cello

Str. Bass
 


115

 
 



114
116


 

2
Vla.
Cello
Str. Bass
















p




arco

  
p
    


p
 

p

  
  

   
  













  


  

 










  


 


    
 
124



 
    

130
     

  



    
128
    129




  



123
127


  
122

 

(pizz.)
126


arco
 
   

121

SA
Vlns.


arco
125
1




 
Str. Bass





Cello


M
PL

Vla.





p




arco






 
118

 


120
 


  
    
2


Var. V
Vlns.



119 Peacefully (q = 78)
1

117
E
 

  



 
 






SO260
12
132
133
 



  
   
 
131
Vlns.
2

 

 
Vla.

  

2
Vla.


138


  


   
 

Str. Bass
 
  

2.
  
Vlns.
2
Vla.
Cello

 
SO260

 





rit.




rit.

   
 

 
145
rit.
  


144

 
   

   


rit.
Str. Bass
 

140
   


SA
143
1

139
1.

 

Cello
 

mf




  
 


mf
 

mf


rit.



pp

arco
pp



 

 




 
146
 
pp
 
pp
 
 
pp

142

 



 
141





 





        


  

M
PL
Vlns.

 
137
1
  

  

Str. Bass

  
  
Cello


136
E
1
  
   
mf

 
  

mf



  
135
134


  
 
Var. VI
Vigorously (In One: h. = 60)



 
 
f

   
f


 








147
f


f

f


 
 

   
 

 
148








13
149
1
Vlns.


   
2
simile
simile


  
Vla.
simile

   
Cello
Str. Bass
Vlns.
2
Vla.
   








 
    
 


    
 

   
155
1
  

   
151
   
152
   
   





























   
 

   
 

 
156
157
 
 


   
 

 

158
 
 
Cello














Str. Bass
  













SA

 
   








 


   









161
1
Vlns.
2
Vla.
Cello
Str. Bass

  
  

    




 

  
 

162
  


  


154
  
  

  


  
  

  


  
 

 


  
 
159

   
 

 

  

153
M
PL
simile
   


150
E
  simile

   
   
163

   
   







 

 




 
  

 
  
  



  


  





164

165

160

  
  

  
 
  
  
  
  
166
  


  

  








SO260
14
 
   


   


   
167
1
Vlns.
2
Vla.
168








  
169

  


  
  

  










Str. Bass
  












simile
   
  










  
Vla.
 
Cello







   
174 simile
simile
   
simile

simile
 
SA

 
 


 


 
179
1
Vlns.
2
Vla.
Cello
Str. Bass
SO260









 



  

  


180
  

  
  








  

  

  
  





176
175
181


 

172

 

 


 
 


 
 


 

182














 
 

M
PL

  
 

2
Str. Bass


Vlns.




  

173
1
171
E
Cello
  




  
170
177
  

178
  


  

  














 , 


184
183
mf
 
, 
 
 

 
  

  
 


mf
  , 


  


mf





  



15
Var. VII
185 Joyfully (in the same tempo)
Vlns.

 

 
2
Vla.



 
   
div.
Cello

Str. Bass
   

2
  

 

 

 


  
  
  
 


  
  
  


  
   
  
   



    193


192

fp
cresc.
cresc.




 
 
Vlns.













  





 


fp




194
189
190
 

  
 


  














 
   



mf



mf

mf

fp


 
   

mf
200

198
   

 
   
199




   

  
 

,








Vla.
 









Cello
 










  

Str. Bass
 










  


195



fp


mf
fp
197

2


cresc.
196
1



SA
Str. Bass

cresc.
cresc.
Cello

 


 
Vla.
  
  
M
PL
Vlns.

187
mf
191
1


unis.
mf
188





 
186
E
1
  
    





SO260
16
201

2

 

Vlns.

Vla.
  


202
203

  

  

  
  

  
Cello
 








Str. Bass
 








206
1
Vlns.
2
Vla.
Cello
 
      
207


      
     



Vlns.
2
Vla.
Cello
Str. Bass
SO260

  


  
     
     
     








208
  











 





    
    
 
 






  




 
 
    

209

  



211
1



SA
Str. Bass
205
  




M
PL

204
212
  


E
1
  


213

  


  


  

210












214


       

rit.


215
div.







        

 
  

         

 


         



 
unis.

 


   
  





rit.
rit.
div.
rit.
 




rit.


   
17
Finale
Majestically (q = 80)
1

 

  unis.
     



       

     

 
Vlns.
2
Vla.




 

Cello
Str. Bass
221
  


ff
ff



 

219










 




ff

  



 




div.
ff



div.





 

223


dim.
Vlns.
2




Vla.







 





dim.

dim.
  

Str. Bass

227


 
Vla.
 
Cello
  
SA

Vlns.
2
  
pizz.
Str. Bass





 




225
unis.
224




 




















p
p
229


 


 












228

  
 

p
unis.
  
226


p
  




p
dim.
 
 
1

 

dim.
  
Cello


220



ff
222
218
M
PL
1
217
E
216
230
231
232

 
   





  

 






 

   

 


 


SO260
18
233
1
  

234
mf gradual cresc.
Vlns.

 
2
235

 



div.

 unis.
  






mf gradual cresc.
  
Vla.
236

mf gradual cresc.
Cello
 
Str. Bass
 

237


 




 
















mf gradual cresc.
Vlns.
2


f
 



244
1
Vlns.

 

2
  

Vla.
 
Cello

 






243









 
 


 














242
ff

ff
f



ff
f


245

 








 



 







 

ff



246

 







 
247



 





  
molto rit.
unis.
  
div.


molto rit.
SO260



248
molto rit.
molto rit.









molto rit.
Str. Bass





ff
f
SA
  
 

div.

   
 
 


Str. Bass
div.
   

f
 

Cello
div.  
 







 
240

 
Vla.


M
PL
1

241
239
 
 

E
mf gradual cresc.
arco

238









SA
E
M
PL