A propos "green sleeves" - I am not an expert, but the author's appeal to question ad hoc interpretations seems generally important to me.
https://earlymusicmuse.com/greensleeves1of3mythology/ In any case, the verses of greensleeves really seem to speak of love or at least deep devotion, even a prayer to god is invoked. The idea that the addressee is a prostitute would actually be astonishing rather than a possible interpretation, at least at first sight. This is visible for everybody and does not require laborious research. It follows (also visible for everybody) that the "prostitute" interpretation needs an additional assumption: either the adored woman was a prostitute, but anyway adored as a wonderful person, or these verses are not original but a later addition to change the song from a frivolous one to a real ove song. (?) Dr. Franz Mechsner Zum Kirschberg 40 D-14806 Belzig OT Borne +49(0)33841 441362 [email protected] Gesendet: Freitag, 10. August 2018 um 00:25 Uhr Von: "Alain Veylit" <[email protected]> An: "lutelist Net" <[email protected]> Betreff: [LUTE] Re: prostitution There is a piece in Dd.2.11 entitled: "Catin" (by Orlando di Lasso!). Yesterday I saw one entitled "la pute". What are the odds that neither title would not refer to their modern meaning of "prostitute"? This also reminds me of the not so secret behind "green sleeves". Dutch paintings show many scenes of lute music with at least hints of seduction or prostitution. But it can also be easy to jump to conclusions. I thought Lasso was a rather serious composer... Alain To get on or off this list see list information at [1]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html References 1. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
