Helas Madam was composed by Henry VIII (1491-1547), King of England. Before Henry VIII became King in 1509, part of his education included training in music. Music played a prominent role in his court, and for entertainment, he played numerous instruments and composed music. The piece Helas Madame is found in a collection of secular music used at King Henry's court. Some scholars have noted that the melody may have originated elsewhere in continental Europe, with King Henry adding the harmony.[12] The musical form of this piece is a song with a homophonic texture and minor harmony.

TECHNIQUE TIPS: Use a lively tempo to play the melody of this piece. You may want to use slurs for some of the notes. A slur is a curved line grouping notes together, and is indicated by the sign . Notes included in the slur should be played in the same bow.