Thomas Weelkes’ “Alleluia, I heard a voice”

Throughout September, the Daily Classical Music Post celebrates the music of 15th-, 16th-, and 17th-century England.



https://youtu.be/5KyTxg_LoFA

The English composer and organist Thomas Weelkes (1576–1623) is often overlooked, partly because his church music output was overshadowed by many of his contemporaries including Byrd and Tallis, and partly because he died so young. He is now recognized as one of the masters of the English madrigal, and his four published sets are among the very best of that genre.

As Chris Whent says, “Thomas Weelkes, whose professional career spanned one of the most fertile periods in England's musical history, is without doubt one of her finest composers. Like Purcell, he had a vivid imagination and love of experiment, and died prematurely at the peak of his creative powers, but not before he had composed a very large amount of music. . . . [W]ell versed in the polyphonic techniques of William Byrd, he apparently devoted his creative energies to the production of a large quantity of church music, probably for use at Chichester Cathedral. Unfortunately, the composer's relationship with the ecclesiastical authorities was not a happy one and from 1609 onwards he was often in trouble. At first negligence and absenteeism were the main problem. But by 1616 he was 'noted and famed for a common drunkard and notorious swearer and blasphemer'; and in 1619 he had 'Very often come so disguised eyther from the Taverne or Ale house into the quire as is much to be lamented, for in these humoures he will bothe curse and sweare most dreadfully'. . . . Weelkes' enormous talent rose above his daily personal difficulties, however, and he managed to produce a stream of sacred compositions in a wide range of styles.”

Weelkes' anthem “Alleluia, I heard a voice” begins with a wonderful “thundering” bass; many people consider it to be one of the most exciting Tudor anthems. For various reasons, this anthem has a particularly special place in my heart.

My classical music post for today is Thomas Weelkes’ “Alleluia, I heard a voice.”

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