Composer

:

Thomas Weelkes

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Madrigal

Publication Date

:

1601

Average_duration

:

3:17

Thomas Weelkes was an English composer who lived from 1576 to 1623. He was a contemporary of William Byrd and Orlando Gibbons, and is considered one of the most important composers of the English Renaissance. One of his most famous works is "As Vesta was, from Latmos hill descending," a madrigal for six voices. The madrigal was composed in 1601 and was first performed at the court of Queen Elizabeth I. It is a setting of a poem by the Elizabethan poet Edmund Spenser, and tells the story of the goddess Vesta descending from her temple on Latmos hill to join a group of nymphs and shepherds in a dance. The madrigal is divided into six movements, each of which corresponds to a different part of the poem. The first movement begins with a solo voice singing the words "As Vesta was from Latmos hill descending," which is then echoed by the other voices. The second movement features a lively dance rhythm, with the voices imitating the sound of pipes and tambourines. The third movement is slower and more contemplative, with the voices singing in harmony. The fourth movement is a lively dance again, with the voices imitating the sound of horns and trumpets. The fifth movement is a slower, more reflective section, with the voices singing in harmony again. The final movement is a lively dance once more, with the voices imitating the sound of bells and cymbals. The madrigal is characterized by its lively rhythms, intricate harmonies, and use of word painting. Weelkes uses the voices to imitate the sounds of various instruments, such as pipes, tambourines, horns, trumpets, bells, and cymbals. He also uses the voices to create a sense of movement and action, with the rhythms and melodies reflecting the story of Vesta descending from the hill and joining the dance. Overall, "As Vesta was, from Latmos hill descending" is a masterpiece of English Renaissance music, and a testament to Weelkes' skill as a composer. Its lively rhythms, intricate harmonies, and use of word painting make it a joy to listen to, and a true masterpiece of the madrigal form.

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