When David Heard – Tomkins

The text is drawn from the Old Testament, specifically 2 Samuel 18:33. It details King David's immense grief and weeping upon learning of the death of his rebellious son, Absalom. The lyrics focus entirely on David's desperate wish that he had died instead of his child.

Thomas Tomkins composed his setting of When David Heard as a six-voice madrigal. This large vocal texture allows for highly complex, overlapping polyphony that builds immense emotional weight. The independent vocal lines weave together to represent the chaos and depth of David's sorrow.

The composition belongs to the late English Renaissance, specifically the era of the English Madrigal School. Tomkins composed it around 1622, placing it toward the end of the madrigal's peak popularity in England. It represents some of the most sophisticated and emotionally intense choral writing of the period.

While they share the exact same text, Thomas Tomkins' setting is entirely distinct from the famous setting composed by his contemporary, Thomas Weelkes. Weelkes and Tomkins were both prominent members of the English Madrigal School, and it was common for multiple composers to set popular biblical texts. Tomkins' version is highly regarded for its poignant chromaticism and prolonged concluding cadences.