Weelkes, Thomas (1575?-1623), an English organist and composer, won fame for his madrigals. These were unaccompanied harmonized settings of pastoral and other love poems. Most of Weelkes’s madrigals, published from 1598 onward, are set for from three to six voices. They are noted for their bold, expressive use of harmony. One of the most popular is “As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill Descending.” Weelkes contributed this piece to Thomas Morley’s Triumphs of Oriana, a musical collection dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I. Weelkes was organist at Winchester College from 1598 to 1601 and at Chichester Cathedral in 1601 and 1602. He also wrote other part songs, known as ballets; pieces for viols; and church music.
