Biography
Thomas Weelkes launched his professional life by serving as organist at Winchester College, remaining there just a short while and producing his strongest madrigals during those years. Near 1602 he took up the post of organist at Chichester Cathedral, where early achievements came quickly. Following release of his fourth madrigal collection in 1608, however, conditions turned sharply downward. Cited for public drunkenness together with neglect of duty, he was removed from that role in 1617. One additional organist appointment followed, yet he again proved unable to meet expectations. At his death in 1623 he bequeathed all possessions to an acquaintance who had furnished him with food, drink, and shelter. The bulk of his output consists of vocal works, both sacred and secular. Although recognized as a prolific madrigalist, he drew criticism for limited success in aligning textual content with melodic construction. Even so, Weelkes endures in memory through inventive musical imagery and assured command of counterpoint, qualities that place him among the foremost creators of English madrigals during the seventeenth century.