When David Heard (Tomkins) The Gesualdo Six at Ely Cathedral

Thomas Tomkins poignant 'When David Heard' uses the text of 2 Samuel 18:33. It is sung here in the Lady Chapel of Ely Cathedral, by The Gesualdo Six, who are taking part in Ely Cathedral's #LiveHolyWeek campaign.
When David heard that Absalom was slain
He went up into his chamber over the gate and wept,
and thus he said:
my son, my son, O Absalom my son,
would God I had died for thee!

[@alanmundy1536]

The words at "my son, my son" are heart rending. I have known this piece for 40 years and it never ceases to draw tears from me.

[@margaretha907]

"Would God I had died for thee" How one feels to lose a beloved son

[@briannewton9283]

Absolutely sublime and other worldly 🙏

[@whpoche]

I'm following Ascension Publishig's Fr. Mike's Bible in a Year. He mentioned this work today. Glad he did. So beautiful!

[@raykoehler5234]

Exactly same today three years later! The silver thread continues on, praise the lord.

[@ektor1679]

the most movingly beautiful of all Tudor anthems. This group sing it superbly. Quite wonderful...

[@debrabrabenec]

One of the most beautiful pieces ever written. I feel blessed to have learned and performed it almost 50 years ago and remember it (mostly) to this day. Thank you for posting this sublime performance!

[@cleanishslate3458]

So nice you guys. You made it sound like King David's heart broke into five pieces, and they all stood up and sang a lament for his beloved dead rebel son, which is exactly how this should be.

[@williamlewis8741]

nice to read someone understand the gravity of this situation father and son.

[@corner559]

This group is just unreal. I've never heard such heavenly music.

[@brookeggleston9314]

Corn Fed you should also listen to the group *Tenabrae* - hope I spelled it correctly. My Latin isn't what it once was!

[@eulero75]

much of the good work is done by the superb acustic of the church

[@jjp4360]

Sometimes I just listen to the last few seconds of this recording over and over again. It's just so perfect.

[@rogerpowe1748]

this group performs this and other renaissance works perfectly

[@Caroline-ud8un]

This is just incredible, such an achievement to sing this wonderful piece with such skill and control. I was so moved.

[@charlessteward7501]

One of the most beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard. Such a tragic subject, from 1000s of years ago, yet so apposite for many people today.

[@michaelkingsbury4305]

The shepherd leaves the 99 in the wilderness to rescue the one that was lost. David could not.

[@hwhamlin]

Most beautiful place I have ever sung.

[@marywardell977]

Heartbreakingly beautiful...captured the tragedy so poignantly. Gorgeous voices!

[@davidbuswell8756]

Speechless. This is beyond beautiful.

[@lm3741]

Pure, lamentable bliss...

[@thesandsie13the2nd]

mind blowingly beautiful as is the cathedral.

[@katetaylor1466]

What a sublime sound.... Mind blowing in it's beauty. An exquisite piece.....

[@darchir2079]

An absolutely heart wrenching piece of music, performed with profound pathos.

[@debbiemail1]

This work just has to be heard more often. Thanks for posting it so that I can sit here in my little internet bubble and be taken as close to heaven as I can be. A wonderful performance boys :)

[@Ely-Cathedral]

Thanks Debbie, so glad you enjoyed it!

[@brookeggleston9314]

Debbie Scholem well, *men* but still glorious!

[@elijarrous8881]

great performance ,angel voices

[@pierrelouis8877]

Fabuleuse interprétation. Dans un lieu fabuleux : quel son dans cet Lady chapel de la cathédrale d'Ely !

[@lloydino]

The quality of this performance can only be described as exceptional - the harmonics at 2:18 really say it all

[@AGMundy]

Indeed. English polyphonic music at this time was unsurpassed.

[@williamlewis8741]

this is simply brilliant. i listen to it three or four times a week.

[@sandyy6054]

I listen to it nearly every day.

[@davidbuswell6584]

Heart meltingly beautiful. Such a wonderful group of singers, two stunning tenors. Yes, no! All of you . I could listen to this and Abendlied eternally. Thank you.

[@martharoberts2072]

Profoundly beautful.

[@Vespur]

Takes my breath away, wow.

[@kkallebb]

Incredibly good performance.

[@keithofninewells8397]

Perfect piece for this huge Lady Chapel

[@cantusfirmusbecker7825]

Traumhaft schöne Stimmen und wunderbar aufeinander abgestimmt. Bravo!

[@vasiliskardasis8642]

You are simply Devine singers..in perfect order to make all my body shiver with a thrilling ecstasy. Your sound is in my head all day ! And the rendition...the best I’ve ever heard.

[@stellarsjay1773]

First heard this in the early 60s, sung by the Deller Consort. It’s been with me ever since.

[@stevesewful]

stunning!!! beautiful blend and sensitivity. thank you

[@cosborne06]

One of the most inspiring pieces of music I've heard in a very long time! You guys sound amazing, every one of you...you could really feel David's grief throughout this piece in each of your performances...great job!

[@liveyourbestlife1513]

I read the whole Bible when I was in High School...What were you doing during High School? The story of Absalom is one of the most shocking and disturbing that you can find anywhere. Somehow David was able to lament his son's death in spite of what had happened between them. The story is about forgiveness. If you're a Christian like I was, the words "Would God I had died for thee" foreshadow what comes later on in the Bible.

[@stevesewful]

stunning !! thank you so much.

[@charlessteward7501]

Just stunning. An absolutely beautiful performance. Only just discovered your group but you are outstanding. Will be very happy to promote you in any way possible. Please keep uploading these videos as often as possible.

[@carphero652]

Quite simply stunning

[@asimong]

Beautifully sung indeed. You've managed to express a great deal of the inherent emotion in your phrasing.

[@davidensminger9483]

Very nicely done. This ensemble is probably true to the original presentation.

[@blinkvideo]

Not really, the original presentation would have involved boys.

[@brookeggleston9314]

blinkvideo true!

[@DonVueltaMorales]

@@blinkvideo And the presence of mats and rugs and tapistries on the wall, and clerics and audience members wrapped in layers, stuffing perhaps a much smaller space. No two second echo, I'm assuming. I mean, it sounds great here, but was the work originally intended for a small chapel? a chamber? No one knows the exact situation of the "original presentation."

[@anaisr5232]

Magnifique

[@blinkvideo]

I often hear very modest renderings of this piece from English groups. It should be a cry to Heaven. Kudos to the G6 for bringing out the drama. Really tough to do a choral piece like this with any but the best and younger soloists - hard to keep a sustaining vocal bed behind. The room helps! G6: you are awesome. I hope you can manage a trip to the USA sometime soon. In Minnesota we have several rooms that would be friendly to your sound and repertoire. Now I'll start asking around for possible hosts. =)

[@sandyy6054]

The G6 has just performed in Melbourne, the only city they visited in Australia. Sad to say we, in Brisbane, have missed out on hearing their glorious voices and awe inspiring music.

[@sineadgordon]

Fr. Mike brought me here. ✝️

[@alanrowe2464]

The change of key towards the end is sublime, and the harmonies and acoustics particularly from 4:00 to the end are heavenly.

[@michaelthwaite3282]

Out of interest, I would love to have a "Time Machine" to go back and hear how this was performed in Tomkin's time.

[@dweeb99]

If only troops preparing for battle could hear this motet. Would they think again?

[@logancombs3778]

This is perhaps one of the most beautiful recordings i've ever heard! Does anyone know which edition they used?

[@hannahr.906]

4:24 kills me every time

[@arnoutmalfliet4913]

Beautifull!!! What a pity that from 0:55 until 1:08 the microphone changed. Maybe just a switch. But the quality changes very much. But never the less. Very much in tune and so nice performance practice. Very well done!!!

[@alipitogen]

First time hearing this lot.....Wow! Seem like Britain's (and I'm presuming Britain's) answer to Beauty Farm. Is there no end to the amount of talented Renaissance singing groups emerging? Hope not! Only quibble is there is a little bit too much of the building in the sound. I know it's a proper setting but a little more intimate space would show off both the voices and the polyphonic lines better.

[@us-Bahn]

Excellent blend. Singing in an empty Ely Cathedral certainly isn’t going to hurt a performance. The final mix made the bass sound like he was there in spirit, not in body. More definition, more presence, & more diction on the bottom is needed. But overall very nice to listen to.

[@johnwhiteii5832]

Dear lord the camera edits are terrible. Breakout part? Nah, here’s the dude beside you or the conductor’s back. Sublime version though.

[@IlGattonero13]

Gorgeous piece, beautifully performed. However, the video editing is abrupt and distracting.

[@Zequito100]

Great group !! Could someone tell me how the audio was recorded? Just those two mics?

[@williamlewis8741]

I just found this rendition. it's quite nice. when i was younger i heard that rendition by the Waverly Consort (michael jaffee)... the harmonies are pure are there other recordings of this motet ? thank you

[@karolukaszewski2311]

😢

[@gwalaus]

Was one of the Gesualdo six sick? There are only 5. Seriously though, they could put a second singer on the bass part; it would enrich the whole sound.

[@andriesgouws6217]

Music apparently composed circa 1612

[@0xSol_Invictus]

This looks like the Gesualdo Five?

[@adrianwright8685]

six?

[@debrabrabenec]

It is a five part motet.

[@dirkjanriezebos2240]

The sound is beautiful, but I suspect this has added reverb..so not entirely natural.

[@mavisemberson8737]

In an empty English Cathedral.? This one at Ely is very large Many groups try to use medieval churches. because of the stone architecture gives this effect. No timber pews or curtains.

[@blinkvideo]

Can't figure out why you need a director.

[@parzenbua]

King david was in war with his son absalom, wasn't he?

[@arnoutmalfliet4913]

indeed. With 'Abba-Sjalom' (Father of peace). As if the word means war. (Like 'Jeru-Sjalom').

[@parzenbua]

@@arnoutmalfliet4913 Thank you