David’s Lamentation

SATB, a cappella

David’s Lamentation is my way of celebrating the legacy of American tunesmith William Billings (1746-1800). During his lifetime, he was somewhat of a peculiar character—one of his contemporaries wrote that he was “a singular man, of moderate size, short of one leg, with one eye, without any address & with an uncommon negligence of person”—but his contribution to the musical history of the United States is undeniable; he was friends with Paul Revere. I love many of his works, but his setting of the Biblical story of King David and his son, Absalom, has always been one of my favorites; it’s a devastating story about the consequences of a rift between a father and son. This work is a "dressing up” of sorts of Billings’s brilliant and moving work with some turn-of-the-twenty-first-century harmonies.

David’s Lamentation was commissioned by the Tipton High School Concert Choir (Dr. Andrew Last, conductor) and received its premiere on October 22, 2001. It is dedicated with love to maestro Last as well as Shelly Schaeufele.

The Text

From the Bible (II Samuel 18:33)

When David heard that Absalom was slain he went up into his chamber over the gate and wept, my son, my son, O Absalom my son, would God I had died for thee!