Nights in armor is a suite for a cappella chorus which reflects on the themes of Arthurian legend as brought to verse by Alfred, Lord Tennyson in Idylls of the King. Each of the four songs takes the voice of a major character from the Idylls: Merlin, Lancelot, Tristram and King Arthur himself. Tristram's Madrigal is sung by Tristram to the fool Dagonet, when Dagonet accuses Tristram of breaking the knightly code by his amorous affair with Queen Isolt. Tristram's response contrasts with Lancelot's song (The knight and his queen), in that Tristram is apparently willing to live for the joys of the moment, in disregard of his code of honour.