Benjamin Cooke
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Cooke was an English
composer
, organist
and teacher
.
Cooke was born in London
and named after his father, a music publisher based in Covent Garden
. From the age of nine, he was one of four boy sopranos who sang at performances of the Academy of Ancient Music
under the Academy's director Johann Christoph Pepusch
(now best known as the composer of the 'Beggar's Opera'), who also supervised the boys' education. In later life Cooke received doctoral degrees in music from both Oxford
and Cambridge
universities. He was a member of the Royal Society of Musicians
from 1760; his father, the music publisher of the same name, had also been a member.
He was the organist at Westminster Abbey
and master of the Abbey's choristers for over thirty years, as well as being the organist at the church of St Martins in the Fields. His Christmas Ode, written in a Handel
ian style, is one of his relatively few large-scale pieces to have been successfully revived in recent years. He is also the author of glees
such as In the Merry Month of May, Deh! Dove?, How Sleep the Brave and Hark! the Lark, as well as a variety of church music
and organ music. Very many of his musical autographs are now owned by the Royal College of Music
.
At Cooke's death, he was succeeded at the Abbey by Samuel Arnold
, while his son Robert Cooke (1768-1814) was appointed organist of St Martin's in the Fields. Robert Cooke eventually succeeded Arnold at the Abbey.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
and teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
.
Cooke was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and named after his father, a music publisher based in Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
. From the age of nine, he was one of four boy sopranos who sang at performances of the Academy of Ancient Music
Academy of Ancient Music
The Academy of Ancient Music is a period-instrument orchestra based in Cambridge, England. Founded by harpsichordist Christopher Hogwood in 1973, it was named after a previous organisation of the same name of the 18th century. The musicians play on either original instruments or modern copies of...
under the Academy's director Johann Christoph Pepusch
Johann Christoph Pepusch
Johann Christoph Pepusch , also known as John Christopher Pepusch and Dr Pepusch, was a German-born composer who spent most of his working life in England....
(now best known as the composer of the 'Beggar's Opera'), who also supervised the boys' education. In later life Cooke received doctoral degrees in music from both Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
universities. He was a member of the Royal Society of Musicians
Royal Society of Musicians
The Royal Society of Musicians of Great Britain is a charity in the United Kingdom that supports musicians. It is the oldest music-related charity in Great Britain, founded in 1738 as the "Fund for Decay'd Musicians" by a declaration of trust signed by 228 musicians, including Edward Purcell ,...
from 1760; his father, the music publisher of the same name, had also been a member.
He was the organist at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
and master of the Abbey's choristers for over thirty years, as well as being the organist at the church of St Martins in the Fields. His Christmas Ode, written in a Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
ian style, is one of his relatively few large-scale pieces to have been successfully revived in recent years. He is also the author of glees
Glee (music)
A glee is an English type of part song spanning the late baroque, classical and early romantic periods. It is usually scored for at least three voices, and generally intended to be sung unaccompanied. Glees often consist of a number of short, musically contrasted movements and their texts can be...
such as In the Merry Month of May, Deh! Dove?, How Sleep the Brave and Hark! the Lark, as well as a variety of church music
Church music
Church music may be defined as music written for performance in church, or any musical setting of ecclestiacal liturgy, or music set to words expressing propositions of a sacred nature, such as a hymn. This article covers music in the Judaeo-Christian tradition. For sacred music outside this...
and organ music. Very many of his musical autographs are now owned by the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
.
At Cooke's death, he was succeeded at the Abbey by Samuel Arnold
Samuel Arnold (composer)
Samuel Arnold was an English composer and organist.Arnold was born in London , and began writing music for the theatre in about 1764. A few years later he became director of music at the Marylebone Gardens, for which much of his popular music was written...
, while his son Robert Cooke (1768-1814) was appointed organist of St Martin's in the Fields. Robert Cooke eventually succeeded Arnold at the Abbey.