John Cook (musician)
Encyclopedia
John Ernest Cook was an Anglo-American organist, composer and church musician.
on the 11th of October, 1918. After leaving St. John's School, Leatherhead
, he entered Christ's College, Cambridge
as an organ scholar
where he came under the influence of Hugh Allen
and Boris Ord
. A conscientious objector to the second World War, he left his Cambridge studies prematurely to drive an ambulance during the Blitz of London.
Following the War, Cook spent three years at The Old Vic Theatre in London as an assistant to Herbert Menges. He also worked as a copyist for Ralph Vaughan Williams
on the score of the 1948 film Scott of the Antarctic and with Benjamin Britten
on his chamber opera Albert Herring.
and commenced his nine year association with the Stratford Festival as resident conductor and composer.
Cook left Ontario in 1962 to claim the coveted post of Organist and Choirmaster at Church of the Advent in Boston—a landmark Episcopal church in the Anglo-Catholic tradition. Having established himself as a gifted organist, conductor and composer, he joined the faculties of the Longy School of Music
in Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(M.I.T.).
Early life, education and early career
John Cook was born at Maldon, EssexMaldon, Essex
Maldon is a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon district and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation.Maldon is twinned with the Dutch town of Cuijk...
on the 11th of October, 1918. After leaving St. John's School, Leatherhead
St. John's School, Leatherhead
St. John's School, Leatherhead is a public school in Surrey, England. It has about 420 male pupils and 60 female pupils, and from 2010 it will be fully co-educational....
, he entered Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
as an organ scholar
Organ scholar
An organ scholar is a young musician employed as a part-time assistant organist at an institution where regular choral services are held. The idea of an organ scholarship is to provide the holder with playing, directing and administrative experience....
where he came under the influence of Hugh Allen
Hugh Allen
Hugh Allen is the name of several prominent people.*Hugh Allen Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1926 to 1935.*Hugh Allen English musician*Hugh Allen Meade former US Congressman....
and Boris Ord
Boris Ord
Boris Ord , born Bernhard Ord, was an English organist, composer and musical director best known as the choir master of King's College, Cambridge....
. A conscientious objector to the second World War, he left his Cambridge studies prematurely to drive an ambulance during the Blitz of London.
Following the War, Cook spent three years at The Old Vic Theatre in London as an assistant to Herbert Menges. He also worked as a copyist for Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams OM was an English composer of symphonies, chamber music, opera, choral music, and film scores. He was also a collector of English folk music and song: this activity both influenced his editorial approach to the English Hymnal, beginning in 1904, in which he included many...
on the score of the 1948 film Scott of the Antarctic and with Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
on his chamber opera Albert Herring.
Later career
In 1949 Cook was appointed as Organist and Choirmaster at Church of the Holy Trinity, Stratford-upon-Avon where he served for five years before accepting a similar post at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, Ontario. It was during this time that he joined the teaching faculty of the University of Western OntarioUniversity of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
and commenced his nine year association with the Stratford Festival as resident conductor and composer.
Cook left Ontario in 1962 to claim the coveted post of Organist and Choirmaster at Church of the Advent in Boston—a landmark Episcopal church in the Anglo-Catholic tradition. Having established himself as a gifted organist, conductor and composer, he joined the faculties of the Longy School of Music
Longy School of Music
The Longy School of Music of Bard College is a conservatory located near Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1915, it was one of the four independent degree-granting music schools in the Boston region along with the New England Conservatory, Berklee College of Music, and Boston...
in Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
(M.I.T.).
Illness and death
Having battled with diabetes for two decades, Cook died on 12 August 1984. A tribute concert was held at the Church of the Advent on 19 October that year and featured a chorus of his friends led by choirmaster James Busby and organists Marian Ruhl Metson and Barrie Cabena.Organ
- Improvisation on Veni Creator Spiritus (1956)
- Invocation and Allegro Giojoso (1956)
- Paean on Divinum Mysterium (1956)
- Five Studies in Form of a Sonata (1955) (dedicated to Healey WillanHealey WillanHealey Willan, was an Anglo-Canadian organist and composer. He composed more than 800 works including operas, symphonies, chamber music, a concerto, and pieces for band, orchestra, organ, and piano...
) - Fanfare (1952)
- Fantasy on A Scottish Psalm Tune, Martyrs. (1966)
- Variations on Alles ist an Gottes Segen (1967)
- Scherzo, Dance and Reflection (1965)
- Flourish and Fugue (1962)
- Mr. Purcell's Wedding March (1959) (Originally published as 'Hornpipe')
- Passacharlia (1963, 1980) (Originally published as 'Passacaglia')
- Concerto for Organ and Strings
- Chaconne in D minor (arr.) (1955)
- Chaconne from "King Arthur" (arr.) (1953)
Choral
- Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in D Major (1963)
- Author of Light (1960)
- Te Deum Laudamus (1965)
- Missa Brevis in D (1963)
- Fear No More the Heat O' the Sun
- Christ Is Our Cornerstone
- Morning Canticles
- O God, The King of Glory: Anthem for Ascensiontide
- A Short Mass for Men's Voices (MS) (1963)
- Te Deum Laudamus and Jubilate in G Major (1952)
Other
- Three Carols for Soprano
- Toccata for Organ and Brass
- Incidental music for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Broadway)
- Orchestration of The Green TableThe Green TableThe Green Table is the masterpiece of German choreographer Kurt Jooss, and his most popular work, depicting the futility of peace negotiations of the 1930s...
for Ballets JoossKurt JoossKurt Jooss was a famous ballet dancer and choreographer mixing classical ballet with theatre; he is also widely regarded as the founder of dance theatre or tanztheater...
.