Benjamin Cooke

Full biography Benjamin Cooke

Benjamin Cooke (1734 - 14 September 1793) was an English composer , organist, and teacher. He was born on November 28, 1734, in London, England and died at the age of 58. He was buried in the west cloister of Westminster Abbey. He was known for his church music works, sonatas, and symphonies.

Cooke was appointed organist at St Martin-in-the-Fields Church in London in 1757 and moved to the Chapel Royal in 1762 to become a deputy organist. In 1775, he defeated his mentor, William Boyce, in a contest for the post of Master of the King's Music.

Cooke's work was well-respected during his time, and he was a prominent member of the musical community in England during the 18th century. He wrote a great deal of music, including odes, instrumental concertos, church music, pieces for organ and keyboard, and other assorted music for choir and orchestra. One his most notable works was his viola sonata in D major.

While his music is not as well-known today as some of his contemporaries, such as Handel or Mozart, Cooke's work was highly esteemed in his time and continues to be admired by scholars and enthusiasts of Baroque and early classical music today.