Cook was assistant organist of Gloucester Cathedral (1932–1937)[3] and was also organist of All Saints' Church, Cheltenham (1935–1937). In 1937 or 1938, aged 25, he was appointed choirmaster and organist at Leeds Parish Church. (See also Choir of Leeds Parish Church). During the war he served with the Royal Artillery in the Orkney Islands, East Africa, India and the Far East, and it was during this period that he met his wife Marion in Scotland.
By 1946 he had returned to Leeds, during which time he performed on national radio both as a solo organist and choirmaster. He worked as director of the Parish Church Choir where he broadened the musical repertoire of Leeds Parish Church, introducing more unaccompanied music. He was also organist at the Leeds Triennial Festivals in the late 1940s and early to mid-1950s. He became conductor of the Halifax Choral Society in 1948, and founded the Leeds Guild of Singers in the same year. In December 1956 he took up the post of Organist and Master of the Choristers at Hereford Cathedral, where he was principal conductor at the Hereford Three Choirs Festival in 1958, 1961 and 1964.[4]
In 1966 he emigrated to Canada to become director of the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir[5] and organist and choirmaster at All Saints' Anglican Church, Winnipeg.[6] He was the organist and choirmaster (1967–1986) at the Metropolitan United Church, Toronto, where he organized organ recitals, chamber concerts, choral performances, and presented a number of oratorios with the Metropolitan Festival Choir and Orchestra.[7][8] He taught organ (1974–1977) at McMaster University in Hamilton.[9]
Retirement and death
Melville Cook retired to Cheltenham in 1986 and remained there until his death in 1993. A memorial service for Dr Cook was held at Leeds Parish Church in the autumn of 1993.[10]
Compositions
I Love All Beauteous Things (Stainer & Bell 1935)
West Sussex Drinking Song (TTBB chorus a cappella, Curwen 1956)
Antiphon of Darkness and Light (Novello 1973)
The Character of a Happy Life (Leslie 1990)
Arrangements
The Secret Flower. Harmonized by Martin Shaw, Accompaniment and Descant by Melville Cook
Recordings
Leeds Parish Church (RCA VICS 1624)
Hereford Cathedral (RCA LVLI 5019, RCA VPS 1065)
Great Cathedral Organ Series. Record Number 11: Hereford Cathedral. Melville Cook, Organist. His Masters Voice/EMI: HMV Q CLP3565 0 CSD3565. Recorded 1968. John Bull (Ed. Glyn): Pavana Sinfoniae. S. S. Wesley: Larghetto in F sharp minor. Joseph Jongen: Sonata Eroica, Op. 94. Jean Langlais: Incantation pour un jour saint. Flor Peeters: Aria, Op. 51. Maurice Duruflé: Prélude et Fugue sur le nom d'Alain, Op. 7.
Selections from EMI Great Cathedral Organ Series, Volume Two. Hereford Cathedral. Melville Cook, Organist. PHI CD 161. Maurice Duruflé: Prélude et Fugue sur le nom d'Alain, Opus 7. S. S. Wesley: Larghetto in F sharp minor. Joseph Jongen: Sonata Eroica, Op. 94.
Selections from EMI Great Cathedral Organ Series, Volume Four. Hereford Cathedral. Melville Cook, Organist. PHI CD 163. Melville Cook (Hereford Cathedral). Flor Peeters: Aria.
Toronto: Metropolitan Silver Band and the Danforth Citadel Band (Cathedral Brass, 1973, Metropolitan Silver Band STM-0473)
Stabat Mater by Joseph Haydn. Metropolitan Festival Choir and Orchestra, Janet Stubbs, mezzo-soprano, tenor Ronald Murdock (1988?, Stereodyne/Audio Ideas) (The performance was on October 28, 1978)
Literature
The Organists and Organs of Hereford Cathedral: Watkins Shaw and Roy Massey. Hereford: Hereford Cathedral Organ Committee, 2005. First published in 1976.
References
^"Obituary: Melville Cook". The Independent, DONALD WEBSTER, 26 May 1993
^The American Organist. Vol. 27, Issues 7-12. American Guild of Organists; 1993. p. 53.
^The Three Choirs Festival: A History. Boydell & Brewer; 2017. ISBN978-1-78327-209-9. p. 221–.
melville, cook, confused, with, zealand, rugby, league, player, cooke, alfred, june, 1912, 1993, british, organist, conductor, composer, teacher, gloucester, cathedral, 1920, city, where, born, sang, chorister, assistant, organist, contents, early, life, educa. Not to be confused with the New Zealand rugby league player Mel Cooke Alfred Melville Cook 18 June 1912 22 May 1993 was a British organist conductor composer and teacher 1 Gloucester Cathedral in 1920 a city where Melville Cook was born sang as a chorister and was assistant organist Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Retirement and death 4 Compositions 5 Arrangements 6 Recordings 7 Literature 8 References 9 External linksEarly life and education EditCook was born in Gloucester He was a chorister at Gloucester Cathedral 1923 1928 and articled pupil there under Herbert Sumsion 1929 1932 He also studied with Herbert Brewer and Edward Bairstow He held the ARCO 1931 and the FRCO with the Harding Prize 1931 He studied at Durham University receiving the B Mus in 1934 and D Mus in 1940 2 Career EditCook was assistant organist of Gloucester Cathedral 1932 1937 3 and was also organist of All Saints Church Cheltenham 1935 1937 In 1937 or 1938 aged 25 he was appointed choirmaster and organist at Leeds Parish Church See also Choir of Leeds Parish Church During the war he served with the Royal Artillery in the Orkney Islands East Africa India and the Far East and it was during this period that he met his wife Marion in Scotland By 1946 he had returned to Leeds during which time he performed on national radio both as a solo organist and choirmaster He worked as director of the Parish Church Choir where he broadened the musical repertoire of Leeds Parish Church introducing more unaccompanied music He was also organist at the Leeds Triennial Festivals in the late 1940s and early to mid 1950s He became conductor of the Halifax Choral Society in 1948 and founded the Leeds Guild of Singers in the same year In December 1956 he took up the post of Organist and Master of the Choristers at Hereford Cathedral where he was principal conductor at the Hereford Three Choirs Festival in 1958 1961 and 1964 4 In 1966 he emigrated to Canada to become director of the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir 5 and organist and choirmaster at All Saints Anglican Church Winnipeg 6 He was the organist and choirmaster 1967 1986 at the Metropolitan United Church Toronto where he organized organ recitals chamber concerts choral performances and presented a number of oratorios with the Metropolitan Festival Choir and Orchestra 7 8 He taught organ 1974 1977 at McMaster University in Hamilton 9 Retirement and death EditMelville Cook retired to Cheltenham in 1986 and remained there until his death in 1993 A memorial service for Dr Cook was held at Leeds Parish Church in the autumn of 1993 10 Compositions EditI Love All Beauteous Things Stainer amp Bell 1935 West Sussex Drinking Song TTBB chorus a cappella Curwen 1956 Antiphon of Darkness and Light Novello 1973 The Character of a Happy Life Leslie 1990 Arrangements EditThe Secret Flower Harmonized by Martin Shaw Accompaniment and Descant by Melville CookRecordings EditLeeds Parish Church RCA VICS 1624 Hereford Cathedral RCA LVLI 5019 RCA VPS 1065 Great Cathedral Organ Series Record Number 11 Hereford Cathedral Melville Cook Organist His Masters Voice EMI HMV Q CLP3565 0 CSD3565 Recorded 1968 John Bull Ed Glyn Pavana Sinfoniae S S Wesley Larghetto in F sharp minor Joseph Jongen Sonata Eroica Op 94 Jean Langlais Incantation pour un jour saint Flor Peeters Aria Op 51 Maurice Durufle Prelude et Fugue sur le nom d Alain Op 7 Selections from EMI Great Cathedral Organ Series Volume Two Hereford Cathedral Melville Cook Organist PHI CD 161 Maurice Durufle Prelude et Fugue sur le nom d Alain Opus 7 S S Wesley Larghetto in F sharp minor Joseph Jongen Sonata Eroica Op 94 Selections from EMI Great Cathedral Organ Series Volume Four Hereford Cathedral Melville Cook Organist PHI CD 163 Melville Cook Hereford Cathedral Flor Peeters Aria Toronto Metropolitan Silver Band and the Danforth Citadel Band Cathedral Brass 1973 Metropolitan Silver Band STM 0473 Stabat Mater by Joseph Haydn Metropolitan Festival Choir and Orchestra Janet Stubbs mezzo soprano tenor Ronald Murdock 1988 Stereodyne Audio Ideas The performance was on October 28 1978 Literature EditThe Organists and Organs of Hereford Cathedral Watkins Shaw and Roy Massey Hereford Hereford Cathedral Organ Committee 2005 First published in 1976 References Edit Obituary Melville Cook The Independent DONALD WEBSTER 26 May 1993 The American Organist Vol 27 Issues 7 12 American Guild of Organists 1993 p 53 The Three Choirs Festival A History Boydell amp Brewer 2017 ISBN 978 1 78327 209 9 p 221 Musart Vol 12 14 The Association 1959 p 7 Peter Letkemann The Ben Horch Story Old Oak Publishing 2007 ISBN 978 0 9784686 0 6 p 370 Don Ewing As I Recall Lulu com August 2009 ISBN 978 0 578 01275 9 p 528 Music the AGO amp RCCO Magazine Vol 11 American Guild of Organists 1977 p 59 Musical Opinion Vol Volume 111 Issues 1321 1326 Musical Opinion 1988 p 82 Music the AGO amp RCCO Magazine Vol 10 American Guild of Organists 1976 p 25 The Organ Vol 72 Issue 290 Volume 73 Musical Opinion 1992 p 121 External links Edit Melville Cook The Canadian Encyclopedia Melville Cook in the National Archives Photo of Hereford Cathedral OrganistsCultural officesPreceded byMeredith Davies Master of the Choristers and Organist Hereford Cathedral1950 1956 Succeeded byRichard Hey Lloyd Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Melville Cook amp oldid 1115634420, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
