Arnold Cooke(1906-2005): "an English Hindemithian"?

[Dundonnell]

The first decade of the Twentieth Century was marked by the births of a number of  composers who made a very substantial contribution to British music and to the symphony in particular.

From Alan Bush in 1900 to William Wordsworth in 1908 the list includes Rubbra, Walton, Lennox Berkeley, Alwyn, Rawsthorne, Tippett, Arnold Cooke, Frankel, Grace Williams as well as composers like Gerald Finzi, Constant Lambert, Elizabeth Maconchy, Elizabeth Lutyens and Howard Ferguson.

The two symphonists who, in my opinion, have been most seriously neglected to date are Arnold Cooke and William Wordsworth.

Albion has written enthusiastically about Cooke in his thread on British Ballet Music.
Cooke was a Yorkshireman. He studied at Cambridge and in Berlin from 1929 to 1932 under Hindemith. Cooke was a Professor at the Royal Manchester College of Music and at Trinity College of Music, London from 1947 until 1978.

Cooke wrote six symphonies: Nos. 1 and 3 were recorded by Lyrita with the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Nicholas Braithwaite(No. 3 is the coupling on the cd containing Havergal Brian's Symphonies Nos. 6 and 16). Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5 should be available for download from this forum soon.
There are six Concertos: for Piano, Violin, Cello, Clarinet, Oboe and for Treble Recorder. The Clarinet Concerto was issued by Hyperion some years ago, the Cello Concerto is available here, the Violin and Oboe Concertos will shortly join the Downloads Section.
Cooke composed a Concerto for Orchestra, a Concerto for String Orchestra, a Ballet "Jabez and the Devil"(these last two on the same Lyrita disc as the First Symphony), two operas, some choral music and a considerable body of chamber works.

His death in 2005 at the great age of 98 was marked by respectful and admiring obituaries in the British national press.

Why is he worth more attention? Well, first of all, Havergal Brian in 1936 hailed Cooke as among the most promising of his generation of British composers. Perhaps Cooke never fully lived up to that commendation but the appellation of "an English Hindemithian" is at best misleading. Hindemith did leave his mark on Cooke but there is in fact something quintessentially English about Cooke's under-stated, "non-flashy" lyricism. Cooke largely avoids the 'grand gesture', although the symphonies certainly do not lack powerful moments . His music is not 'romantic' per se but its conservative, timeless charm should appeal to many if given the proper opportunity. Like Rubbra's music, Cooke's does not necessarily reveal its nature and quality easily but it has that capacity to grow in one's estimation the more often it is listened to.

I join with Albion in recommending those who might be interested but have not yet explored Cooke to give him a try

[albion]

Great post, Colin.

Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5 should be available for download from this forum soon [together with] the Violin and Oboe Concertos

Absolutely fantastic - many thanks.

the appellation of "an English Hindemithian" is at best misleading. Hindemith did leave his mark on Cooke but there is in fact something quintessentially English about Cooke's under-stated, "non-flashy" lyricism.

Quite, there is certainly that elusive quality in Cooke's music which defines it as English or (British) - the preparatory drawing and use of perspective may be Hindemith but the colouring and handling of the palette knife is most definitely Cooke.

[Alan Howe]

My first encounter with Cooke's music was through the Lyrita CD containing Symphony No.1. This work is one of the finest 20th-century British symphonies; not immediately impressive like Walton, it gives up its secrets more slowly, yet its subtleties and attractions are immense and speak of a composer of deep thought. Unlike Hindemith, whose symphonies don't really move symphonically (if you know what I mean), with Cooke you sense real symphonic growth and development. A composer ripe for rediscovery...

[Dundonnell]

My first encounter with Cooke's music was through the Lyrita CD containing Symphony No.1. This work is one of the finest 20th-century British symphonies; not immediately impressive like Walton, it gives up its secrets more slowly, yet its subtleties and attractions are immense and speak of a composer of deep thought. Unlike Hindemith, whose symphonies don't really move symphonically (if you know what I mean), with Cooke you sense real symphonic growth and development. A composer ripe for rediscovery...

Yes...Robert Simpson was one of those who actually seemed to dispute that Hindemith (or Stravinsky, for that matter) had actually written symphonies at all
Calling a work a 'symphony' was not enough, Simpson argued; there had to be proper symphonic development. As you say, Cooke's symphonies have that.

[Alan Howe]

My view of what is truly symphonic - as opposed to what is merely called symphonic - has been heavily influenced by Simpson's writings, I must admit. I agree with him about Hindemith and see what he means about Stravinsky, although I am very partial to the latter's Symphony in Three Movements and Symphony in C, finding myself drawn to their utter individuality and rhythmic drive.

[Mark Thomas]

My only exposure to Cooke is his Symphonies Nos.1 and 3 and, to echo what has already been written, I have been hugely impressed by them. The 20th century British symphony is fare about which I am much more equivocal than some. Most of the products of this school I can take or leave. Cooke though, even (or rather especially) in his First, struck me as having a truly symphonic voice which, coupled with a nice line in understatement, makes for an impressive listen and music which, as Alan has said, doesn't give up everything it has to offer on first hearing. The prospect of hearing other works by him is a truly exciting one. Thanks in advance, Colin.

[albion]

Calling a work a 'symphony' was not enough, Simpson argued

I'm afraid I'm rather more laissez-faire about symphonic procedure - if there is rigorous thematic working-out and structural cogency, fine and good, but alternatively if there is ambition, plenty of atmosphere and some sense of a journey (whether achieved though orchestral colour or emotional engagement) I'm equally content. Fortuitously, Cooke scores highly on all counts.

[Dundonnell]

britishcomposer has reminded us in another thread that this is the 105th anniversary of Cooke's birth.

Here is a list of the Cooke orchestral and major choral compositions which have never been commercially recorded nor are available on this site:

Cantata "Holderneth"(1933-34) for chorus, baritone and orchestra: 30 minutes
Concert Overture No.1(1934): 8 minutes
Passacaglia, Scherzo and Finale for string orchestra(1937): 15 minutes
Four Shakespeare Sonnets for soprano and string orchestra(1941): 11 minutes
Song for tenor and orchestra(1945): 6 minutes
Concert Overture No.2 "Processional"(1945): 8 minutes
Sinfonietta for chamber orchestra(1954): 25 minutes
Concerto for Treble Recorder and String Orchestra(1957): 15 minutes
Concerto for small orchestra(1960): 18 minutes
Symphony No.2(1963): 32 minutes
Ode on St. Cecilia's Day: a Cantata for chorus, soloists and orchestra(1964): 28 minutes
York Suite for recorders, string orchestra, timpani and percussion(1973): 9 minutes
Clarinet Concerto No.2(1981-82): 25 minutes
Symphony No.6(1983-84): 31 minutes
Repton Fantasia for orchestra(1984): 14 minutes

The 'big' works in this list are obviously the Symphony No.2, the Symphony No.6, the Sinfonietta, the Clarinet Concerto No.2 and the Ode on St. Cecilia's Day. (I think the Holderneth Cantata was withdrawn).

[albion]

Here is a list of the Cooke orchestral and major choral compositions which have never been commercially recorded nor are available on this site

Thanks for this list - some grave omissions here!

Cantata "Holderneth"(1933-34) for chorus, baritone and orchestra: 30 minutes
Concert Overture No.1(1934): 8 minutes

(I think the Holderneth Cantata was withdrawn).

Havergal Brian singled out these two pieces, especially the cantata, for praise in his appreciation of Cooke (Musical Opinion, July 1936). According to the musicweb Arnold Cooke pages, the score of Holderneth is at least registered with the publisher Anglo American.

[Dundonnell]

I was in error in suggesting that Cooke's Divertimento for Treble Recorder and String Orchestra of 1959 had not been recorded.

It is available on Dutton Epoch CDLX 7191

[Christo]

I agree strongly with all those, here, who regard Cooke a major symphonist. Of the symphonies on cd (1 and 3), especially the impressive First is truly symphonic, also in the (I am among those who grew up with Robert Simpson's `The Symphony' part two, a Pelican book. I received a copy as a friend's gift back in 1982 and followed it for years as a personal guide through the world of the modern symphony - helping me very much to `discover' for myself names like Holmboe, Brian, even Schmidt - long before I met other people with similar weird preferences in forums like this one. :-)) sense of Robert Simpson. [oofff]

From what I heard, so far, of the Fourth (1974) and Fifth (1979), that I both downloaded from this site - many thanks indeed, Colin! - I would say that he continued that line. Indeed, very much so, because the Fifth is basically in the same idiom as the First (from 1947).

BTW, I also own a rare cd with his Concerto for Recorder and String Orchestra (1957) in four movements, played by John Tyson with `Collaborating Artits' [sic] and recorded in Wellesley, Massachusetts in 1987/1988. It was released in 1990 on Titanic Ti-169.

For years, it was the only Cooke I owned on cd, and I bought it because I remembered and cherished the old Lyrita LP with his Third Symphony (1967) and the Suite from Jabez and Devil. But only with the belated release of the fine recording of the First Symphony on Lyrita, a couple of years ago (belated, because the recording dates from February 1989!), did I realize what a major voice Cooke is. And that he had only died in 2005, short of his 98th birthday ..

[albion]

Yes, we are very lucky to have a number of Arnold Cooke's works in the BMB archive -

Piano Concerto (1940); Concerto for Oboe and String Orchestra (1954); Violin Concerto (1958); Variations on a Theme of Dufay (Ce moys de may) (1966); Cello Concerto (1972-73); Symphony No.4 in E flat (1974); Symphony No.5 in G (1978-79); Concerto for Orchestra (1986)

He surely deserves a comprehensive series of recordings by a major label, along with Daniel Jones, William Wordsworth, Peter Racine Fricker and Ruth Gipps.

[Dundonnell]

Could you add Alan Bush and Iain Hamilton, please