John Alcock (11 April 1715,

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

– 23 February 1806) was an English organist and composer. He wrote instrumental music, glees and much church music.

Career

He was a pupil of John Stanley at

St. Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Gr ...

, and he earned a doctorate in music at the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

in 1766. Much detail of his life is included in his semi-autobiographical novel, ''The Life Of Miss Fanny Brown'' published under the pseudonym John Piper in 1771. He also held a position as private organist to the

Earl of Donegall Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...

. He was: *Organist of

St Andrew's Church, Plymouth The Minster Church of St Andrew, also known as St Andrew's Church, Plymouth is an Anglican church in Plymouth. It is the original parish church of Sutton, one of the three towns which were later combined to form the city of Plymouth. The church i ...

1737–1741 *Organist of

St Laurence's Church, Reading St Laurence's Church is a Church of England mission and former parish church in the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. It is situated alongside the site of Reading Abbey, formerly bounded by the main Compter Gate to the south and ...

1741–1750 *Organist of

Lichfield Cathedral Lichfield Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, one of only three cathedrals in the United Kingdom with three spires (together with Truro Cathedral and St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh), and the only medie ...

1750–1761 *Organist of

Holy Trinity Church, Sutton Coldfield Holy Trinity Parish Church is the parish church of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It is Grade I listed and gives its name to the ward in which it stands, Sutton Trinity. History The first church on the site is thought to have been buil ...

1761–1786 *Organist of St. Editha's Church, Tamworth 1766–1790Cathedral Organists, John E. West, London, Novello and Company, 1899.

Personal life

John Alcock married Margaret Beaumont (1711–1792) on 20 May 1737. They had several children, including their eldest son and fellow composer

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

(1740—1791) and youngest son and organist William (1756—1833).

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Alcock, John Cathedral organists English organists British male organists 1715 births 1806 deaths English classical composers Glee composers Classical composers of church music 18th-century classical composers 18th-century British male musicians 18th-century keyboardists English male classical composers 19th-century English musicians 19th-century British male musicians Male classical organists