Norman Cocker (1889 – 1953) was a British organist, choir master and composer of church music, educational and light music. Cocker was born in Yorkshire, England, and became a chorister at

Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the s ...

. He was awarded the Organ Scholarship at

Merton College, Oxford Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is one of the Colleges of Oxford University, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the ...

, but never completed his degree after being sent down, on his own admission, for not doing enough work. While at Oxford he conducted an ensemble called the Oxford University Light Music Orchestra, taking his amateur players through Archibald Joyce waltzes and selections from '' The Merry Widow''.'Mr Norman Cocker', in ''The Times'', 1 December 1953, p. 10 Norman Cocker held the diploma of

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, obtained by examination in July 1911, winning the Lafontaine Prize for the highest marks that session in the playing tests. In the First World War Cocker served with the 16th Lancashire Fusiliers. He also learned to play every instrument of the orchestra during the war years. He was appointed Assistant Organist at

Manchester Cathedral Manchester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George, in Manchester, England, is the mother church Mother church or matrice is a term depicting the Christian Church as a mother ...

in 1920 under Archibald W. Wilson, becoming Organist and choral master there in 1943, and later held appointments in various churches and cinemas in the city, including Organist at the

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in Oxford Street (demolished in 1990). Norman Cocker is today remembered mainly for his organ compositions, particularly ''Tuba Tune'' (1922), still often performed today and recorded many times. There is also a modern edition of four short organ pieces: ''Angelus'', ''Trio'', ''Interlude'' and ''Paean''. Other works include choral anthems and hymns, and also several symphonies especially written for school orchestras, including the orchestra at

Chetham's School Chetham's School of Music () is an independent co-educational music school in Manchester, England. Chetham's educates students between the ages of 8 and 18, all of whom enter via musical auditions. Students receive a full academic education alo ...

.Obituary, ''The Manchester Guardian'', 16 November 1953, p. 2Penny Williams.
Chetham's: Old and New in Harmony
' (1986), p. 78 Keith Swallow and John Wilson have recorded his ''Eight Piano Duets'', Op. 5 (1913-15).

', Campion Cameo CD 2036 (2006), reviewed at ''MusicWeb International'' Cocker was also an amateur magician and a good cook.

References

External links

Norman Cocker
at the IMSLP
''Tuba Tune'', played by Simon Johnson on the Willis organ at Hereford Cathedral
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cocker, Norman 1889 births 1953 deaths Musicians from Yorkshire British classical organists British male organists Cathedral organists British classical composers 20th-century organists 20th-century British male musicians Male classical organists Musicians from Manchester