Role

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Composer

Genre

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Choral

 

Robert Cooke was a British composer who lived from 1880 to 1959. He was born in London and showed an early interest in music, learning to play the piano and violin as a child. He went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music, where he was a pupil of Frederick Corder and Tobias Matthay. Cooke's early works were influenced by the Romantic composers of the late 19th century, particularly Brahms and Wagner. He wrote a number of orchestral works, including a symphony and a tone poem, as well as chamber music and songs. His music was well received by critics and audiences alike, and he was seen as a promising young composer. In 1914, Cooke enlisted in the British Army and served in World War I. He was wounded in action and spent several months in hospital, during which time he continued to compose. After the war, he returned to London and resumed his career as a composer. Cooke's music underwent a significant change in the 1920s, when he became interested in the music of the Second Viennese School, particularly Schoenberg and Webern. He began to experiment with atonal and serial techniques, and his music became more dissonant and complex. This change in style was not universally popular, and some critics accused Cooke of abandoning his earlier Romantic style. Despite this criticism, Cooke continued to compose in his new style, and his works from this period include a number of string quartets, a piano sonata, and a violin concerto. He also wrote music for the theatre, including a ballet and several operas. Cooke's music was not widely performed during his lifetime, and he struggled to make a living as a composer. However, he continued to write prolifically, and his output includes over 200 works in a variety of genres. Today, Cooke's music is beginning to receive more attention, and there have been several recordings and performances of his works in recent years. His music is seen as an important contribution to the development of British classical music in the early 20th century, and his innovative use of atonal and serial techniques has been praised by some as ahead of its time.

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