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Scan 107
Grove's Dictionary of music and musicians, 1927
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1ALCOCK, (1) JOHN, Mus. D. (b. London, Apr. 11, 1715; d. Lichfield, Feb. 1806), an organist and composer of some distinction.
3His career began at seven years of age as a chorister of St. Paul's Cathedral under Charles King. At fourteen he became a pupil of Stanley, the blind organist. Alcock became in turn organist of St. Andrew's Church, Plymouth (1737), of St. Lawrence's Church, Reading (1742), and organist, master of the choristers and lay-vicar of Lichfield Cathedral (1750). On June 6, 1755, he took the degree of Bachelor of Music at Oxford, and in 1761 proceeded to that of Doctor. In 1760 he resigned the appointments of organist and master of the choristers of Lichfield, retaining only that of lay-vicar. He was organist of Sutton Coldfield Church (1761–86), and of St. Editha's, Tamworth (1766–90). During his residence at Plymouth, Alcock published 'Six Suites of Lessons for the Harpsichord' and 'Twelve Songs,' and whilst at Reading he published 'Six Concertos,' and a collection of 'Psalms, Hymns and Anthems.' In 1753 he published a 'Morning and Evening Service in E minor.' He likewise issued (in 1771) a volume containing 'Twenty-six Anthems,' a 'Burial Service,' etc. His generous action in handing over to Dr. GREENE (q.v.) the materials which he had collected for an edition of 'Cathedral Music' deserves record. He was the composer of a number of glees, a collection of which, under the title of 'Harmonia Festi,' he published about 1790. Glees of his composition won the Catch Club prizes in 1770, 1771 and 1772. Alcock edited a collection of Psalm Tunes by various authors, arranged for four voices, under the title of 'The Harmony of Sion,' 1752. His son, (2) JOHN, Mus.B. (b. circa 1740; d. Mar. 30, 1791), was organist of St. Mary Magdalen's, Newark-on-Trent, from 1758–68, and of the parish church of Walsall, from 1773 till his death. He published songs, anthems, etc.
5W. H. H.
7ALCOCK, WALTER GALPIN, Mus. D. (b. Edenbridge, Dec. 29, 1861), a distinguished organist who has composed some excellent church music.
9Alcock studied under Sullivan and Stainer at the National Training School of Music, 1876–1881, and afterwards held church organistships at Twickenham and London. He soon became assistant to Bridge at Westminster Abbey, and in that capacity took an increasingly important share in the music of the Abbey until 1916, when he accepted the organistship of Salisbury Cathedral, a post he still (1926) holds. Thus he played the organ at the Coronations of both King Edward VII. and King George V. After the latter he received the decoration M.V.O. Meantime he also held independent posts of considerable importance, Holy Trinity, Sloane St. (1895), the Chapel Royal (1902). In 1893 he joined the staff of the R.C.M. as teacher of the organ, where he has worked unremittingly, and has done much to reinforce the ideals of organ-playing promulgated by PARRATT (q.v.). Alcock's own performance—his finished technique, cleanness of phrasing and impeccable taste—places him in the first rank of English solo organists. He has done much recital work, though the greater part of his life has been spent in church music where his influence has been consistently exerted to the maintenance of a high tradition.
11His compositions for the Church include a Morning and Evening Service in Bb, a worthy member of the type represented by Stanford's Service in the same key, and several large anthems, 'Give the King thy Judgements' (Coronation, 1902), 'When the Lord turned again' (Festival of the Sons of the Clergy), 'And I heard a great Voice,' composed for the 700th anniversary (1920) of the foundation of Salisbury Cathedral. This last, based on the plain-song tune 'Urbs beata,' is a fine work more in the nature of a church cantata than an anthem. A Sanctus sung at the Coronation of King George should also be named.
13ALCUIN (b. Yorkshire, c. 735; d. Tours, May 19, 804), a pupil of the Venerable Bede, and of Egbert, Archbishop of York. He received several abbeys from Charlemagne, who made him his Grand Almoner. In 804 he retired to the Abbey of St. Martin, at Tours, where he died. His treatise, De musica, is published in Froben's edition of his works (Ratisbon, 1777) (D.N.B.).
15ALDAY, a family of musicians in France. The father (b. Perpignan, 1737) was a mandoline-player, and the two sons violinists.
17The elder of the two, (1) ALDAY L'AÎNÉ (b. 1763), appeared at the Concert Spirituel, first as mandoline-player when a child, and afterwards as violinist. He settled in Lyons and established a music business there about 1795. His works are numerous, and include a 'Méthode de violon,' which reached several editions. A descendant of his was member of the Opéra-Comique orchestra in 1860.
19(2) PAUL ALDAY, LE JEUNE (b. 1764; d. 1835), a pupil of Viotti, was a finer player than his brother, and achieved a great reputation. He played often at the Concert Spirituel up to 1791, when he came to England, and in 1806 was conductor and teacher of music in Edinburgh. He published 3 concertos for violin, 3 sets of duos, airs variés and trios. He went to Dublin in 1809, purchased a music business in Rhames Street in 1811, opened a musical academy in 1812, and was established as a professor of the violin in 1820.
21M. C. C., with addns.
23ALDOMAR (c. 1500), a Spanish composer, whose life is unknown, but whose secular
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