Paean on "Divinum Mysterium"

John Ernest Cook (11 October 1918 – 12 August 1984) was an Anglo-American organist, composer and church musician. He was born at Maldon, Essex on 11 October 1918. After leaving St. John's School, Leatherhead, he entered Christ's College, Cambridge as an organ scholar where he came under the influence of Hugh Allen and Boris Ord (King's College). A conscientious objector to the second World War, he left his Cambridge studies prematurely to drive an ambulance during the Blitz of London. Following the War, he spent three years at The Old Vic Theatre in London, and also worked as a copyist for Ralph Vaughan Williams.

In 1949 Cook was appointed as Organist and Choirmaster at Church of the Holy Trinity, Stratford-upon-Avon where he served for five years before accepting a similar post at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, Ontario. It was during this time that he joined the teaching faculty of the University of Western Ontario. In 1962 he become Organist and Choirmaster at the Church of the Advent in Boston. He joined the faculties of the Longy School of Music in Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Having battled with diabetes for two decades, Cook died on 12 August 1984.

Other than his famous "Fanfare", I think the "Paean on 'Divinum mysterium" is probably Cook's most well-known piece.

Improvisatory in form, it shows the composer at his rhapsodic best, giving the famous plainsong melody a real workout, thaking through a number of keys with greatly varied colors and dynamics. The work ends with a brilliant toccata with the tune thundering away in the pedal. All-in-all, it's a very joyous and satisfying work.

The work was published by Novello in 1956 as part of their "Festal Voluntaries" series.

The score as well as a photo of John Cook is attached below. Also included as an image of the original plainsong setting.

The text is given in the First Comment.

Peace and blessings to All!