Coke's father, Langton, was killed in the first battle of Ypres in October 1914, when Roger was two years old, and his body was never found.
Composer Biography
For Roger Sacheverell Coke's 21st birthday, his mother converted a coach house and stable block into a large music studio with a Steinway grand piano, where he did most of his composing.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Like Benjamin Britten and George Lloyd, Roger Sacheverell Coke found the English countryside, rather than London, to be the greatest inspiration for his creativity.
Composer Biography
Roger Sacheverell Coke was friends with and encouraged by several significant musicians, including Sergei Rachmaninoff, who visited Coke in Derbyshire and accepted the dedication of Coke's Second Symphony.
Composer Biography
Roger Sacheverell Coke, the composer, was born into an upper middle-class family with a strong military tradition, tracing their lineage back to King Edward III.
Composer Biography
Roger Sacheverell Coke suffered from mental health disorders and was homosexual, which was a criminal offense in the UK until the late 1960s, adding pressure to his life.
Compositional Technique
Roger Sacheverell Coke's Twenty-Four Preludes, dedicated to his mother, follow a sequence of rising fifths, with each prelude followed by one in the relative minor, allowing them to be performed singly or as a continuous sequence.
