A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Cogan, Philip

by George Arthur Crawford

COGAN, Philip, Mus. D. was born in Cork about 1750, and became a chorister and afterwards a member of the choir of St. Finbar's Cathedral in that city. In 1772 he was appointed a stipendiary in the choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, but soon resigned his post. In 1780 he became organist of St. Patrick's Cathedral, and about the same time obtained the degree of Mus. D. from the University of Dublin. He resigned the organistship of St. Patrick's in 1810, and resided in Dublin as a teacher of music, dying there at an advanced age. He was distinguished as a player on the organ and the harpsichord, as well as for his powers of fugue extemporization. He published several sonatas of merit, written somewhat in the manner of Mozart. Michael Kelly, who took lessons from Cogan about 1777, describes his execution as 'astounding.'

[ G. A. C. ]