A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Rogers, Benjamin

by William Henry Husk

ROGERS, Benjamin, Mus. Doc., son of Peter Rogers, lay-clerk of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, was born at Windsor in 1614. He was a chorister of St. George's under Dr. Giles, and afterwards a lay-clerk there. [App. p.733 "add that he succeeded Jewitt in the appointment to Christ Church, Dublin, in 1639."] He next became organist of Christ Church, Dublin, where he continued until the rebellion in 1641, when he returned to Windsor and obtained a lay-clerk's place there; but on the breaking up of the choir in 1644 he taught music in Windsor and its neighbourhood, and obtained some compensation for the loss of his appointment. In 1653 he composed some airs in 4 parts for violins and organ, which were presented to the Archduke Leopold, afterwards Emperor of Germany, and favourably received by him. In 1658 he was admitted Mus. Bac. at Cambridge [App. p.733 "refer, as to his degree, to Carlyle's 'Oliver Cromwell,' v. 243, 4 (People's Edition)"]. In 1660 he composed a 'Hymnus Eucharisticus' in 4 parts, to words by Dr. Nathaniel Ingelo, which was performed at Guildhall when Charles II. dined there on July 5.^[1] About the same time he became organist of Eton College. On Oct. 21, 1662, he was reappointed a lay-clerk at St. George's, Windsor, his stipend being augmented by half the customary amount; and he also received out of the organist's salary £1 per month as deputy organist. On July 22, 1664, he was appointed Informator Choristarum and organist of Magdalen College, Oxford. On July 8, 1669, he proceeded Mus. Doc. at Oxford. In Jan. 1685 he was removed from his place at Magdalen College on account of irregularities, the College however assuring to him an annuity of £30 for life. He survived until June, 1698, on the 21st of which month he was buried at St. Peter-le-Bailey. His widow, whom the College had pensioned with two-thirds of his annuity, survived him only seven months, and was laid by his side Jan. 5, 1699.—Rogers composed much church music; four services are printed in the collections of Boyce, Rimbault, and Sir F. Ouseley; another, an Evening Verse Service in G, appears to be at Ely in MS. Some anthems were printed in 'Cantica Sacra,' 1674, and by Boyce and Page; and many others are in MS. in the books of various cathedrals and college chapels. Four glees are contained in Playford's 'Musical Companion,' 1673, and many instrumental compositions in 'Courtly Masquing Ayres,' 1662. His 'Hymnus Eucharisticus' (the first stanza of which, commencing 'Te Deum Patrem colimus,' is daily sung in Magdalen College Hall by way of grace after dinner, and is printed in the Appendix to Hawkins's History) is sung annually on the top of Magdalen tower at five in the morning of May 1. His service in D and some of his anthems, which are pleasing and melodious in character, are still sung in cathedrals.

[ W. H. H. ]

1. This hymn was different from that, bearing the same title, which Rogers afterwards set for Magdalen College, Oxford.