Benjamin Rogers (musician)

Benjamin Rogers (1614–1698) was an English organist and composer, widely known in Europe in his time. Modern taste prefers his consort music, where his reputation in the 18th century was for liturgical music and anthems. His Hymnus Eucharisticus beginning Te O Patrem colimus is sung annually on Magdalen Tower on May day morning.

Born at Windsor, and baptised at the church of New Windsor on 2 June 1614, he was son of George Rogers of Windsor. He was a chorister of St. George's Chapel under Nathaniel Giles, and then a lay clerk.

In 1639 Rogers succeeded Randolph Jewett as organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. The outbreak of the Irish rebellion of 1641 drove him back to England, and he returned as singingman to Windsor; the choral services there were discontinued around 1644. Occupied with composition and teaching, Rogers maintained himself, with the help of a small government allowance, in the neighbourhood of Windsor.

With Oliver Cromwell's mandate, dated 28 May 1658 and probably through Nathaniel Ingelo, Rogers obtained the degree of Bac. Mus. at Cambridge. For the city banquet given to Charles II to celebrate the English Restoration of 1660, he supplied the music both to a hymn by Ingelo and to Psalm 32. He was reappointed lay clerk of St. George's Chapel, was substitute at the organ for William Child, and played the cornett.

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