A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Blow, John

by William H. Husk

BLOW, John, Mus. Doc., born at North Collingham, Nottinghamshire, in 1648 [App. p.549 "There is a strong probability that he was born in London. A MS. note of Anthony à Wood's, in his 'Athenae Oxon.' shows that Dr. Rogers told Wood that this was the case, and the registers of North Collingham in Nottinghamshire do not confirm the statement that Blow was born there"], was one of the first set of Children of the Chapel Royal on its re-establishment in 1660, his master being Captain Henry Cooke. Whilst yet a chorister he commenced composition; the words of three anthems produced by 'John Blow, one of the Children of His Majesty's Chapel,' are contained in Clifford's 'Divine Hymns and Anthems,' 1663, and an anthem with orchestral accompaniments composed by him in conjunction with Pelham Humfrey and William Turner, two of his fellow choristers, is still extant. On leaving the choir Blow became a pupil of John Hingeston, and subsequently of Dr. Christopher Gibbons. That he soon rose to great eminence is evidenced by the fact of his being chosen in 1669, at twenty-one years of age, organist of Westminster Abbey (a post not then a life appointment), but in 1680 he was displaced to make room for Henry Purcell. On the death of Purcell, in 1695, Blow was reappointed, and held the place until his death. On March 16, 1674, he was sworn in one of the gentlemen of the Chapel Royal in the room of the Rev. Roger Hill, deceased, and on July 21, 1674, was appointed master of the children of the chapel in succession to Pelham Humfrey, who died a week previously. Some [App. p.549 "Two"] years later he became one of the organists of the chapel. In 1685 he was appointed as one of the king's private music, and to the honorary office of Composer to the King. In 1687 he succeeded Michael Wise as almoner and master of the choristers of St. Paul's Cathedral, which offices he resigned in 1693 in favour of his pupil, Jeremiah Clarke. In 1699, on the establishment of the office of Composer to the Chapel Royal, Blow was installed in it. Dr. Blow was not a graduate of either university, his degree of Doctor of Music having been conferred on him by Sancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury. [App. p.549 "The statement that Blow was not a graduate of either university, requires confirmation. In the Music School at Oxford there was formerly a MS. which seemed to show that his degree was conferred at Oxford."] He married Elizabeth, only daughter of Edward Braddock, Gentleman and Clerk of the Cheque of the Chapel Royal and master of the choristers of Westminster Abbey. She died in childbirth Oct. 29, 1683, aged thirty, leaving one son and three daughters; the son, a boy of great promise, died June 2, 1693, aged fifteen; the daughters survived many years. Dr. Blow died Oct. 1, 1708, in the sixtieth year of his age, and was buried under the organ in the north aisle of Westminster Abbey, where a monument is erected to his memory. Dr. Blow was a very voluminous composer; his works comprise fourteen church-services, and upwards of one hundred anthems, nearly the whole of which are still extant, although but few are in print; sacred songs, duets, etc. (many of which are printed in Playford's 'Harmonia Sacra,' 1688 and 1714); odes for New Year's day, 1682, 1683, 1686, 1687, 1688, 1689, 1693 (?), 1694, and 1700; odes for St. Cecilia's day, 1684 (printed), 1691, [App. p.549 "1695,"] and 1700, besides two which cannot be assigned to any particular year; ode by Dryden on the death of Purcell, 1695; songs, with which the various collections of the period abound; catches, many of them printed in 'The Catch Club,' 'The Pleasant Musical Companion,' 1724, and other collections; organ pieces; 'Lessons for the Harpsichord,' 1698 (printed), and 1705 (printed with some by Purcell). In 1700 Blow published by subscription a collection of his songs, etc., under the title of 'Amphion Anglicus,' with his portrait prefixed. In the preface to this work he expressed his intention of publishing his church music, but unfortunately never accomplished his purpose, a circumstance much to be regretted, since it is upon those productions that his fame chiefly rests. Three services and eleven anthems of his are printed by Boyce. [App. p.549 "For further discussion of the questions raised above, the reader is referred to the Dict. of Nat. Biog."]

[ W. H. H. ]