John Blow

John Blow ( baptized February 23, 1649 in Newark-on -Trent, Nottinghamshire, † October 1, 1708 in Westminster, London) was an English composer.

John Blow was a boy chorister in the Chapel Royal. In 1669 he was appointed organist at Westminster Abbey, where he was probably replaced in 1680 by his pupil Henry Purcell. In 1673 he was Gentleman of the Chapel Royal. In September of the same year he married Elizabeth Braddock, who died in childbirth ten years later.

In 1687, he took over the leadership of the choir of St Paul's Cathedral. After the death of Purcell in 1695 he took over the post at Westminster Abbey again. In 1699 he was the first of the newly established post of composers of the Chapel Royal.

His most famous work is the Masque Blows Venus and Adonis, which is considered the first genuine English opera, and Purcell's Dido and Aeneas has significantly influenced. The main part of his work consists but of church music. 110 Anthems and Services fourteen come from his pen. In addition Blow composed odes on various occasions like New Year's Day or for Cecilia hard.

Blow died in 1708 at his home in Broad Sanctuary, and was buried in the north apse of the Westminster Abbey.

Discography

• Venus and Adonis, with Rosemary Joshua, Harmonia Mundi, Arles, 1999.