John Blow: Anthems on 2 CDs

John Blow war zweifellos der führende Kirchenmusiker der Epoche der Restauration. Er gehörte zu der ursprünglichen Gruppe von Kindern, die 1660 von dem neuen Master of the Children (Meister der Kinder), Henry Cooke, für die Chapel Royal angeworben wurden. Er kehrte 1674 als Erwachsener an die Chapel zurück, als er in rascher Aufeinanderfolge Gentleman und Master of the Children wurde. 1676 wurde er, als Nachfolger von Christopher Gibbons, schließlich einer der drei Organisten der Chapel. Blow behielt diese Stellungen für den Rest seiner langen Karriere und unterrichtete Generationen von Chorknaben der Chapel Royal, einschließlich Henry Purcell, Henry Hall, Daniel Purcell, William Croft und Jeremiah Clarke. Sein Beitrag zu der Musik der Chapel wurde 1700 anerkannt, als ihm die neu geschaffene Stellung als Composer of the Chapel Royal übertragen wurde. Blows Aktivitäten als Kirchenmusiker waren nicht auf die Chapel Royal beschränkt: 1668 wurde er Organist an der Westminster Abbey, und obwohl er 1679 die Stellung an Purcell weitergab (wahrscheinlich, weil er am Hof zu beschäftigt war), wurde er 1687 Organist an der neuen St. Paul’s Cathedral, und kehrte 1703 an die Westminster Abbey zurück.

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John Blow was unquestionably the leading church musician of the Restoration period. He was one of the original group of children recruited for the Chapel Royal in 1660 by the new Master of the Children, Henry Cooke; he rejoined the Chapel as an adult in 1674, when he became a Gentleman and Master of the Children in quick succession; and in 1676 he became one of the three organists of the Chapel, in succession to Christopher Gibbons. Blow retained these posts for the rest of his long career, and taught generations of Chapel Royal choristers, including Henry Purcell, Henry Hall, Daniel Purcell, William Croft and Jeremiah Clarke. His contribution to the music of the Chapel was recognized in 1700, when he was given the newly created post of Composer of the Chapel Royal. Blow’s activities as a church musician were not confined to the Chapel Royal: he became organist of Westminster Abbey in 1668, and although he passed the post on to Purcell in 1679 (presumably because he was too busy at court), he became organist of the new St Paul’s Cathedral in 1687, and returned to Westminster Abbey in 1703.

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'Well worth exploring' (BBC Music Magazine)

'Winchester Cathedral Choir is singing wonderfully well these days . . . One of the richest of all contributions to the excellent English Orpheus Series' (Gramophone)

'Performances that are not likely to be bettered soon. The sound is marvellous' (Fanfare, USA)

'When it comes to re-releases this is a great buy... This is an excellent vintage recording with Robin Blaze and Stephen Varcoe, just a couple of singers amongst a considerable feast of talent. The sound produced here is fabulous and the singing wonderful with crisp, rhythmic playing from Peter Holman's instrumental group' (Cathedral Music)

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