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Timothy Roberts

John Blow
and his pupils

SFZM0207

Artists:
Timothy Roberts - organ
Julia Gooding, Clara Sanabras - sopranos
Richard Savage - bass

1. ?Henry Purcell 1659-1695 Voluntary on Old Hundredth
2. John Blow 1649-1708 A Hymn: Praise to Our God Proclaim (The Divine Companion, 1701)
3. Blow Voluntary in G (No. 10)*
4. Blow Cornet Voluntary in G (No. 29)
5. John Reading c.1685/6-1764 Psalm 8 with prelude and interludes (tune: St John’s, Hackney)
6. Blow Voluntary in D minor (No. 6)
7. Daniel Purcell d.1717 O Let My Mouth be Filled with Thy Praise
8. Blow Voluntary in C (No. 1)
9. Blow Voluntary in A minor (No. 23)
10. Blow Double Voluntary in C (No. 24)
11. William Richardson ?-? Funeral Anthem for the Use of Charity Children (1729)
12. Blow Voluntary in D minor (No. 8)
13. Blow Voluntary in D (No. 5b)
14. Blow Voluntary in G minor (No. 17)
15. Jeremiah Clarke 1674-1707 An Evening Hymn (The Divine Companion, 1701)
16. anon. (?Blow) Voluntary in G minor (No. 60)
17. Blow Voluntary in D minor (No. 7)
18. Purcell Voluntary in G
19. Reading Psalm 100 with prelude and interludes (tune: Old Hundredth)
20. Blow Voluntary in G (No. 16)
21. Blow Double Voluntary in D minor (No. 27)

Reviews

Church Music Quarterly - September 2009 ***

This unusual and exciting CD features music by Blow, Henry Purcell, his brother Daniel, John Reading, William Richardson, and Jeremiah Clarke. There are examples of organ voluntaries, hymns, metrical psalm settings, a solo anthem (Daniel Purcell's O let my Mouth be fill'd with Thy Praise) and Richardson's Funeral Anthem for the Use of Charity Children. The hymn and psalm settings incorporate organ interludes of the kind that were popular in the period. The vocal music is finely sung by a small ensemble and, on a couple of tracks, by the enthusiastic audience  at a recital given in 2006. The lion's share of the music is by Blow - and wonderful it is, too. His organ pieces are full of strange chromatic turns, piquant dissonances and deft counterpoint. Timothy Robert's playing exhibits a warm affinity with the music, making for a very enjoyable listening experience. Christopher Maxim

Early Music Review - August 2009

This is primarily a disc of Blow, presenting his organ music on a recently restored (by Goetze & Gwynn) organ, information on which is available at their website (www.goetzegwynn.co.uk). An unusual feature is the inclusion of hymns, preludes, and interludes (by John Reading) surrounding the audience (as 'congregation') singing the Old Hundredth and Jeremiah Clarke's best-known hymn-tune. The organ playing is a delight, even if it seems to me at times to be slightly over-detached - but that might have sounded right in the church. The two sopranos are among my favourites, joined by the ever-reliable bass, who seems to have been around as long as I can remember. Other composers who appear briefly are Daniel Purcell (O let my mouth be filled with praise) and William Richardson (a Funeral Anthem for the Use of Charity Children). An excellent CD, of interest beyond the world of organ buffs (who will require it anyway).

 Clifford Bartlett

The Organ - May 2009
In terms of repertoire and scope, this is a splendid collection of fine music, and although the heading to this review might suggest a less than pluperfect contribution for everyone taking part, the result is so convincing in the two tracks where the audience participates in performances of two Psalms (Nos 8 and 100, each with prelude and interludes) that we are caught up in a genuine recreation of the kind of atmosphere in which much of this music was first heard and for which it was intended. The majority of the pieces here are Voluntaries by Blow, finely played by Timothy Roberts, with other music by Purcell, John Reading, William Richardson and Jeremiah Clarke, the entire collection forming a valuable conspectus of music of the time, and well recorded on the oldest surviving English church organ, at St Botolph’s, Aldgate dating from about 1704. The vocal items are excellently done, and all in all this makes a really worthwhile and most useful addition to the discography of the period. Texts are included. RM-W