BLOW, JOHN, a celebrated English composer, born in 1648 at North Collingham in Nottinghamshire; died in 1708. The degree of doctor of music was conferred upon him by Archbishop Sancroft. In 1673 he was made a gentleman
of the chapel royal, and in 1685 was named one of the private musicians of James II. In 1687 he became master of the choir of St Paul's Church; in 1695 was elected organist of St Margaret's, Westminster; and in 1699 composer to the chapel royal. In 1700 he published his Amphion Anglicus, a collection of pieces of music for one, two, three, and four voices, with a figured-bass accompaniment. Dr Burney mentions that in the Amphion Anglicus, "the union of Scottish melody with the English is first conspicuous." Blow was a crude and careless composer, as may be seen from a number of specimens given by Dr Burney in the third volume of his History of Music. (G. R. G.)