On 5 April 2025, we gathered at a new venue for NWEMF – the Bolton Parish Church Hall (the Old Grammar School) in the grounds of Bolton Parish Church, and the sun stayed out for us on a glorious spring day.
The day was led by Christopher Roberts, Operations Manager at the NCEM and former head of music at Benslow Music. We had a band of six excellent string players and continuo, along with 19 singers – perhaps not quite the forces marshalled for the coronation of James II in 1685, but we did well enough! In the morning session, Chris took us through Blow’s God spake sometime in visions, and then the afternoon was devoted to Purcell, with his glorious anthems My heart is inditing and Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem. We finished the day with an informal run-through of all pieces. It was a super day, and Chris got the best out of all of us with his enthusiasm and knowledge about these wonderful pieces. A full review of the day will follow in our June newsletter.
More information about the day:
The coronation of King James II in Westminster Abbey on 23 April 1685 featured some of the finest music ever to have been composed for such a ceremony. John Blow’s ‘God spake sometime in visions’ and Henry Purcell’s ‘My heart is inditing’ were both lavishly scored in eight parts with string accompaniment. Blow’s grand and dramatic anthem was performed at the end of the king’s coronation, while Purcell’s more delicate piece was the climax of the ceremony that related to James’s queen, Mary of Modena.
Both works follow a similar structure which suggests that either the younger Purcell modelled his on his mentor’s or that the two colleagues collaborated closely. Featuring graceful music, striking moments of dissonance, and imitative writing, Purcell’s anthem ends with a gentle and stately Alleluia/Amen. The workshop will conclude with Purcell’s anthem ‘Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem’, which was composed for the coronation of William and Mary in 1689.
Music is available to view and download here so you can prepare in advance of the workshop [note that a different edition of ‘Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem’ with conventional clefs for altos and tenors is expected on the day]:
Purcell: My heart is inditing
Purcell: Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem
Blow: God spake sometime in visions
The Tutor
Christopher Roberts is Operations Manager at the National Centre for Early Music in York and has previously held positions at Benslow Music, Cambridge Early Music, and the Historically Informed Summer School. His PhD thesis, awarded by the University of Leeds, explored the musical interests, activities and networks of members of the provincial population in eighteenth-century Yorkshire. His publications include essays on the Doncaster composer Edward Miller (1735-1807) in Music in North-East England 1500-1800, ed. by Stephanie Carter, Kirsten Gibson and Roz Southey (The Boydell Press, 2020) and The Music Trade Across Britain, 1650-1800, ed. by Stephanie Carter and Simon D.I. Fleming (The Boydell Press, forthcoming). Chris enjoys composing and playing the harpsichord and cello. His music has been performed by Fretwork on BBC Radio 3, The Clothworkers Consort of Leeds and Leeds Baroque Choir and Orchestra.
