John Playford

John Playford was a 17th-century English music publisher, bookseller, and minor composer, best known for compiling and publishing The English Dancing Master in 1651. This groundbreaking collection gathered popular English country dance tunes and their choreographies, preserving a significant part of the era’s social and musical culture. The book was a hit and went through multiple editions, becoming a cornerstone of English folk music history.

Though Playford composed a few tunes himself, his real legacy lies in his role as a curator and disseminator of music. He helped standardize musical notation and brought the charm of English dance music to a wider audience, both in his time and for modern enthusiasts of historical music. Today, musicians and scholars alike continue to be inspired by his work, and his name is closely tied to the preservation of traditional English dance tunes.

Genres

Folk

Classical

Traditional Music

Country

Baroque

Renaissance

Chamber

Historical

Latest Release

John Come Kiss Me Now

John Playford•

Barbara Heindlmeier•

Ensemble La Ninfea

Single - Released January 12, 2024