A Playford Anniversary
330 years ago. the 7th edition of John Playford’s The Dancing Master (1686) was seen through his firm’s press.
This edition was his last, for in the following year he died and was buried in the Temple Church. Henry Purcell and John Blow attended the funeral, a mark of respect that heralded the many many years to come in which Playford’s English country dancing was to give pleasure to the world of dance. A British legacy to be proud of.
We often associate Playford with the longways set “for as many as will”, but his work provided plenty of variety. Here is a square set from The English Dancing Master.