628G John Playford 1623-1687
An introduction to the skill of musick : in three books: by John Playford. Containing I. The Grounds and Principles of Musick, according to the Gamut: In the most Easy Method, for Young Practitioners. II. Instructions and Lessons for the Treble Tenor, and Bass-Viols; and also for the Treble-Violin. III. The Art of Descant, or composing Music in Parts: Made very Plain and Easie by the Late Henry Purcell.
London. Printed By Charles Peregrine, 1687. $ SOLD
Octavo 6 X 4 inches A-M8 (A1 , frontispiece; M8 , advertisements both present!) Bound in 
very nice neteenth-century navy morocco. Lightly rubbed. Frontispiece border shaved, just within platemark, with additional small hole. Minute wormholes to gutter margin of quire A, fore-edge margin of final four leaves. Small rust-hole to H1, just touching a single character to verso. William Henry Havergal’s copy, with his ink inscription dated 1840 along with note of purchase ‘Bought for 2/6 at the sale of the effects of Mrs Green of Poole House, Astley, in the County of Worcester’.
Henry Purcell. 1659-1695
“A pastoral elegy on the death of Mr. John Playford. By N. Tate”: verso of 8th prelim. leaf._”The order of performing the divine service in cathedrals, & collegiate chappels”: p. 53-60.Purcell’s legacy was a uniquely English form of Baroque music. He is generally considered to be one of the greatest English composers; no other native-born English composer approached his fame until Edward Elgar.
Playford,as a bookseller, publisher, and member of the Stationers’ Company, published books on music theory, instruction books for several instruments, and psalters with tunes for singing in churches. He is perhaps best known today for his publication of The English Dancing Master in 1651, during the period of the Puritan-dominated Commonwealth (later editions were known as ‘The Dancing Master’). This work contains both the music and instructions for English country dances. This came about after Playford, working as a war correspondent, was captured by Cromwell’s men and told that, if he valued his freedom (as a sympathiser with the King), he might consider a change of career. Although many of the tunes in the book are attributed to him today, he probably did not write any of them. Most were popular melodies that had existed for years. __ !!!In typographical technique Playford’s most original improvement was the invention in 1658 of ‘the new-ty’d note.’ (See the Title of the FOLLOWING BOOK These were quavers or semiquavers connected in pairs or series by one or two horizontal strokes at the end of their tails, the last note of the group retaining in the early examples the characteristic up-stroke. Hawkins observes that the Dutch printers were the first to follow the lead in this detail. In 1665 he caused every semibreve to be barred in the dance tunes; in 1672 he began engravin
g on copper plates. Generally, however, Playford clung to old methods; he recommended the use of lute tablature to ordinary violin players; and he resisted, in an earnest letter of remonstrance (1673), Thomas Salmon’s proposals for a readjustment of clefs. Playford’s printers were: Thomas Harper, 1648 1652; William Godbid, 1658 1678; Ann Godbid and her partner, John Playford the younger, 1679 1683; John Playford alone, 1684-1685 William Henry Havergal (1793-1870), one of the previous owners Anglican clergyman and composer. His compositions ranged from hymns to popular catch
es, though Havergal’s academic studies centered on early Church music with a particular bias towards metrical psalmody.
Wing P2483
__________________________________________ Another Edition and a Very different book!
This edition utilizes the ayford’s most original improvement was the invention in 1658 of ‘the new-ty’d note.’
771G John Playford 1623-1687
An introduction to the skill of musick : in three books: by John Playford. Containing I. The Grounds and Principles of Musick, according to the Gamut: In the most Easy Method, for Young Practitioners. II. Instructions and Lessons for the Treble Tenor, and Bass-Viols; and also for the Treble-Violin. III. The Art of Descant, or composing Music in Parts: Made very Plain and Easie by the Late Henry Purcell.
London, Printed by William Pearson, for John and Ben. Sprint … 1718 $3,900
Octavo 6 X 4 inches A-M8 (A1 , frontispiece; M8 , advertisements both present!) This copy is bound in full contemporary calf, expertly rebacked. Henry Purcell. 1659-1695
on the left is the 1687edition on the right the 1718 edition
September 9, 2016 at 11:35 AM
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