Playford, John (EN)

Playford John, *1623 Norwich, †24 December 1686 or 8 February 1687 London, English music publisher and bookseller. He was probably educated at the school at Norwich Cathedral, and perhaps sang in the cathedral choir. In 1639, he began his apprenticeship in London with the publisher John Benson. In 1647, he began his independent activity, issuing his first publications, initially related to current political events (he sided with the royalists, and was therefore arrested in 1649, after the proclamation of the republic by Cromwell). In 1650 (dated 1651) Playford’s first printed musical, The English Dancing Master, appeared. In 1653, Playford became clerk at Temple Church, a position he held for the rest of his life. In 1661, he was admitted to the London guild, in 1681, he became a member of its board (at the request of King Charles II in recognition of his loyalty, as booksellers and publishers were generally not allowed to hold high positions) and received a knighthood and the exclusive privilege of printing psalms and primers. and almanacs (this brought the company significant economic success). In 1684, he handed the publishing house over to his son Henry, but until 1686 the editions were still signed with his name. H. Purcell, a friend of Playford, dedicated the song Elegy on my Friend, Mr. John Playford to his memory.

John Playord’s musical publications included studies of religious music, mainly psalms, collections of secular songs, and numerous theoretical works and instrument manuals (usually with examples of compositions). The English Dancing Master collection had numerous reissues in the 18^th century; other more important publications, containing works by, among others, H. Purcell, M. Locke, W. and H. Lawes, T. Campion, J. Hilton: Musick’s Recreation (1652, 4^th ed. 1682), Catch that Catch Can (1652, 7^th ed. 1686), A Breefe Introduction to the Skill of Musick (1654), The Whole Book of Psalmes (1661; a new edition in 1677, containing 3-voice arrangements of the psalms, had 20 reissues until 1757), Court Ayres (1655), Apollo’s Banquet for the Treble Violin (1669), Psalms and Hymns (1671), The Present Practice of Musick Defended and Vindicated against the Exceptions by M. Locke (1673), Musick’s Hand-Maid. New Lessons and Instructions for the Virginals (1678). J. Playford was not a printer or engraver; he entrusted the printing of his publications to T. Harper, W. Godbid and others. He was one of the first English publishers to introduce the technique of copperplate engraving and entablature of groups of notes, although it is wrong to attribute priority to him in introducing these innovations.