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Complete Country Dance Tunes
Playford's The Dancing Master is the classic compendium of English country dance tunes. First published in 1651 it went through eighteen editions in almost 80 years. In its day it was the most popular collection of its kind and engendered numerous imitations. The tunes selected by Playford and his successors were taken from many sources and demonstrate the extraordinary richness and vitality of popular melody in England during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
This book brings together, for the first time under one cover, 535 tunes and their variants from the eighteen original editions. It provides a fund of musical material for performers, whether folk musicians or baroque instrumentalists, and for class and instrumental music teachers. It is also an invaluable reference book for anyone interested in the history of English music.
This book brings together, for the first time under one cover, 535 tunes and their variants from the eighteen original editions. It provides a fund of musical material for performers, whether folk musicians or baroque instrumentalists, and for class and instrumental music teachers. It is also an invaluable reference book for anyone interested in the history of English music.
136 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
About the author
Jeremy Barlow
201 books30 followersEisner Award nominated writer and editor—and your only hope.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 2, 2023
Essential for those seriously interested in the subject
It's hard to know what star rating to assign this book, since it will be of little interest to most people, but of the highest interest to those interested in its particular subject. Playford's Dancing Master was a collection of traditional songs with basic dance notation which went through numerous editions in the 17th and 18th century. It's usually described as a collection of English tunes, but many of them have origins in Scotland, Wales, or other areas. This collection is a refinement of all the original editions, giving over 500 tunes in simple musical notation (without lyrics), with notes indicating the variants present in the various original editions. Clearly, this is a specialized book, but for anyone with a serious interest in traditional British tunes, whether as a performer, musicologist, or folklorist, this book is one of fundamental importance. Even as a fan of such music, if you ever have found yourself listening to a CD of old British songs -- the sort of thing for instance that might be heard on some CDs by The Baltimore Consort or The Toronto Consort -- and wishing, "Gee, I wish I had the score for this melody," this book is what you want. Other editions of Playford's music have been published, including at least one facsimile edition, but this edition is the book most interested people will want.
It's hard to know what star rating to assign this book, since it will be of little interest to most people, but of the highest interest to those interested in its particular subject. Playford's Dancing Master was a collection of traditional songs with basic dance notation which went through numerous editions in the 17th and 18th century. It's usually described as a collection of English tunes, but many of them have origins in Scotland, Wales, or other areas. This collection is a refinement of all the original editions, giving over 500 tunes in simple musical notation (without lyrics), with notes indicating the variants present in the various original editions. Clearly, this is a specialized book, but for anyone with a serious interest in traditional British tunes, whether as a performer, musicologist, or folklorist, this book is one of fundamental importance. Even as a fan of such music, if you ever have found yourself listening to a CD of old British songs -- the sort of thing for instance that might be heard on some CDs by The Baltimore Consort or The Toronto Consort -- and wishing, "Gee, I wish I had the score for this melody," this book is what you want. Other editions of Playford's music have been published, including at least one facsimile edition, but this edition is the book most interested people will want.
July 17, 2012
I'm currently playing anything named after me ("I Often for my Jenny Strove" is my favorite). I think "Jenny" referred to someone common, not necessarily flattering, but I like that it's the most used name in the book.
The titles are fun. From another book I learned that the tune "The Old Mole" is not about an animal but about a harbor or a dam or something.
My favorites:
All in a Garden Green (same first few measures as Gathering Peascods)
Oranges and Lemons
Never Love Thee More
Jenny Pluck Pears
I Often For My Jenny Strove
The Old Mole
Tythe Pig
Daphne (or The Shephardess)
Haphazard
Man Was for Women Made
... and how about "Take not a women's anger ill; for if one won't, another will."
....
The titles are fun. From another book I learned that the tune "The Old Mole" is not about an animal but about a harbor or a dam or something.
My favorites:
All in a Garden Green (same first few measures as Gathering Peascods)
Oranges and Lemons
Never Love Thee More
Jenny Pluck Pears
I Often For My Jenny Strove
The Old Mole
Tythe Pig
Daphne (or The Shephardess)
Haphazard
Man Was for Women Made
... and how about "Take not a women's anger ill; for if one won't, another will."
....
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews