The British Musical Biography

[E] Playford, John, composer and music-
publisher, was born in London, in 1623.
Established a music-selling and publishing
business, in the Inner Temple, London.
Clerk of the Temple Church, 1653. He died
at London, in 1693.

[W] Works. — An Introduction to the Skill of
Musick, in two books. To which is added the
Art of Descant, by Dr. Thomas Campion, and
Annotations thereon by Mr. Chr. Simpson
. . . (? 2nd edit.), London, 1655. (An
earlier edition [1654] is noted in Grove's
" Dictionary of Music," as having been in
the possession of Dr. Rimbault, and the only
known copy). 3rd edit., 1660; an unnumbered
edit., 1662; 4th edit., with portrait, 1664;
unnumbered editions in 1667, 1670 ; 6th edit.,
portrait, 1672; 7th edit., with the Order of
Performing the Divine Service in Cathedrals
and Collegeate Chapels, portrait, 1674 ; 8th
edit., portrait, 1679; 9th edit. (?) ; 10th edit,
(to which is added as a third boolc in place of
Campion's treatise, " A brief Introduction to
the Art of Descant, or Composing Music in
Parts," ascribed in future editions to Henry
Purcell), portrait, 1683 ; 11th edit., port,
1687 ; 12th edit., port, 1694 ; 13th edit., port,
1697 ; 14th edit., port, 1700 ; 15th edit., port,
1708 ; 16th edit., port, 1713 ; 17th edit., port,
1718 ; 18th edit., port, 1724 ; 19th edit., port,
17.30. Psalms and hymns in Solemn ilusick
of foure parts on the Common Tunes to the
Psalms in Metre . . . London, 1671.
The Whole Book of Psalms, with the usual
Hymns and Spiritual Songs, etc., composed
in three parts, London (?); other editions,
2nd, 1695, 1697 ; 6th, 1700 ; 7th, 1701 ; 8th,
1702 ; 9th, 1707 ; 10th, 1709 ; 13th, 1715 ;
19th, 1738 ; 20th, 1757. A Paraphrase upon
the Psalms of David, by George Sandys. Set
to new tunes, for private devotion, by Henry
Lawes. Revised and corrected by John
Playford, London, 1676. The Musical Com-
panion, in two books. The first book con-
taining catches and rounds for three voyces,
"the second containing dialogues, glees, ayres,
And songs for two, three, and four voyces,
London, 1673. A Booke of New Lessons, for
the Cythern and Gittern, Loudon, 1652.
Musick's Recreation on the Viol, Lyra- way ;
Ijeing a choice collection of Lessons . . .
etc., London, 2nd edit.. 1682. In Locke's
"Present Practice of Musick Vindicated,"
1673, is " A Letter from John Playford to Mr.
T. Salmon," in which he espouses Locke's
cause to the disadvantage of Salmon. Pub-
lications, various : Hilton's Catch that catch
can ; or a choice collection of catches, rounds,
and canons for three and four voyces, 1652 ;
Select Musical Ayres and Dialogues, in three
"books, for one, two, and three voyces . . .
by sundry composers (composed by Wilson,
Colman, Lawes, etc.), 1653; another edition,
1659 ; Choice Ayres, Songs, and dialogues to
be sung to the theorbo ... 5 books,
1676-84 ; The English Dancing Master : or
Plaine aud Easie Rules for the Dancing
of Country Dances, London, 1651 ; 2nd
edit., 1657; 3rd edit., 1605; and numerous
otlier editions to 1728 ; Musick's delight on
the Cithern, 1666 ; also published works of
Lawes ; Court Ayres ; and most of the im-
portant music books of the period.

entry id: 322-R-44