I’ve been doing a little more research recently – here are some great 17th and 18th century tunes from a number of contemporary publications.
Thomas Bray, like Henry Playford, was not a composer, but a publisher. His collection of tunes is important as it was the first English publication of its kind to include a printed bass line. The first edition had this printed upside down, so the two musicians could sit opposite each other and share the music.
John Young took over from the Playford family in publishing the Dancing Master, and the tunes included in this post are from the less well-known 2nd and 3rd volumes (as opposed to the original’s 2nd and 3rd editions).
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