John Playford (1623–1686) was an English publisher, bookseller and writer whose name became closely associated with the development and preservation of English country dancing. Born in Norwich, Playford moved to London, where he established himself as a bookseller and publisher during the turbulent years of the English Civil War and the Restoration.
His greatest contribution came in 1651 with the publication of The English Dancing Master, a collection of country dances accompanied by simple instructions and tunes. The book proved remarkably successful and was repeatedly revised and expanded, eventually appearing in numerous editions. It provided an invaluable record of the dances and music popular in seventeenth-century England and helped establish the tradition of printed country-dance collections.
Playford was also a prolific publisher of books on music, including works on singing, instrumental performance and music theory. His publications helped make musical knowledge accessible to a wider, increasingly literate public.
Although Playford died in 1686, his influence endured. The English Dancing Master became one of the most important historical sources for English country dancing, and his name remains familiar to musicians, dancers and folk enthusiasts today. Modern revivals of English country dance continue to perform many dances first published by Playford more than three centuries ago.
