John Playford: The Duke of Norfolk or Paul’s Steeple – Hanneke van Proosdij, Voices of Music, Peter Maund, Elisabeth Reed, David Tayler

Paul’s Steeple, from John Playford’s Division Violin (London, 1685). HD Video from the Voices of Music Great Artists Concert, February, 2014. Featuring Hanneke van Proosdij, recorder;  Peter Maund, percussion; Elisabeth Reed, viola da gamba, and David Tayler, baroque guitar. Playford’s Division Violin contains many of the popular tunes of the 17th century, and the musicians are provided with a set of variations over a simple, repeating bass line or “ground bass”–it was left to the performers to arrange the music to taste. Paul’s Steeple refers to the towering spire of old St. Paul’s in London; the tower had burned down before Playford’s time, but was still celebrated in song, just as with the “London Bridge.”