Glen Collection of printed music > Printed music > British minstrel, and musical and literary miscellany

52
THE BRITISH MINSTREL: AND
COMELY SWAIN.
GLEE FOR THREE VOICES,
John Playford (ante 1684).
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If thy nymph no favour shew,
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Chuse another, let her go,
Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la.
JOHN PL.WFORD.
Many of our readers may have heard of John
Playford, who have no distinct idea of how much
the musical amateur is indebted to him. He was
reckoned a good composer at the time that Purcell,
Locke, and Blow were sending forth their immortal
harmonies. He was besides a laborious and inde
fatigable collector of music, which he published in
a series of volumes. At a time when the musical
press of Scotland had no existence he published a
volume of Scottish dance tunes; and about the
same period lie published his books of songs for the
voice with a Theorbo accompaniment, in which
are to be found melodies of the above great com-
posers, besides those of a host of others of inferior
note; this work was continued by his son John
Playford, in company with John Carr, for some
time after the elder Playford had discontinued pub-
lishing. We intend to make a selection from the
melodies to be found in his last named work.
BASS AND DOUBLE BASS.
Some half century ago, there lived in Liverpool a
celebrated bass singer of the name of Meredith,
who possessed a most powerful voice and of great
compass ; he was a man of six feet high, and of
corresponding bulk. Meredith was informed, that
in the Vale of Clwdd, about forty miles from Liver-
pool, there dwelt a man who could sing a deeper
bass than he could. Jealous of rivalry, he deter-
mined to pay a visit to the man ; so off he marched,
and towards evening on the second day of his pil-
grimage, he arrived at the village; on being in-
formed that the renowned John Griffith was digging
in his garden, Meredith sauntered about for some
time, making his observations on the unconscious
contra basso, who was a man of small stature, and
of light weight compared with himself. At length
he stopped, drew himself up to his full height, and,
looking over the hedge, said, on Iniv A in the bass
clef, " Good evening to you, friend." The Welsh-
man rested on his spade, and answered, on low D,
a tifth below the pitch of Meredith's salutation,
" The same to you, friend." On which Meredith
turned on his heel and trotted off, much discon-
certed for the time ; but afterwards, he used to re-
late the adventure with a good deal of humour, con.
eluding with, " So, the delver double D'd me, and
be D — d to him."