I've always been fascinated by John Playford's English Dancing Master. As a collector of antiquarian books with a particular interest in folk music and dance, this was one of those books I always wanted to find. I've had saved searches on various antiquarian book and auction websites but nothing has every turned up and I've never seen an actual copy either in the flesh or photograph.
Turns out that despite it's fame and the numerous facsimiles available, including of the 1651 edition, ...
Carte de Visite of a Victorian Village Band, c.1860s with various brass instruments including trombone outside a public house which appears to be The Star Inn, location unknown. Photographer unidentified.
Listening to the 1978 Topic album "Memories of Sligo" by Tommy Healy and Johnny Duffy, and the track "The First Part of the Lancers" specifically, my attention was drawn to the sleevenotes by Reg Hall:
"The first Part of The Lancers, an untitled piece, was readily recalled when Johnny and Tommy were asked to play something old-fashioned and out of the ordinary and it is one of the very few Irish traditional dance tunes that can be pinned down to a non-traditional, composed origin. It ...