Nobody's Jig, 17th-Century Dances from British Isles (Alpha Collection)

Featuring

Odile Edouard
Claire Michon
Pascale Boquet
Sylvie Moquet
Freddy Eichelberger
Les Witches

John Playford

Did you know?

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Compositional Technique

The original "Dancing Master" collection by John Playford only provided melodies and dance steps, with no bass lines or instrumentations, allowing the performers to reinvent these elements.

Historical Context

In 17th-century England, the court was very fond of dance tunes and popular songs, which encouraged the publication of many such collections, unlike in France where the court tended to compartmentalise music.

Recording & Production

The recording of "Nobody's Jig" was originally planned for the United States in autumn 2001 but was cancelled due to the events of 9/11.

Recording & Production

This album, "Nobody's Jig," was the first recording for Les Witches on the Alpha label and marked the true beginnings of the group in the world of recording.

Historical Context

John Playford, whose 1651 publication "The English Dancing Master" is the source for these dances, was a publisher, not a composer, and his collection was extremely well known, going through dozens of editions throughout the 17th century.