The economics of the music business in the 17th century

[chickenfeet]

BBC Radio 3(*) recently broadcast a series of 15 minute essays about Henry Purcell. Andrew Pinnock, who quite unbeknown to me is an economic and social historian of the music business as well as a performer, produced this little gem which argues, inter alia, that Purcell and his collaborators created most of the essential ingredients of the modern commercial music industry. It's well worth fifteen minutes.

(*)However crass and vulgar the rest of the BBC becomes there will be hope as long as Radio 3 survives.