In today's video of the day we hear recorder player Erik Bosgraaf perform Courante Monsieur by 17th century Dutch composer Paulus Matthysz. The mellow tone of the alto recorder gives us an intimate look into the world of popular music of the 17th century.

As well as a composer, Paulus Matthysz is better known as one of the most prominent music publishers in the Dutch republic at the time. As well as printing works by Jacob van Eyke, Matthysz published his own recorder treatise along with Der goden fluit-hemel (The gods’ recorder heaven), a collection of recorder works by an assortment of popular early baroque composers - including Matthysz's own Courante Monsieur.

Bosgraaf will be performing ​a concert of Vivaldi with the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra ​this Saturday (Nov 11​) as part of the ongoing London International Festival of Early Music which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year - you can find more information here.

To delve deeper into the world of 17th century Amsterdam you can listen to Bosgraaf perform Jacob van Eyck's Der fluyten lust-hof below via Apple Music