The music is for vocal soloists, chorus and an ensemble of baroque instruments consisting of four-part strings (1st and 2nd violin, viola, cello) and basso continuo.
The soloists were Alfred Deller (countertenor), Wilfred Brown (tenor) and John Shirley-Quirk (baritone).
John Playford the Elder was at the end of his career and by this stage had handed most of the running of his business near London's Temple Church to his son Henry.
It was edited by Walter Bergmann, who was also active as a performer of baroque music: he had played harpsichord on the 1959 recording of the work.
Commercial recordings are mainly by British conductors, a notable exception is the Belgian Philippe Herreweghe who conducts the Collegium Vocale Gent in a 2007 version.