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Period: 476 to 1435
Middle Ages/Medieval Period
During this time period, music is used mainly in the church. How we notate pitch and rhythm was developed during this time. Instruments and vocal parts were rarely specified. Melody stayed with in a sixth or an octave range. Melodies also followed the church modes. Rhythmic modes were used to portray a specific rhythmic pattern. Harmony and chords were not yet structured. 4ths, 5ths, and 8ves, were favored. Most music had monophonic textures leading to polyphonic textures toward the end. -
Period: 991 to 1033
Guido of Arezzo
Guido, a Medieval composer, was born around 991 and died after 1033. He is a music theorist who has been given the credit of creating pitch notation with a staff. He also created a system where pitches were associated with places on a hand. The first foundations of syllables used to sight-sing were created by Guido. -
Period: 1098 to 1179
Hildegard von Bingen
Hildegard, a Medieval composer, was born in 1098 and died in 1179. She composed the first morality play, the Sybil of the Rhine. She was also a writer, theorist, and theologian. Rulers often sought her counsel. -
Period: 1130 to 1190
Bernart de Ventadorn
Bernart, a Medieval composer, was born around 1130 and died around 1190. He is a famous troubadour. He has the largest amount of surviving music than any other 12th century poet. We have 18 complete songs, out of 44, with melodies. -
Period: 1135 to 1201
Leonin (Leonius)
Leonin, a Medieval composer, was born around 1135 and died around 1201. He is known as the master or oragnum purum at the Notre Dame Cathedral. He wrote the Magnus Liber. Most of his information came from Anonymous IV's writing. -
Period: 1170 to 1230
Walther von der Vogelweide
Vogelweide, a Medieval composer, was born in 1170 and died in 1230. He worked for the Viennese court. His compositions consisted of the earliest surviving minnesinger melody. He was seen as the leading composer and poet. -
Period: 1180 to 1238
Perotin (Perotinus)
Perotin, a Medieval composer, began actively composing in 1180 and died around 1238. He is known as the mast of discant organum at the Notre Dame Cathedral. There is a possibility he was a student under Lenonin. His compositions con sited of 3 and 4 voice part organums. -
1212
Comtessa Beatriz de Dia
Comtessa, a Medieval composer, was active around 1212. She was a famous female troubadour. She is the only female troubadour with a surviving melody. -
Period: 1213 to 1239
Moniot d'Arras
D'Arras, a Medieval composer, flourished from 1213-1239. He wrote in many different genres and forms. He was a monk at Arras. His compositions consisted of 23 poems, and 13 surviving melodies. -
Period: 1291 to 1361
Philippe de Vitry
Vitry, a Medieval composer, was born in 1291 and died in 1361. He was a French composer known as the inventor of a new art. He was also a poet, theorist, and bishop. He was a part of the Ars nova movement in France. -
Period: 1300 to 1350
Ars Nova/Trecento
The main difference between early medieval music and the Ars nova and trecento is rhythm. Ars nova is the new style in France, while Trecento is the new style in Italy. Music from the Ars nova were more complex and extreme, had polyrhythms and polymeters, new harmonic dissonances, and new singing styles. Rhythms were now divided into 2 equal parts rather than 3. Rhythm modes were now being varied. -
Period: 1300 to 1377
Guillaume de Machaut
Machaut, a Medieval composer, was born around 1300 and died around 1377. He was the leading composer/poet of the Ars nova in France. He wrote the Mass of Notre Dame, 400+ poems, 19 lais, 42 ballades, 23 motets, 22 rondeaux, and 33 virelais. -
Period: 1325 to 1397
Francesco Landini
Landini, a Medieval composer, was born around 1325 and died around 1397. He was an Italian composer and part of the Trecento. His compositions were known because of his cadences. He was a virtuoso organist. His compositions consisted of 155 works that were mostly ballate and madrigals. -
Period: 1390 to 1453
John Dunstaple
Dunstaple, a composer in between he Middle Ages and Renaisssnce, was born around 1390 and died around 1453. He was a leading English composer. His contribution to the Renaissance was the consonant style of 3rds and 6ths. The English Reformation destroyed many of his works, however, he wrtoe 20 mass sections, 2 complete masses, 40 motets, and 2 secular songs. -
Period: 1397 to 1474
Guillaume Du Fay
Du Fay, a Renaissance composer, was born around 1397 and died in 1974. He is known as the firs important composer in the Renaissance period. He tended to use old medieval cadences in his compositions. He wrote 28 mass sections, 7 massese, 15 antiphons, 87 chansons, 90 motets, and 27 hymns -
Period: 1410 to 1497
Johannes Ockeghem
Ockeghem, a Renaissance composer, was born around 1410 and died in 1497. He was a bass singer but also wrote 13 masses, 21 chansons, a Requiem, and 5+ motets. He served 3 kings and was also an important teacher. -
Period: 1430 to
Renaissance
The changes made in the Ars nova were left behind in order to find consonant chords again with parallel 3rds and 6ths. Music shifted to now be equal in both secular and sacred genres. Vocal music was still the main type. A cappella polyphony hit it's peak during the renaissance. Using a melodic line to paid a picture with words, word-painting, became and important technique. Musical notation was advancing to it's modern state. -
Period: 1450 to 1521
Josquin des Prez
Prez, a Renaissance composer, was born around 1450 and died in 1521. Martin Luther considered him to be the best composer of the time. He wrote 18 masses, 65 chansons, and 50+ motets. -
Period: 1450 to 1517
Heinrich Isaac
Isaac, a Renaissance composer, was born around 1450 and died in 1517. He was a court composer for Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. He wrote 36 masses, German, French, and Italian songs, and frottole. -
Period: 1457 to 1505
Jacob Obrecht
Obrecht, a Renaissance composer, was born around 1457 and died in 1505. He had major contributions to large forms. HE wrote 26 masses, 32 motets, and 30 secular works. -
Period: 1466 to 1539
Ottaviano Petrucci
Petrucci is the first music printer and publisher. He was born in 1466 and died in 1539. His work allowed Renaissance music to be preserved. -
Period: 1483 to 1456
Martin Luther
Luther, a German composer and theologian, was born in 1483 and died in 14546. He wrote German hymns and other writings. He founded the Lutheran Church. -
Period: 1490 to 1562
Adrian Willaert
Willaert, a Renaissance composer, was born in 1490 and died in 1562. In his compositions, he used complex and continuous polyphony. He studied with Jean Mouton. His compositions consisted of masses, 173 motets, madrigals, hymns, chansons, and psalms. -
Period: 1505 to
Thomas Tallis
Tallis, a Renaissance composer, was born in 1505 and died in 1585. He was an English organist and also taught Byrd. His compositions consisted of 30 motets, Psalms, anthems, 3 masses, Lamentations. -
Period: 1515 to 1565
Cipriano de Rore
Rore, a Renaissance composer, was born in 1515 and died in 1565. He wored in Ferrara and Parma. His compositions consisted of a minimum of 125 madrigal, 1 passion, 8 psalms, magnificats, and 65 motets. -
Period: 1521 to
Philippe de Monte
Monte, a Renaissance composer, was born in 1521 and died in 1603. He mixed polyphony and homophony. He is an important composer of Renaissance. He composed a minimum of 1038 secular madrigals, 38 masses, 319 motets, 144 sacred madrigals, and 45 chansons. -
Period: 1525 to
GIovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Palestrina, a Renaissance composer, was born in 1525 and died in 1594. He became known as an icon of Renaissance music. He composed 104 masses, 375 motets, and some madrigals. They were mostly contrapuntal music. -
Period: 1540 to
William Byrd
Bryd, a Renaissance composer, was born around 1540 and died in 1623. He wrote both Protestant and Catholic works. He wrote 3 masses, anthems, antiphons, and 175 motets. -
Period: 1557 to
Thomas Morley
Morley, a Renaissance composer, was born in 1557 and died in 1602. He helped develop the English madrigal. He also helped music publication and printing. He most likely was a student under Byrd.