-
100
Epitaph of Seikilos
The oldest known musical composition, found on a funerary stele in Turkey, reflecting themes of life and death. -
Period: 476 to 1492
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages was a significant period for the development of music in Europe. It began with the dominance of Gregorian Chant, a monophonic style used in church services. Over time, polyphony emerged, particularly in the High Middle Ages, with composers like Léonin and Pérotin leading the way. The Ars Nova movement in the Late Middle Ages introduced more complex rhythms and forms. This era laid the foundation for Western music, influencing composition and notation. -
600
Gregorian chant
A style of monophonic vocal music used in Catholic liturgy, characterized by its melodic simplicity and use of Latin. -
991
Guido d'Arezzo
An Italian Benedictine monk known for developing modern musical notation and the use of solfège. -
1098
Hildegard von Bingen
A German mystic and composer, renowned for her sacred music and mystical visions. -
1130
Bernart de Ventadorn
A French poet and troubadour known for his songs about courtly love and his influence on medieval lyricism. -
1150
Léonin
A composer from the Notre-Dame school, known for innovations in polyphony and the use of organum. -
Period: 1170 to 1320
Ars antiqua
A term describing medieval music that includes the development of polyphony and more elaborate singing. -
1200
Perotin
A French composer central to polyphony in the Notre-Dame school, famous for complex works like "Viderunt omnes." -
1221
Alfonso X el Sabio
King of Castile and León, known for his patronage of music and poetry, particularly in the "Cantigas de Santa María." -
1300
Guillaume de Machaut
A central figure in the Ars Nova movement, a French composer and poet recognized for his mass and fixed-form songs. -
Period: 1320 to 1380
Ars Nova
A musical movement that introduced new rhythmic and melodic forms, marking the evolution of polyphonic music. -
1325
Francesco Landini
An Italian composer of the Trecento, famous for his vernacular songs and skill in the motet. -
1400
Johannes Gutenberg
A German inventor known for introducing movable type printing in Europe. -
1468
Juan del Encina
A Spanish composer and poet, a pioneer of musical theater in Spain, known for his villancicos and dramatic works. -
1485
Martin Luthe
A German theologian and reformer, also a composer, known for his hymns that played a key role in the Protestant Reformation. -
1500
Cristóbal de Morales
A Spanish composer of the Renaissance, known for his masses and motets, -
1509
Antonio de Cabezón
A Spanish composer and organist of the Renaissance, famous for his keyboard works and variations on popular songs. -
1510
Andrea Gabrieli
A Venetian composer and organist of the Renaissance, known for his instrumental and vocal music, influential in the development of music in Venice. -
1525
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
An Italian composer of the Renaissance, renowned for his sacred music and influence on the development of counterpoint. -
1532
Orlando di Lasso
Famouse composer of the Renaissance, known for his complex polyphony and extensive output across various genres. -
1538
Tomás Luis de Victoria
A Spanish composer of the Renaissance, celebrated for his sacred music that combines polyphonic tradition with profound spirituality. -
1544
Maddalena Casulana
An Italian composer and madrigalist, one of the first women to publish music in Renaissance Europe, known for her madrigals. -
1554
Giovanni Gabrieli
A composer and organist, nephew of Andrea, recognized for his innovations in choral music and the use of space in compositions. -
1556
Carlo Gesualdo
An Italian composer of the Renaissance, famous for his emotional style and harmonic innovations, especially in madrigal music. -
1566
Claudio Monteverdi
Was an Italian composer whose innovations in opera and vocal music bridged the Renaissance and Baroque periods. -
Giacomo Carissimi
Was an Italian composer and teacher of the Baroque era, renowned for his contributions to sacred music, especially oratorios. -
Barbara Strozzi
Was an Italian Baroque composer and singer, known for her cantatas. -
Antonio Stradivari
Was an Italian master luthier who created some of the finest string instruments ever made. -
Henry Purcell
Was a leading English composer known for his contributions to Baroque music, particularly in opera, sacred, and instrumental music. -
Antonio Vivaldi
An Italian composer and violinist of the Baroque period, best known for his concertos, particularly "The Four Seasons," a set of violin concertos representing the seasons of the year. -
George Philipp Telemann
Telemann was a highly prolific German composer of the Baroque period, renowned for his vast output across many genres, including orchestral, choral, and chamber music. -
Georg Friedrich Händel
A German-British composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, and concertos. His most well-known work is the oratorio Messiah. -
Johann Sebastian Bach
A German composer of the Baroque period, regarded as one of the greatest in classical music.