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Period: 3300 BCE to 475
Antiquity
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Period: 800 BCE to 146 BCE
Ancient Greek music
The foundations of western music come from the ancient Greek civilisation. Music was closely linked to many things like poetry or theatrical performances -
100
Seikilos epitaph
The Seikilos epitaph is an Ancient Greek inscription that preserves the oldest surviving complete musical composition, including musical notation. -
Period: 476 to 1453
The Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages, music was strongly linked with religion and was performed by the clergy. Musical notation arose in the Middle ages with the "neumes", to help monks remember the melody. Neumes consisted of straight and curved lines that outlined the melodic design of the composition.
Through the Middle Ages, neumes evolved into clearer, square-shaped signs that indicated the pitch of sounds. -
750
Gregorian chant
The Gregorian chant was a religous monody.
The purpose of the song was to teach the word of God to the faithful. The rhythm of the song is free, since it depends on the text. -
1025
Guizo d'Arezzo (992 – 1050)
He established a name for each note of the scale, based on the first syllable of each verse of the hymn dedicated to Saint John the Baptist.
He originated the current musical writing establishing the position of each note in four horizontal parallel lines, that make the tetragram. -
1098
Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)
Hildegard von Bingen (1098-17th September 1179) was a German Benedictine abbess and polymath active as a writer, composer, philosopher, mystic, visionary, and as a medical writer and practitioner during the High Middle Ages. She is one of the best-known composers of sacred monophony, as well as the most recorded in modern history. -
Period: 1101 to 1300
Ars Antiqua
Ars antiqua is a term used by modern scholars to refer to the Medieval music of Europe during the High Middle Ages. During the Ars Antiqua, the first polyphonic form was developed: the organum. It's main composers, from the Notre Dame school, were Leonin and Perotin.
Other forms of Ars Antiqua were the conductus and the motet. -
1130
Bernart de Ventadorn (1130-1190)
Bernart de Ventadorn (1130-1190) was a French poet-composer troubadour of the High Middle Ages. His 18 extant melodies of 45 known poems in total are the most to survive from any 12th-century troubadour.
Bernart is often credited with being the most important influence on the development of the trouvère tradition in northern France, since he was well known there, his melodies were widely circulated, and the early composers of trouvère music seem to have imitated him. -
1135
Léonin (1135-1201)
Léonin (1135-1201) was the first known significant composer of polyphonic organum. He was the earliest member of the Notre Dame school of polyphony and the ars antiqua style who is known by name. -
1155
Pérotin (1155-1230)
Pérotin (1155-1230) was a composer associated with the Notre Dame school of polyphony in Paris and the broader ars antiqua musical style of high medieval music. -
Nov 23, 1221
Alfonso X el Sabio (1221–1284)
Alfonso X el Sabio (23rd November 1221 – 4th April 1284) was King of Castile, León and Galicia from 1 June 1252 until his death in 1284. During his reign, he was an important pioneer in the foundations of the Toledo school of translators and he was associated with the "Cantigas de Santa Maria" -
1300
Guillaume de Machaut (1300-1377)
Guillaume de Machaut (1300-1377) was a Medieval French poet and composer. He was the most important composer of the 14th century.
Machaut wrote many motets and the secular songs and was one of the most representative figures of Ars Nova. -
Period: 1301 to 1420
Ars Nova
In the Ars Nova, polyphony is perfected and acquires greater rhythmic and melodic complexity.
The most widely used form is the motet, but now it's more complex, both at a rhythmic and melodic level and, in many cases, simultaneously uses religious and secular texts. Other forms of Ars Nova were the canon, the ballad or the chanson. -
1330
Francesco Landini (1330-1397)
Francesco Landini (1330-2nd September 1397) was an Italian composer, poet, organist, singer and instrument maker who was the most important composer of the Italian Trescento style.
He was one of the most representative figures of Ars Nova. -
Period: 1377 to 1420
Ars subtilior
Ars subtilior was a late 14th to early 15th-century musical style known for its complexity in rhythm, notation, and harmony. It emerged after Ars Nova and it was characterized by the complex musical notation. -
Period: 1401 to
The Renaissance
The Renaissance is a period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It was characterized by an effort to revive and surpass the ideas and achievements of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
During this period, humanism developed.
Even though the Renaissance was an effort to revive the ideas of the ancient Greeks and Romans, there weren't any references, so the Renaissance composers made a new style but it was based on medieval music. -
Period: 1401 to 1500
The Franco-Flemish school
The name of this school is due to a region that is part of Belgium.
The main features of this school were:
The use of the polyphony: usually 4 voices without instrumental accompaniment.
The use of imitation: some voices repeat or imitate others. This is called counterpoint.
There is balance between the voices: no voice stands out. -
1406
Johannes Gutenberg (1406-1468)
Johannes Gutenberg (1406-3 February 1468) was a German inventor and craftsman who invented the movable-type printing press. -
Period: 1454 to
The Modern Era
The Modern Era was the age that covered history from the end of the Middle Ages to the French revolution. -
Jul 12, 1468
Juan del Encina (1468-1529)
Juan del Encina (12 July 1468-1529) was a poet, priest and a composer of the renaissance. He was the most outstanding composer of secular music in the Spanish school. -
Nov 10, 1483
Martin Luther (1483-1546)
Martin Luther (10 November 1483–18 February 1546) was a German priest and the main promoter of the Protestant Reformation. The result was the separation of his followers, the Protestants, from the Catholic Church. His reforms brought a series of changes that affected music, like the use of german in the songs or the creation of the chorale. -
1500
Cristóbal de Morales (1500-1553)
Cristóbal de Morales (1500-7 October 1553) was a Spanish composer of the Renaissance. He was very important and his music was religious and vocal. -
Period: 1501 to
The Italian school
Rome and Venice were the two most important musical centres in Europe.
The music of Rome was influenced by the demands of the Council of Trent. The compositions were exclusively religious and the style was sober, simple and clear.
The music in Venice was characterized by polychorality. -
Mar 30, 1510
Antonio de Cabezón (1510 – 1566)
Antonio de Cabezón (30 March 1510 – 26 March 1566) was a Spanish Renaissance composer and organist. He was blind and he was one of the most important composers of his time. -
Period: 1516 to
The Spanish school
The Renaissance is considered the most brilliant stage of Spanish music.
Spanish music was dominated by the spirit of the Counter-Reformation (the compositions were austere and very expressive, and stand out for their simplicity)
There was also secular music. -
Feb 3, 1525
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594)
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (3 February 1525-2 February 1594) was an Italian composer in the Renaissance. He was one of the main composers of religious music in the Renaissance and his music was influenced by the demands of the Council of Trent. -
1532
Orlando di Lasso (1532-1594)
Orlando di Lasso (1532 – 14 June 1594) was a composer of the Renaissance. He was one of the main composers of religious music and his music was also influenced by the demands of the Council of Trent. -
1532
Andrea Gabrieli (1532-1585)
Andrea Gabrieli (1532-August 30, 1585) was an Italian composer and organist of the Renaissance. Andrea was in the Italian school, in Venice and his works include lots of motets and madrigals. -
1544
Maddalena Casulana (1544-1590)
Maddalena Casulana (1544-1590) was an Italian composer and singer of the Renaissance. She wrote madrigals but extremely little is known about her life. -
1548
Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611)
Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-27 August 1611) was the most famous Spanish composer of the Renaissance. He was one of the most outstanding composers of religious music and he studied in Italy, where he met Palestrina, whose influence can be seen in his works. -
1557
Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1612)
Giovanni Gabrieli (1557 – 12 August 1612) was an Italian composer and organist. He was one of the most influential musicians of his time and was the nephew of Andrea Gabrieli. -
1566
Carlo Gesualdo (1566-1613)
Carlo Gesualdo (March 1566-8 September 1613) was an Italian nobleman and composer. He is known for writing madrigals and pieces of religious music. -
May 5, 1567
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)
Claudio Monteverdi (5 May 1567–29 November 1643) was an Italian composer of both secular and sacred music, and he was the most representative composer of Italian Baroque opera in the 16th century.
His most important works include "La favole d'Orfeo" and "L'incoronazione di Poppea", both inspired by Greek mythology. -
Period: to
The Baroque
The Baroque is an artistic period that was developed in the 17th and the first half of the 18th century.
In the courts of Europe, music became the protagonist of major social events.
The characteristics or the Baroque music are:
-Basso continuo technique: The use of a bass line upon which the chords are interpreted.
-Accompanied melody: One voice or instrument performs the main melody, while others provide the accompaniment.
-Use of contrasts: Contrasts are present in all elements of music. -
Giacomo Carissimi (1605-1674)
Giacomo Carissimi (18 April 1605–12 January 1674) was an Italian composer and music teacher.
Carissimi established the characteristic features of the oratorio and was also a composer of masses, motets, and cantatas.
He was the first great composer of oratorios and his most important work is Jephte. -
Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677)
Barbara Strozzi (6 August 1619–11 November 1677) was an Italian composer and singer of the Baroque Period. She was known for her vocal music and she composed solo songs, cantatas, and madrigals. Despite the challenges she faced as a female composer, Strozzi's music remains celebrated for its artistic merit and unique voice. -
Stradivarius
Stradivarius is a term often used to refer to Antonio Stradivari's (1644 – 18 December 1737) instruments.
Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a craftsman of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas and harps.
Around 650 Stradivarius instruments survive, including 450 to 512 violins. His instruments are considered some of the finest ever made, and are extremely valuable collector's items. -
Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
Henry Purcell (10 September 1659-21 November 1695) was an English composer of Baroque music.
He created many operas and he is generally considered among the greatest English opera composers. -
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Antonio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 - 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer in the Baroque. His most famous works are the set of violin concertos "The Four Seasons", which showcase his mastery of composition and musical innovation.
He composed operas, concertos and sacred music.
His music fell into obscurity after his death, but it experienced a revival in the 20th century and now it's admired for its beauty and originality. -
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
Georg Philipp Telemann (24 March 1681–25 June 1767) was a German Baroque composer and he was one of the most prominent composers of cantatas in the Baroque. He was a close friend of Johann Sebastian Bach. -
Georg Friedrich Händel
Georg Friedrich Händel (23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, and instrumental music.
His most famous work is the oratorio Messiah, which includes the renowned chorus Hallelujah. -
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque. He is known for his variety in instruments, including orchestral music such as the Brandenburg Concertos; solo instrumental works such as the cello suites and sonatas and partitas for solo violin; keyboard works such as the Goldberg Variations and The Well-Tempered Clavier; organ works such as the Schubler Chorales and the Toccata and Fugue in D minor; and more.