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100
seikilos epitaph
The Sikilos epitaph is a funerary inscription that combines a message of life and music. It was discovered in a tomb of the ancient city of Sikilos. The text of the epitaph, written in Greek, is a poem that advises to enjoy life while you can, because death is inevitable. In addition to the words, the inscription includes a musical notation, making this epitaph the oldest surviving complete piece of music to date. -
400
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is a style of Christian liturgical music, monophonic and in Latin, which began to develop around the 6th century. It was used in the Catholic Church to accompany religious rituals, such as mass and canonical hours.Its influence began to wane with the Renaissance and Baroque, when new, more complex musical forms emerged. However, it did not die out completely; it is still practiced in some monasteries and in traditional liturgical celebrations. -
992
Guido d'Arezzo
Guido d'Arezzo was an Italian music theorist who revolutionized the teaching of music in the Middle Ages. His main achievements include:
Hexachord and Solfeggio.
Guidonian Hand.
Musical Notation. His most important work, the Micrologus, was a treatise that greatly influenced medieval music education. -
1098
Hildegard of Bingen
Hildegard of Bingen was a German Benedictine nun, mystic, theologian and composer. She is known for her religious visions and her vast written work, which includes treatises on medicine, science and theology. She also composed a great deal of sacred music, considered a pioneer in the history of medieval music. Her musical style is melodic and monophonic, standing out especially in her vocal compositions. -
Period: 1100 to 1300
Ars antiqua
The Ars Antiqua is a term that refers to the music and compositional style of the early Middle Ages, roughly between the 12th and 14th centuries. It is characterized by a simpler, monophonic approach in its early stages, although towards the end of this period the music became more complex and polyphonic. -
1130
Bernart de Ventadorn
Bernart de Ventadorn was a troubadour from the Occitan-speaking region of medieval France, renowned for his poetry and songs. He is one of the most celebrated figures in the tradition of the troubadours, the poets and musicians who wrote in the Occitan language during the 12th and 13th centuries. -
1135
leonin
Leonin was a French composer and one of the first great representatives of the school of Notre Dame in Paris, famous for its development of polyphony in medieval music.Leonin was a founder of medieval polyphony and participated in the transition from monophonic Gregorian chant to more complex polyphonic music. -
1160
Perotin
Perotin was a key composer of the Notre Dame school in Paris and one of the leading exponents of early polyphony. He is known for his development and refinement of the polyphonic style, especially in the use of organum.Perotin is one of the greatest composers of the Ars Antiqua, renowned for his innovation in polyphony and his contribution to medieval music. -
1221
Alfonso X the Wise
Alfonso X the Wise, king of León and Castile, was an important figure in the history of medieval music, not only for his own interest in the arts, but also for his work in the compilation and promotion of musical and scientific works.A lfonso X is especially known for the compilation and patronage of the Cantigas de Santa María, a series of songs dedicated to the Virgin Mary. -
1300
Guillaume de Machaut
Guillaume de Machaut was one of the most important composers of the Middle Ages, especially prominent in the music of the ars nova, a movement that revolutionized musical notation and composition in the 14th century. Born in the region of present-day France, Machaut was also a poet and a key figure in the development of medieval polyphonic music. -
Period: 1300 to 1400
ars nova
The Ars Nova (Latin for “new art”) is a musical period of the Middle Ages starting from the late 14th century to the early 15th century. It is characterized by a more complex and sophisticated development compared to earlier medieval music, especially in terms of rhythm, polyphony and musical notation. -
1325
Francesco Landini
Francesco Landini was an Italian composer, poet and musician, considered one of the greatest musicians of the early Renaissance and one of the leading exponents of trecento (14th century) music in Italy. Born in Florence, Landini is particularly known for his ability to combine polyphonic vocal music with poetry in Italian, and for his influence on the evolution of Renaissance music. -
1400
Johane Gutenberg
Johannes Gutenberg was a German inventor who introduced movable type printing to Europe. His most famous work, the Gutenberg Bible, revolutionized book production and played a key role in the spread of knowledge during the Renaissance. -
1468
Juan del Encina
Juan del Encina was a Spanish composer and poet, known for his contributions to early Spanish Renaissance music. He is considered one of the founders of Spanish secular music, particularly for his villancicos and dramatic works. Encina's music and poetry played a key role in the development of the Spanish musical tradition. -
1483
Martin Lutero
Martin Luther was a German theologian who initiated the Protestant Reformation in 1517 by posting his 95 Theses against the sale of indulgences. He advocated for justification by faith and translated the Bible into German, promoting direct access to the Scriptures. His break with the Catholic Church led to the creation of Protestantism. -
1500
Cristobal de Morales
Cristóbal de Morales (c. 1500-1553) was a Spanish composer of the Renaissance, noted for his sacred music. He was one of the first to master polyphony in the Hispanic tradition and his work includes masses, motets and songs. Morales had a great impact on the religious music of his time and was a key figure in the development of the Renaissance style in Spain. His influence spread throughout Europe, and his music was sung in the major courts and cathedrals of his time. -
1510
Andrea Gabrieli
Andrea Gabrieli was an Italian composer and organist of the Renaissance, known for his choral and instrumental music. He worked in Venice, where his compositions, including masses, motets, and instrumental canzonas, contributed to the development of the Venetian school. Gabrieli was a key figure in the transition to the Baroque style. -
1510
Antonio de Cabezon
Antonio de Cabezón (c. 1510-1566) was a Spanish composer and organist of the Renaissance. Blind since he was young, he stood out for his virtuosity on the organ and his ability to improvise. He was one of the most important musicians of his time at the court of the Catholic Monarchs and Philip II. His work includes religious pieces, dances and fantasies, and his influence endured in the Spanish music of his time. -
1520
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian composer of the Renaissance, renowned for his sacred music. He is best known for his polyphonic compositions, especially masses and motets, which became models of harmony and clarity in choral music. Palestrina's work had a lasting influence on Western music and was highly regarded by the Catholic Church. -
1532
Orlando di Lasso
Orlando di Lasso was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance, one of the greatest of his time. He was born in what is now Belgium and spent much of his life at the court of Munich, where he composed a vast body of work encompassing sacred and secular music. His polyphonic, expressive and varied style allowed him to deeply influence the European music of his time. Lasso left an extensive legacy, with more than 2,000 works in various genres. -
1544
Maddalena Casulana
Maddalena Casulana was an Italian composer and singer, known as one of the first women to have her music published in the Renaissance. She is best remembered for her madrigals, which were praised for their expressive quality and technical skill. Casulana was a significant figure in early Italian vocal music. -
1548
Tomas Luis de Victoria
Tomás Luis de Victoria was a Spanish composer and chapelmaster of the Renaissance, known for his sacred music. His polyphonic style and his mastery of the counterpoint technique made him one of the most prominent figures in religious music of his time. His work includes masses, motets and spiritual songs, with special emphasis on emotion and spirituality. Victoria was one of the main influences on the liturgical music of the Catholic Church during the Spanish Golden Age. -
1554
Giovanni Gabrieli
Giovanni Gabrieli was an Italian composer and organist, known for his works for multiple choirs and instrumental ensembles. A leading figure in the Venetian School, he played a key role in the development of Baroque music, particularly through his innovative use of spatially separated choirs and instruments. His compositions influenced the future of both sacred and instrumental music. -
1567
Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Monteverdi was an Italian composer, string player, and singer, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque period. His works, including operas such as L'Orfeo and L'incoronazione di Poppea, revolutionized music by incorporating emotional depth and expressive complexity. Monteverdi's innovations in harmony, orchestration, and dramatic storytelling laid the foundation for the development of opera as a major art form. -
Giacomo Crissimi
Giacomo Carissimi was an Italian composer and singer, known for his contributions to Baroque music, particularly in the development of oratorio. His most famous work, Jephte, is a significant early example of the oratorio genre. Carissimi's compositions are characterized by their expressive use of vocal lines and rich harmonies, influencing the development of sacred music in the Baroque period. -
Barbara Strozzi
Barbara Strozzi was one of the most prominent composers of the early Baroque and one of the few women to achieve significant recognition as a composer in a male-dominated era. Born in Venice, she was a key figure in the development of Italian vocal music, especially in the cantata genre. Her work is characterized by her emotionally expressive style and her ability to combine monody with instrumental accompaniment. -
Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier, famous for the quality and refinement of his violins and other stringed instruments. Stradivari made more than 1,100 instruments, although he is especially famous for his violins. What distinguishes his instruments is their exceptional sound, characterized by great projection, warmth and tonal clarity, characteristics that make them desired by musicians all over the world, even centuries after their manufacture. -
Henry Purcel
Henry Purcell was an English Baroque composer known for his operas, choral music, and chamber works. His most famous piece is Dido and Aeneas. Purcell's music is celebrated for its emotional depth and inventive style. -
Antonio Vivaldi
Antonio Vivaldi was an Italian composer, violinist and conductor, one of the greatest composers of the Baroque period. He is especially known for his violin concertos, among which his most famous work is The Four Seasons, a set of concertos that musically depicts the seasons of the year. -
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the most influential composers of classical music and one of the great masters of the Baroque period. His work spanned a vast range of musical genres, from sacred and choral music to concertos and keyboard music, and his ability to integrate technical complexity with deep emotional expressivity was a key to his success. -
Georg Philipp Telemann
Georg Philipp Telemann was one of the most productive and outstanding composers of the Baroque period, known for his versatility and his ability to compose in a wide variety of musical genres. Although he was highly respected and admired during his lifetime, today he is remembered as one of the greatest composers of German Baroque music. -
Georg Friedrich Handel
Georg Friedrich Handel was a German-born Baroque composer who spent much of his career in England. He is best known for his oratorios, particularly Messiah, as well as his operas and instrumental music. Handel's works are celebrated for their grandeur, emotional expression, and mastery of form, making him one of the most influential composers of his time. -
Carlo Gesualdo
Carlo Gesualdo was an Italian composer known for his bold, chromatic madrigals. His intense, expressive music was ahead of its time, and his life was marked by scandal after he murdered his wife and her lover.