Renaissance Timeline

By terrinbourgeois1
  • 1390

    Dunstable (1390-1453)

    The composer that marks the transition from the medieval period to the renaissance period, as he used more thirds and sixths as harmonies in his music
  • 1397

    Dufay (1397-1474)

    One of the founders of the newer style of music, which included more consonance and was written for beauty instead of function
  • 1400

    Binchois (1400-1460)

    One of the composers that created the newer consonant sound, which was more jovial and pleasing than the sacred music written before it.
  • 1400

    Rise of Rome (1400-1450)

    The Medici family rose to power in Italy, where the renaissance was the most influential
  • Period: 1430 to

    Renaissance

  • 1435

    Tinctoris (1435-1511)

    A composer and music theorist of the late medieval and early renaissance period who wrote a dictionary of musical terms.
  • 1450

    Josquin (1450-1521)

    Renaissance composer and singer. His works' textures included homorhythm, which was common in the time period.
  • 1453

    Dunstable Dies/Renaissance Begins

    Marks the start of the renaissance era
  • 1453

    Puisque M'amour

    This piece was written by Dunstable, so it is hard to set a date on when the piece was written. Eventually, more notes have been added, and the piece has grown from 4 parts to 5-8.
    Like most renaissance works, the rhythm is simple.
  • 1467

    Timbre

    The timbre of the renaissance is the most unique yet; there are several parts (Tallis had one piece with 40 different parts playing at once) and several combinations of instruments and singers.
  • 1477

    Rebirth of Music

    Johannes Tinctoris's "Liber de arte contrapuncti" marked the rebirth of music, which had newer, more complex thoughts in several fields. A capella music reached its most popular point during this rebirth.
  • 1500

    First Dynamics are Found

    The first dynamics, which were marked as loud and soft, were found in lute music in the early 1500s. A lot of the time, there were two "groups" playing at the same time to make one effect. These groups would consist of a louder and a softer group. Loud instruments included shawms, cornets, and slackbuts.
  • 1505

    Tallis (1505-1585)

    A renaissance composer that wrote pieces with extreme amounts of parts, meaning harmonies (which were mostly thirds and sixths) and counter harmonies were common in his works.
  • 1525

    Palestrina

    The most famous composer from the renaissance, who wrote songs such as O Magnum Mysterium and other choir-heavy gospel pieces.
  • 1540

    Secular Music Becomes Equal With Sacred Music

    The top voice became the melodic line, but some lower voices had melodies that highlighted the higher voice's melodic lines. Catholic churches have to ask composers to keep secular tunes out of sacred music
  • 1540

    Musical Form

    The more modern genre was now more popular, and the form was very poetic.