The Renaissance (1430-1600)

By hr_love
  • 1390

    Dunstable (ca. 1390-1453)

    One of the primary composers of this era. He was one of the first composers to compose masses using a single melody known as the cantus firmus.
  • 1397

    Dufay (ca. 1397-1474)

    One of the primary composers of this era.
  • 1430

    Sacred

    It was one of the types of genres that were commonly composed. It included Masses and Motets. This genre was first composed by Guillaume Dufay. Some other were the a Capella vocal polyphony, and hymns.
  • 1450

    Josquin (c. 1450-1521

    One of the primary composers of this era. During this time, it was also when the Gutenberg printing press was invented.
  • 1469

    Motets and masses.

    In 1469 and on, choirs were being used for polyphony in motets and masses. This were the most common forms used by the composer Dufay. other forms were such as poetic, strophic, binary.
  • 1476

    Imitative counterpoint Texture

    The counter point became the composer's primary technique. Then, later the imitative counterpoint developed in 1476, it became a favored texture in the 16th century.
  • 1500

    Secular music

    This was the other type of genre which included the Frottola (1500-30s), Madrigals(1530s-1600), and Chansons.
  • 1500

    Dynamics and tonality.

    The actual dynamic markings first appeared in lute literature in the early 1500s. During the 15th century the sound of full triads became common.
  • 1507

    Arcadelt (ca. 1507-1568)

    One of the primary composers.
  • 1517

    Reformation movement

    The Augustinian monk Martin Luther (1483-1546) began the protestant movement known as the reformation, which created a great chaos among the Catholic church and their members.
  • 1525

    Palestrina (1525-1594)

    One of the composers of this era.
  • 1530

    End of Secular tunes in Catholic churches

    In 1540s, the Catholic church asked composers to stop using secular tunes in their sacred music. The council of Trent (1545-1563) set new guidelines for music and musicians.
  • 1557

    Gabrieli (ca. 1557-1612)

    The leading composer of instrumental ensemble music and polychoral works. Some of the types of vocal or instrumental groups were homorhythm, the haut (loud), bas(soft), percussion, harpsichord and clavichord.
  • 1570

    Farmer (ca. 1570-1603)

    one of the important composer of the secular.

  • Rhythm and tonality system.

    In the 16th century rhythm of the renaissance lost most of its complexity in vocal music. And, the 5 to 8 voices were the norm and experimentation of excess became more popular.
    During the end of the 16th century, the system of church modes began to break down, leading to the beginning of the functional tonality.