Timeline 1

Fall of Rome

476

The fall of the great Roman Empire, which can be used as a date to signify the beginning of the Medieval Era.

Medieval Period

Period: 476 to 1450

A period of time characterized by unquestioning faith and mysticism.

Gregorian Chant

715

Gregorian chant was the roman dialect of "chant," and gets its namesake from Pope Gregory (ruled 715 - 731CE.)

Organum

800

First described c. 900 CE, extant in the 800s CE, notated c. 1000 CE, Organum is plainchant "melody" with an added melody. There were multiple forms, and did not include 3rds. This resulted in music sung with parallel 4ths and 5ths.

Romanesque Era

Period: 850 to 1150

Guido d'Arezzo (c. 991 CE - after 1033 CE)

991

The man credited with "inventing" the music staff

Hildegard von Bingen (1098 - 1179)

1098

The first female composer in contemporary musicology to receive extensive scholarly research, Hildegard von Bingen was the founder and abbess of the 
convent at Rupertsberg, 
Germany. She wrote liturgical dramas, religious poetry, and was famous for her prophetic powers and revelations.

Leonin (fl. 1150 CE - c.1201 CE)

1150

Leoin is the first composer of polyphonic music whose name we know, as many composers names were either annonymous or lost to history. Was credited with compiling the Magnus liber organi (c. 1170)

Gothic Period

Period: 1150 to 1450

Raimbaut de Vaqueiras (c. 1155 - 1207)

1155

Raimbaut de Vaqueiras was a Troubadour from southern France who served at the court in Montferrat. He wrote wrote at least 35 poems 7 in which survived with music
. He killed in battle serving his patron in 1207.

Perotin (fl. c. 1200)

1200

Pérotin was a French composer of sacred polyphonic music, who is believed to have introduced the composition of polyphony in four parts into Western music.

Philippe de Vitry (1291 - 1361)

1291

Philippe de Vitry was the first composer of the Ars Nova, and wrote "Ars nova notandi," a work describing the Ars nova in the first half of the 14th century.

Guillaume de Machaut (C. 1300 - 1377)

1300

Wrote more than 20 extant motets. Wrote one of the first polyphonic mass cycles.

Gunpowder in Europe (1300s)

1300

The introduction of gunpowder signaled the end of the age 
of knighthood.

The Compass in Europe (1300s)

1300

The development of the compass made voyages of discovery possible.

Ars Nova

Period: 1300 to 1350

Ars nova or, "new art," is the period of new rhythmic polyphony in motets. These complex rhythms 
did not last, but resurfaced in 
the 20th century and are 
in present in African music today.

Ars nova notandi

1322

A work authored by Philippe de Vitry (1291-1361.) Contained musical examples and describes the Ars nova in the first half of the 14th century.

Francesco Landini 
(ca. 1325 - 1397)

1325

Francesco Landini was the most famous Italian composer in the 14th century. Landini was a music theorist, composer, poet, organist, and was famous for being blind.

The Black Death (1340s)

1340

The Bubonic plague, aka “The Black Death,” was an illness that killed over 75 million people in the 1340s.

John Dunstable (Dunstaple) (
ca. 1390 - 1453)

1390

John Dunstable was an English composer who despite being English, influenced musical style 
in Europe. Dunstable used 3rds and 6ths in harmonies, resulting in what we currently know as triadic music.

The Renaissance

Period: 1430 to 1600

The Renaissance, or "rebirth," was period of great artistic change in history. This came with new, more complex thoughts about art, science, and religion. The changes in art originated 
in Italy, but musical style 
came out of England.

Johannes Tinctoris 
(c. 1435 - 1511)

1435

Johannes Tinctoris was a composer and music theorist: wrote about contemporary music. Tinctoris wrote the first dictionary of musical terms: Diffinitorum musices (c. 1475.)

Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519)

1452

Leonardo da Vinci was an artist, scientist, philosopher, ect. who lived during the renaissance.

Martin Luther (1483 - 1546)

1483

Marin Luther was an Augustinian monk who was excommunicated by the Catholic Church, and started the Protestant movement known as the Reformation.

Jacques Arcadelt (ca. 1507 - 1568)

1507

Jacques Arcadelt was one of the earliest Italian madrigal composers. Arcadelt worked in Italian and French courts, and composed over 250 madrigals, 125 French chansons, and sacred music.

Palestrina (1525 - 1594)

1525

Palestrina was the most famous composer from the Renaissance.

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 
(c. 1525 - 1594)

1525

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was a composer who "saved" polyphony from the church when they wanted everything homorhythmic.

The Italian Madrigal 
(1530s+)

1530

The Italian madrigal used aristocratic poetry, and flourished in Italian courts. Instruments participated but were rarely notated .The first madrigals were homorhythmic and for 4 solo voices. 5 solo voices later became the norm around 1550, and by 1600 there were no restrictions.

William Byrd 
(1542 - 1623)

1542

William Byrd 
was a Roman Catholic living in Protestant England
 who was harassed because of his faith.

The Council of Trent (1545 - 1563)

1545

The Council of Trent was a group that set new guidelines for music and musicians.

Giovanni Gabrieli 
(ca. 1557 - 1612)

1557

Giovanni Gabrieli 
was the leading composer of instrumental ensemble music and polychoral works in the late Renaissance. He Moved to Venice in 1585 to take the position of organist at St. Mark’s Cathedral.

Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)

1564

Shakespeare was an author and poet who lived into the early Baroque. Many Renaissance-style songs were composed for and used in his plays.

Pope Marcellus Mass

1567

Supposed to have been written to satisfy the Council of Trent. It contained 6 a cappella voices, and was both polyphonic and homorhythmic
.

Claudio Monteverdi (1567 - 1643)

1567

Claudio Monteverdi moved music from the 
Renaissance style to the Baroque. He wrote 9 books of madrigals, and composed several operas.