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800
Polyphony
Polyphony is the sounding of two or more melodies simultaneously. Texture is based on counterpoint. -
Period: 991 to 1033
Guido of Arezzo
Music Theorist that is credited with creating a system of precise pitch notation through lines and spaces on a staff. He commended a method of sight-singing using syllables (solfege). -
1025
Canon of Medicine
Avicenna writes an encyclopedia of medicine in five books. -
1054
Great Schism
An eternal break between the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox churches. -
Period: 1098 to 1179
Hildegard Von Bingen
Composer of the first morality play who was known as the Sybil of the Rhine. Her counsel was sought out by rulers. This theologist composed 77 melodies, books, poetry, morality play, and paintings. -
Period: 1130 to 1200
Bernart de Ventadorn
Famous and finest troubadour poet. This figure is important musically because his music survives than any other 12th century poet. He wrote 44 songs, with 18 having complete melodies. -
Period: 1135 to 1201
Leonin (Leoninus)
Master of organum purum at the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris. They composed Magnus Liber, collection of organum. -
Period: 1140 to 1212
Comtessa Beatriz de Dia
Famous Female troubadour who has left the only surviving melody by a female troubadour. She composed 1 tenso and 4 cansos. -
Period: 1170 to 1230
Walther von der Vogelweide
Poet and Minnesinger who worked at the Viennese court. He wrote the earliest surviving minnesinger melody. His contemporaries considered him the leading composer/ poet among the Minnesinger. -
Period: 1180 to 1238
Perotin (Perotinus)
Master of discant organum at the Cathedra; of Notre Dame, Paris. He wrote 3 and 4- voice organums. He composed organum, clauslae, and conductus. -
Period: 1213 to 1239
Moniont d'Arras
Trouvere who wrote in several genres and forms. He was a monk at Arras/ He composed 23 poems with 13 surviving melodies. -
Period: 1291 to 1361
Philippe de Vitry
French composer who was known as the "inventor of a new art," and established a new tradition of mensural notation. Composed Treatise: Ars Nova, 1322-23 and motets, some isorhythmic. -
Period: 1300 to 1377
Guillaume de Machaut
The leading composer and poet of Arts Nova. He composed Mass of Notre Dame, over 400 poems, 22 rondeaux, 19 lais, 33 virelais, 23 motets, and 42 ballades. -
Period: 1315 to 1317
Great Famine 1315
The Great Famine was the first of a series of large-scale crises that struck Europe. The famine caused many deaths over an extended number of years. -
1316
Ars Nova
The first Ars Nova collection dates from 1316. The collection was called, "Roman de Fawel" and it is a long poem by Gervais de Bus. -
Period: 1325 to 1397
Francesco Landini
Blind instrumentalist that was known for his cadences. Most celebrated musical personality of the Trecento and was also an instrument maker. He composed 155 works that were mostly ballate and madrigals. -
Period: 1346 to 1353
Black Death
The Black Death was the deadliest pandemic recorded in human history. The Black Death resulted in the deaths of up to 75–200 million people in Eurasia, North Africa, and Europe. -
Period: 1390 to 1453
John Dunstaple
The leading English composer that created new consonant style of 3rds and 6ths that became the Renaissance style. Many of his works were destroyed during the English Reformation. He composed 20 mass sections, 2 complete masses, 2 secular songs, and 40 motets. -
Period: 1397 to 1474
Guillaume Du Fay
Franco-Flemish composer that used older medieval cadences. This first important Renaissance composer wrote 7 masses, 28 mass sections, 15 antiphons, 87 chansons, 90 motets, 27 hymns, and 22 motets. -
Period: 1410 to 1497
Johannes Ockeghem
Bass singer that served for 3 kings and was very respected. He did not use much imitation. He composed 13 masses, more than 5 motets, Requiem, and 21 chansons. -
1445
Printing Press
Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, which started the Printing Revolution. The arrival of mechanical movable type printing introduced the era of mass communication. -
Period: 1450 to 1521
Josquin de Prez
Martin Luther considered him to be the "best of the composers of our time," and "the master of notes." He composed 18 masses, 65 chansons (10 of which are instrumental), and more than 50 motets. -
Period: 1450 to 1517
Heinrich Isaac
Franco-Flemish composer who influenced German music. He was the court composer to the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian 1 in Vienna. He composed 36 masses, songs (German, French, and Italian), frottole, and Choralis Constantinus. -
Period: 1452 to 1518
Pierre de la Rue
Leading composer at the Burgundian court. Frequently used canon and ostinato and preferred low sonorities. He composed 31 masses, 25 motets, 7 mass sections, 30 chansons, and Requiem. -
Period: 1457 to 1505
Jacob Obrecht
Dutch composer that made important contributions to large- scale forms and their unity. He composed 26 masses, Marian antiphons, 32 motets, and 30 secular works. -
Period: 1466 to 1539
Ottaviano Petrucci
First music printer and publisher. Preserved Renaissance music for us today. -
1476
Imitative Counterpoint
Counterpoint became the Renaissance composers primary technique while imitative counterpoint developed in 1476 which became the favored texture in the 16th century. -
Period: 1483 to 1546
Martin Luther
German theologian and composer who was the founder of the Lutheran church. Composed German Hymns and writings. -
Period: 1490 to 1562
Adrian Willaert
Strong advocate of textual expression and served in Italian courts. He composed masses, psalms, madrigals, hymns, 18 richercares, 173 motets, and chansons. -
1492
Discovery of America
Columbus discovered the Americas and claimed the land for Spain. -
Period: 1495 to 1498
The Last Supper
A mural painting by Leonardo da Vinci housed by the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. It is one of the Western world's most recognizable paintings. -
Period: 1505 to
Thomas Tallis
English organist that wrote both for the Latin and the reformed English liturgies. He composed 30 motets, 3 masses, Psalms, anthems, and Lamentations. -
Period: 1507 to 1568
Jacques Arcadelt
Dutch composer that was well published in the 16th century. He worked in Rome and Paris. He composed volumes of Madrigals chansons, and masses. -
1509
The School of Athens
The School of Athens is a fresco by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael. It was painted for Raphael's commission to decorate the rooms now known as the Stanze di Raffaello in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican -
Period: 1515 to 1565
Cipriano de Rore
Flemish composer that worked in Ferrara and Parma. He composed at least 125 madrigals, 65 motets, 3 masses, 8 Psalms, Magnificats, and 1 Passion. -
1517
95 Theses
A list of propositions for an academic disputation written by Martin Luther, professor of moral theology at the University of Wittenberg, Germany. -
Period: 1521 to
Phillippe de Monte
Franco- Flemish composer that mixed polyphony and homophony. One of the most Prolific composers of the Renaissance. He composed at least 1038 secular madrigals, 38 masses, 319 motets, 144 sacred madrigals, and 45 chansons. -
Period: 1525 to
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Became an icon of Renaissance music for future generations. Wrote in a Roman style. Mostly contrapuntal liturgical music. Composed 104 masses, 375 motets, and madrigals (secular and scared). -
Period: 1532 to
Orlando di Lasso
One of the most versatile composers in all of the 16th century. He composed 60 masses, 530 motets, 150 chansons, 175 Italian madrigals, 90 German Lieder, and 100 Magnificats. -
Period: 1535 to
Giaches de Wert
Pupil of de Rore who served the Dukes of Manuta and Parma. Text declamation was vital to him and wrote madrigals for the Concerto della donne. He composed 15 volumes of madrigals, motets, and hymns. -
1540
Madrigals
Secular vocal music composition that is unaccompanied and usually has 2-8 voices. -
Period: 1540 to
William Byrd
English Catholic composer that wrote both Protestant and Catholic music in England. He was the greatest English composer of his time. He composed 3 masses, 175 motets, anthems, and antiphons. -
Period: 1548 to
Tomas Luis de Victoria
Spanish composed that continued Palestrina's Roman style in Spain. He was a sacred- music composer who was the greatest Spanish composer in the Renaissance. He composed 20 masses, motets, Magnificats, hymns, and many liturgical pieces. -
Period: 1553 to
Luca Marenzio
The leading madrigal composer of the late 16th century. He influenced the English madrigal. He composed 9 books of madrigals and 75 sacred motets. -
Period: 1557 to
Thomas Morley
English composer that contributed to the development of the English madrigal. He was important for the music publication and printing. He edited the "Triumphs of Oriana" (1601) and composed liturgical works and keyboard works. -
Period: 1561 to
Carlo Gesualdo
Neapolitan Prince of Venosa who was known for his chromaticism. Murdered his wife and lover in 1590. He was the leading composer of madrigals and used extreme expressive intensity. He composed 6 books of madrigals, 1 book of responsories, 2 books of motets, and keyboard works. -
Period: 1567 to
Claudio Monteverdi
A composer that was ahead of his time and took music into a new style (seconda pratica). -
Period: 1576 to
Thomas Weelkes
English composer tat had a major drinking problem. He composed madrigals and anthems. -
Homophony
Developed later than polyphony, but became popular around 1600. Homophony consists of a melody with an accompaniment.