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During this time of liturgical musical drama unfolds throughout Europe. Also, the music of the troubadour and trouvère, a vernacular tradition of the monophonic, secular song is accompanied by instruments and singers.
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It was around this time when a new method to teach singing was invented by a Benedictine monk and choirmaster named Guido de Arezzo.
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The lifetime of Hildegard von Bingen, a highly regarded abbess who was conferred the title of "doctor of the church" by Pope Benedict XVI. One of her works as a composer, the "Ordo Virtutum," is an early example of liturgical drama and arguably the oldest surviving morality play.
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This period is the age of the Goliards. The Goliards were a group of clergy who wrote satirical Latin poetry to mock the church. Some known Goliards were Peter of Blois and Walter of Chatillon.
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The Notre Dame school of polyphony firmly takes root. Rhythmic notation first appears during this period. Also known as the ars antiqua; it is during this time when the motet (a short, sacred, choral song) initially developed.
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The spread of geisslerlieder or flagellant songs. The practice of flagellation was practiced by people whipping themselves with various instruments as a way to repent to God with hopes of ending the disease and wars of the time. Geisslerlieder music was simple and closely related to folk songs.
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The period of ars nova, or "new art," coined by Philippe de Vitry. During this period, secular music acquired polyphonic sophistication. The most notable practitioner of this style was Guillaume de Machaut.
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This period was the birth of minnesang, which were lyrics and songs writing in Germany much like the troubadour tradition of France. Minnesingers mainly sang of courtly love and some known minnesingers were Henric van Veldeke, Wolfram von Eschenbach, and Hartmann von Aue.
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Known composers during this time were Leonel Power, John Dunstable, Gilles Binchois, and Guillaume Dufay. Dunstable is credited with the countenance anglepoise, or "English manner," which was his stylistic trait of using full triadic harmony. It is a distinctive style of polyphony.