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The Epitaph of Seikilos is the oldest surviving complete musical composition. Although the Hurrian Songs of Ancient Mesopotamia are older, they are fragments rather than complete compositions. The epitaph probably dates from the first or second century -
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Gregorian chant is a type of plainchant: simple, monophonic, and with music subordinated to the text used in the liturgy of the Catholic Church -
Guido d´Arezzo, was an Italian Benedictine monk who revolutionized music education by inventing staff notation using a four-line system, which allowed precise pitch representation and replaced the older, less accurate neumatic notation. Also, he established a name for each note of the scale using the first silabe of each verse of the hymn dedicated to Saint John the Baptist -
Hildegard von Birgen was a German Benedictine abbess, mystic, composer, writer, and polymath. She composed over 70 liturgical songs and is one of the earliest known composers of sacred monophony. -
Refers to a period in the history of Western music, term most often used to describe the early part of the Medieval era, specifically the music of the Notre Dame school and other composers from that time. -
Bernart de Ventadorn was one of the most celebrated troubadours of the 12th century and a key figure in the development of Occitan lyric poetry. He composed around 45 lyric poems, of which 18 melodies survive, an unusually high number for a secular composer of his time and also influenced the northern French trouvère tradition -
Leonin was a pivotal figure in the Notre Dame School of music, and one of the earliest composers to significantly develop polyphony. His works are a crucial link between the earlier monophonic Gregorian chant and the more complex polyphonic compositions of the later Ars Nova period. -
Perotin, was a French composer active in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. He is considered a key figure in the development of medieval polyphonic music. -
Guillaume de Machaut was a French composer, poet, and cleric, widely regarded as the leading figure of the Ars Nova movement in 14th-century music and literature. He was the first known composer to compile and supervise the preservation of his complete works and his dead marks the symbolic end of the Ars Nova period. -
Ars Nova" refers to the "new art" of music that emerged in the 14th century, particularly in France and Italy, following the Ars Antiqua period.The period is known for a significant shift toward greater complexity, both in rhythm and harmony, as well as for the development of more sophisticated musical forms. -
He was the most celebrated musician of the Italian Trecento and a central figure in the Italian Ars Nova movement. Francesco composed over 140 ballate, a lyrical song form similar to the French virelai and became a master of several instruments, especially the organetto (portative organ). -
Renaissance: A period of cultural, artistic, and intellectual revival in Europe, roughly from the 14th to the 17th century, inspired by the rediscovery of classical Greek and Roman ideas. -
German inventor who introduced the printing press to Europe around 1440, revolutionizing the spread of knowledge. -
Spanish composer and poet of the Renaissance, considered one of the founders of Spanish drama. His music blends secular and sacred themes, reflecting early Spanish vernacular styles. -
German theologian and reformer who started the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century by challenging the Catholic Church's practices. -
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Spanish Renaissance composer and organist, known for his keyboard music and influence on early instrumental music. -
An Italian Renaissance composer famous for his sacred music and for shaping the style of church music during the Counter-Reformation. -
Franco-Flemish Renaissance composer known for his expressive vocal music and mastery of both sacred and secular styles. -
Italian Renaissance composer and organist, known for his contributions to Venetian polychoral music and for influencing later composers like his nephew Giovanni Gabrieli. -
Renaissance composer and the first woman to have her music printed and published. She was known for her expressive madrigals and challenged gender norms in music during her time. -
Spanish Renaissance composer known for his deeply emotional and religious sacred music, especially his polyphonic choral works. -
Spanish Renaissance composer known for his sacred polyphonic music and as one of the leading figures in Spanish choral music of the 16th century. -
Italian Renaissance and early Baroque composer and organist, famous for his innovative use of multiple choirs and instruments in Venetian polychoral music. -
Italian Renaissance composer known for his intense and expressive madrigals, famous for using bold and unusual harmonies. -
Italian composer who bridged the Renaissance and Baroque periods, pioneering early opera and expressive madrigals. His work, including L’Orfeo, transformed music with dramatic storytelling and rich emotion. -
Musical period, marked by dramatic expression, ornamentation, and the rise of opera. Composers like Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi developed complex forms such as the concerto, fugue, and oratorio. -
Italian Baroque composer known for developing the oratorio and advancing vocal music. His works, like Jephte, combined emotional depth with clear musical structure. -
17th-century Italian composer and singer known for her expressive vocal music and prolific output of cantatas and arias. She was one of the most published composers of her time, despite societal limitations on women. -
Antonio Stradivari, known as Stradivarius, was an Italian luthier of the 17th and 18th centuries, famous for crafting violins, violas, and cellos of exceptional quality. His instruments are valued for their unique sound and masterful craftsmanship. -
Italian Baroque composer and virtuoso violinist, best known for his concertos, especially The Four Seasons. His energetic style and vivid musical imagery greatly influenced the development of instrumental music. -
Prolific German Baroque composer celebrated for his versatility and innovative compositions across many genres. He was highly influential during his lifetime, blending French, Italian, and German styles. -
German Baroque composer renowned for his complex counterpoint and masterful compositions like the Brandenburg Concertos and The Well-Tempered Clavier. His music deeply influenced Western classical tradition and remains foundational today. -
German-British Baroque composer famous for his operas, oratorios, and orchestral works, including Messiah. His music is celebrated for its grandeur, expressive melodies, and dramatic impact. -
Renowned English Baroque composer known for his sacred music, operas, and chamber works. His masterpiece Dido and Aeneas remains a landmark in early English opera. -
Christoph Willibald Gluck was a German composer of the Classical period who reformed opera by emphasizing dramatic expression and the connection between music and text. He reduced excessive vocal display so that music would better serve the story and emotions on stage. -
Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer of the Classical period, often called the “Father of the Symphony” and the “Father of the String Quartet.” His music is known for its balance, clarity, and inventive use of form, and he played a key role in shaping Classical style and influencing composers such as Mozart and Beethoven. -
Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart was an Austrian musician and composer, and the older sister of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. She was a highly talented keyboard player and performed across Europe as a child, but later her career was limited by social expectations of women at the time. -
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian composer of the Classical period and one of the greatest musicians in history. He excelled in all musical genres, especially opera, symphonies, and chamber music, combining technical mastery with deep emotional expression and clarity. -
Maria Theresia von Paradis was an Austrian pianist, composer, and singer of the Classical era. Despite losing her sight completely at the age of three, she became a renowned musician who performed across Europe and composed numerous works. She studied composition and performance in Vienna and was admired by major composers of her time, including Mozart and Haydn. Paradis also contributed to music education, especially for the blind, and developed innovative methods for learning and writing music -
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer who bridged the Classical and Romantic periods. His music expanded emotional expression and musical form, and his works—especially symphonies and piano sonatas—had a profound influence on the development of Western music, even as he composed while losing his hearing. -
Franz Schubert was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic periods. He is especially famous for his Lieder (songs for voice and piano), as well as symphonies, chamber music, and piano works. Schubert’s music is celebrated for its lyrical melodies, rich harmonies, and deep emotional expression, even though he died young at 31. -
Robert Schumann was a German composer and influential music critic of the Romantic period. He is best known for his piano music, Lieder (songs), and symphonies, which combine deep emotion, literary inspiration, and innovative musical ideas. Schumann played a key role in shaping Romantic music and influenced many composers, including Brahms, who was a close friend.
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