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It was found in Asia Minor. It is the oldest complete song in the world that is preserved with its melody and lyrics. It is written on a burial stone that a man named Seikilos dedicated to his wife. -
Is a type of religious music sung in the church. It has only one melody line, without instruments, and is usually sung in Latin. The singing is smooth and follows the words of the text. Gregorian chant creates a calm and spiritual feeling and was mainly used in church services. -
Was an Italian monk and music theorist who revolutionized medieval music. He is known for developing musical notation on a four-line staff, which allowed for precise representation of pitch. His innovations greatly facilitated the teaching and transmission of music, making him a fundamental figure in the history of Western music. -
Was a German Benedictine nun, composer, writer, and mystic of the Middle Ages. She is known for her liturgical chants and monophonic hymns, characterized by ascending melodic lines and deep spiritual expression. In addition, she wrote treatises on theology, medicine, and philosophy, combining art, science, and religion. Is recognized as one of the first known composers in history whose name has survived, and her work had a significant influence on medieval music and culture. -
Was a French troubadour, considered one of the most important figures in the Occitan tradition. He is known for his cansós, songs about courtly love, featuring elegant and expressive melodies that accompanied his poems on love, nobility, and emotion. His work influenced European courtly music and poetry, establishing him as one of the most celebrated troubadours of the Middle Ages. -
Was a French composer, considered the first major figure of the Notre Dame School and of ars antiqua. He is known for developing two-voice organum and for compiling works in the “Magnus Liber Organi”, a collection of polyphonic music that served as a foundation for later composers like Pérotin. His music is characterized by the clarity of vocal lines and the use of rhythmic modes. -
Perotin was a French composer associated with the Notre Dame School in Paris and one of the main figures of ars antiqua. He is known for developing multi-voice organum, increasing the polyphonic complexity of the time and refining rhythmic notation, which allowed voices to move independently. -
Was a style of European polyphonic that emerged mainly at the Notre Dame School in Paris, with composers such as Léonin and Pérotin. It is characterized by the use of multiple simultaneous voices, rhythms based on rhythmic modes, and forms like organum, conductus, and motets. This period laid the foundations for Western music, especially in rhythmic notation and polyphonic complexity, and eventually led to the ars nova. -
Was the king of Castile and León and one of the most important cultural figures of medieval Spain. He promoted education, science, and the arts, supporting translations, historical chronicles, and scientific treatises. In music, he is best known for the “Cantigas de Santa María”, a collection of songs in Galician-Portuguese dedicated to the Virgin Mary, combining poetry and music. His reign left a lasting legacy as a patron of culture and knowledge on the Iberian Peninsula. -
Was a French composer and poet, considered one of the leading figures of ars nova. He is known for combining poetry and music, composing motets, chansons, and other complex vocal forms characterized by independent voices and rich rhythmic and melodic structures. Machaut was also a courtly poet, often setting his lyrical texts to music. Among his most important works is the “Messe de Nostre Dame”. -
Was a style of European music that emerged mainly in France, with composers such as Guillaume de Machaut, and is characterized by its greater rhythmic complexity and freedom compared to ars antiqua. Musical forms like motets, chansons, and madrigals were used, and mensural notation was perfected, allowing for precise rhythmic indications. Ars nova laid the foundations for Renaissance music, highlighting the independence of voices and more elaborate musical expression. -
Was an Italian composer, organist, and poet, a prominent figure of the Italian ars nova. He is known for his canzoni and madrigals, characterized by elegant melodies and sweet harmonies. Blind from childhood, he developed great musical talent, especially as an organist, and was a key figure in the Florence School, significantly influencing 14th-century Italian music and leaving a lasting legacy for Renaissance music. -
Was a German inventor and typographer, known for introducing movable type printing in Europe. His invention allowed the mass production of books, making information more accessible and promoting literacy. Gutenberg’s most famous work is the Gutenberg Bible, one of the first books printed with movable type in Europe. Thanks to his innovation, the printing era began, transforming the spread of knowledge, education, and culture in Renaissance Europe. -
Was a Spanish composer, poet, and playwright, often considered the father of Spanish drama. He is known for his villancicos and other secular songs, which combined poetry and music, and for his contributions to early Spanish theatrical works. Encina’s music features melodic simplicity, lyrical expression, and rhythmic vitality, reflecting the transition from medieval to Renaissance styles. -
Was a German theologian, reformer, and key figure in the Protestant Reformation. He is best known for challenging the Catholic Church. Luther promoted the translation of the Bible into vernacular German, making it accessible to ordinary people, and emphasized faith and scripture over church authority. His ideas had a profound impact on religion, politics, and culture in Europe, shaping the development of Protestantism. -
Was a Spanish Renaissance composer, recognized as one of the most important figures in sacred music of the 16th century. He is known for his masses, motets, and hymns, characterized by rich polyphony, expressive melodies, and careful counterpoint. Morales worked mainly in Spain and Italy, serving in cathedrals and royal chapels. His music influenced many later composers and remains a key example of Spanish Renaissance sacred composition. -
Was a Spanish composer and organist of the Renaissance, considered one of the most important musicians of his time. He excelled in keyboard instrumental music, especially works for organ and harpsichord, combining complex counterpoint with melodic clarity. His work established him as a key figure in Spanish Renaissance instrumental music, influencing later generations of European musicians. -
Was an Italian Renaissance composer, considered one of the greatest masters of sacred music. He is known for his masses, motets, and liturgical chants, which exemplify the perfection of Renaissance counterpoint. His music features clear voices, balanced harmony, and melodic flow, making liturgical texts easy to understand. -
Was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance, considered one of the most versatile and influential musicians of his time. He composed masses, motets, madrigals, and chansons, excelling in both sacred and secular music. His work is known for its expressive melodies, rich harmonies, and mastery of counterpoint, reflecting the variety of European musical styles. -
Was an Italian composer and organist of the late Renaissance, part of the famous Gabrieli family. He is known for his sacred and secular music, including motets, madrigals, and instrumental works. Gabrieli played a key role in developing polychoral techniques at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, using multiple choirs and spatial effects to create rich, dramatic soundscapes. His work greatly influenced Baroque composers, including his nephew Giovanni Gabrieli and later generations. -
Was an Italian composer, lutenist, and singer of the Renaissance, known as the first woman in history to have her music printed and published. She is famous for her madrigals, which feature expressive melodies, intricate harmonies, and emotional depth. Casulana’s work contributed to the recognition of women as composers and performers in a period dominated by men, and her music had a lasting impact on Renaissance vocal repertoire. -
Was a Spanish composer of the Renaissance, considered one of the greatest masters of sacred music. He is known for his masses, motets, and hymns, characterized by expressive melodies, rich harmonies, and careful use of counterpoint. Victoria worked mainly in Rome and Spain, serving in churches and cathedrals, and his music is noted for its spiritual depth and emotional intensity. His compositions had a lasting influence on the development of Catholic sacred music in the late Renaissance. -
Was an Italian composer and organist of the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. He is famous for his sacred music and instrumental compositions. Gabrieli’s music is characterized by grandiose sound, contrasting choirs, dynamic effects, and innovative use of instruments, bridging the Renaissance and Baroque styles. His work had a profound influence on the development of orchestral and choral music in Europe. -
Was an Italian composer and nobleman of the late Renaissance, known for his highly expressive and chromatic madrigals. His music is notable for its intense emotional contrasts, unusual harmonies, and daring dissonances, which were innovative for his time. Gesualdo also composed sacred music, but he is most famous for his secular madrigals. His work had a significant influence on later composers and is regarded as a unique and daring voice in Renaissance music. -
Was an Italian composer, singer, and instrumentalist, a key figure in the transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque. He is known for his operas, madrigals, and sacred music, pioneering the use of dramatic expression, basso continuo, and orchestration. Monteverdi’s works, are celebrated for their emotional depth, innovative harmonies, and expressive vocal lines. He greatly influenced the development of opera and Baroque music across Europe. -
Was an Italian Baroque composer, known as one of the leading figures in early Baroque vocal music. He is especially famous for his oratorios, cantatas, and motets, which display expressive melodies, dramatic contrasts, and clear text setting. Carissimi’s work greatly influenced the development of the oratorio genre in Italy and across Europe, and his style became a model for later composers in both sacred and secular vocal music. -
Was an Italian Baroque composer and singer, recognized as one of the most prolific female composers of the 17th century. She is known for her vocal music, including cantatas, arias, and madrigals, which feature expressive melodies, emotional depth, and virtuosic vocal lines. Strozzi’s works were widely published during her lifetime, and she played a significant role in the development of secular Baroque vocal music. -
Was an Italian luthier and craftsman, famous for making string instruments such as violins, violas, and cellos. His instruments are renowned for their exceptional sound quality, craftsmanship, and durability, and many are considered the finest ever made. Instruments made by him, known as Stradivarius violins, remain highly prized and are used by top musicians around the world. -
Was an English Baroque composer, renowned for his operas, sacred music, and instrumental works. He is known for works such as “Dido and Aeneas” and a variety of anthem and semi-opera compositions. Purcell’s music combines English choral tradition with French and Italian influences, featuring expressive harmonies, memorable melodies, and dramatic text setting. -
Was an Italian Baroque composer, violinist, and conductor, best known for his instrumental works, especially violin concertos. He composed over 500 concertos, as well as operas, sacred choral music, and chamber music. Vivaldi’s music is characterized by rhythmic vitality, melodic invention, and dramatic contrasts.!He had a major influence on the development of Baroque music, inspiring composers across Europe. -
Was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist, one of the most prolific composers in history. He wrote a vast amount of sacred and secular music, including cantatas, orchestral suites, concertos, and chamber works. Telemann’s music is known for its melodic invention, stylistic versatility, and clear structures, blending French, Italian, and German influences. -
Was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, and instrumental music. He is best known for works like “Messiah”, which remains one of the most performed choral works in the world. Handel’s music is characterized by grandiose melodies, dramatic expression, and rich orchestration, blending Italian, German, and English styles. -
Was a German Baroque composer, organist, and violinist, widely regarded as one of the greatest composers in Western music history. He is known for his complex counterpoint, harmonic mastery, and inventive musical structures. His music profoundly influenced later composers and remains a cornerstone of both sacred and secular classical music.