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476
Fall of Rome
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Period: 476 to 1435
Common Stylistic Traits (Middle Ages)
Music was primarily functional, used for very specific purposes like church services, dances and entertainment; Melodies had small ranges; Rhythms were steady and regular; Official harmonies are not established but fourths, fifths, and octaves were commonly used; Music was monophonic; Poetry and words formed the structure of the music; Chants were extremely common -
Period: 476 to 1435
Genres Commonly Composed (Middle Ages)
Secular, Ballads, Lais, Rondeaux, Virelais, Madrigals, Chant -
Period: 476 to 1430
Pitch and Rhythm Notation Invented
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Period: 480 to 524
Boethius
ca. 480- ca. 524. Important music theorist -
Period: 991 to 1033
d'Arezzo
credited with inventing the staff -
Period: 1098 to 1179
von Bingen
The first female composer in contemporary musicology to receive extensive scholarly research. She was a very important poet, composer, teacher, and author. -
Period: 1130 to 1190
Ventadorn
ca. 1130/40- ca. 1190/1200. Famous troubadour. -
Period: 1135 to 1201
Leonin
ca. 1135- ca. 1201. Master of organum purum at the Cathedral of Notre Dame. -
Period: 1140 to 1200
Bornelh
ca. 1140- ca. 1200. Famous troubadour. -
Period: 1150 to 1200
Daniel
ca. 1150/60- ca. 1200. Took the poetic style to new heights. -
Period: 1155 to 1200
de Nesle
ca. 1155/60- 1200. One of the most important early trouveres. -
Period: 1160 to 1213
Brule
ca. 1160- after 1213. One of the earliest trouveres and most famous of poets. -
Period: 1160 to 1230
Perotin
We do not know the exact dates of his life but estimate it to be sometime during the late 12th/early 13th century. May have been a student of Leonin. -
Period: 1170 to 1230
von der Vogelweide
ca. 1170-1230. Wrote the earliest surviving minnesinger melody. -
Period: 1180 to 1278
Cardenal
ca. 1180- ca. 1278. One of the most celebrated troubadours of his time. -
Period: 1201 to 1253
Thibaut IV
Headed the Crusades to Jerusalem. Prolific composer and poet. -
Period: 1250 to 1300
Eyeglasses Invented
ca. the late 13th century -
Period: 1250 to 1300
Anonymous IV
We do not know the exact dates of their lifetime but estimate it to be sometime during the late 13th century. One of the most important Medieval music theorists. -
Period: 1291 to 1361
de Vitry
French composer known as the "inventor of a new art". -
Period: 1300 to 1350
Ars Nova in France
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Period: 1300 to 1400
Trecento in Italy
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Period: 1300 to 1377
de Mauchaut
ca. 1300-1377. The leading composer and poet of the Ars Nova in France. -
Period: 1320 to 1362
de Firenze
ca. 1320/25- 1362/63. Important Italian composer of the Trecento in Italy. -
Period: 1325 to 1397
Landini
ca. 1325-1397. The most celebrated musical personality of the Trecento in Italy. -
Period: 1337 to 1453
Hundred Years War
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Period: 1390 to 1453
Dunstable
ca. 1390-1453. English composer who influenced musical style in Europe. -
Period: 1397 to 1474
Dufey
ca. 1397-1474. First Renaissance composer. -
Period: 1420 to 1497
Ockeghem
ca. 1420-1497. Very respected and prolific. A low bass. -
Period: 1430 to
Common Stylistic Traits (Renaissance)
Melody voice was usually the bottom voice; Rhythms were simple; Progressions of 3rds and 6ths were popular; Dissonances were avoided; Tonal system used modality; Tended to be homorhythmic, Common forms: cantus firmus, poetic strophic, binary, madrigals; Was now more about beauty than function or purpose -
Period: 1430 to
Genres Commonly Composed (Renaissance)
Ballet, Balletti, Chant, Masses, Motets, Hymns, Secular, Sacred -
Period: 1435 to 1511
Tinctoris
ca. 1435-1511. Composer and music theorist who wrote about contemporary music. -
1440
Printing Press Invented
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Period: 1450 to 1517
Isaac
ca. 1450-1517. Prolific German composer. -
Period: 1450 to 1521
des Prez
ca. 1450-1521. From France but served in Italian courts. His music was so emotion-filled and popular that others would try and pass it off as their own. -
Period: 1450 to 1521
Arcadelt
ca. 1450-1521. One of the earliest Italian madrigal composers. -
Period: 1452 to 1519
da Vinci
Very important artist, scientist, engineer, sculptor and architect of the Renaissance. -
Period: 1483 to 1546
Luther
German theologist and composer. Also the founder of the Lutheran Church. -
1487
Bell Chimes Invented
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Period: 1490 to 1562
Willaert
ca. 1490-1562. Father of text expression. -
1492
Columbus Lands in the Americas
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Period: 1505 to
Tallis
English composer who wrote a 40-voice part motet. -
Period: 1515 to 1565
de Rore
ca. 1515-1565. Composed at least 125 madrigals. -
Period: 1521 to
de Monte
Most prolific composer of the Renaissance. -
Period: 1525 to
Palestrina
The most famous composer from the Renaissance. -
Period: 1525 to
da Palestrina
ca. 1525-1594. Awarded the most posthumous fame. -
Period: 1532 to
di Lasso
Ranks in importance with Josquin and Palestrina. -
Period: 1543 to
Byrd
Important Catholic English composer working in Protestant England. -
Period: 1548 to
de Victoria
Carries on Palestrina's style while working in Spain. -
Period: 1557 to
Gabrieli
ca. 1557-1612. The leading composer of instrumental ensemble music and polychoral works in the late Renaissance. -
1563
Black Plague Outbreak
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Period: 1567 to
Monteverdi
Moved music from the Renaissance style to the Baroque style. -
Period: 1570 to
Farmer
ca. 1570-1603. English composer and organist who was known for clever word painting.