This is a list of medieval composers and musicians. This page includes a list of medieval musical instruments and composers through the 15th century. The 16th century composers and musicians are on page 2. This information was taken from The New Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians edited by Waldo Selden Pratt, although I picked up a couple of instruments from this site: http://www.s-hamilton.k12.ia.us/antiqua/instrumt.html
Wind Instruments
bagpipe: ancient wind inst. of the reed-class. With a leather bag acting as an air reservoir to collect blown air or by bellows worked by the player�s arm. Connected to the bag are pipes, 2-3 drones with fixed tones and a chanter with 6-8 finger holes.
bassoon: bass of oboe-family; It. fagotto Gm. fagott, meaning 'bundle of sticks'. The bassoon, bent upon itself, is over 90 inches long with 15-20 finger holes. It was invented by Afriano of Ferrara in 1525 and replaced the bombard.
bombard (bomhart): older type of oboe, several sizes, shading into the shawm. The nucleus of the early orchestra before the violin and other strings. Also called a pommer. The bass-bombard led to the modern bassoon
chalumeau: forerunner of clarinet (circa 1700)
cornemuse: the peasant's bagpipe in France, Flanders and parts of Italy
dulcian (curtal): in several sizes with a sweet tone. The bass of the family led to the bassoon. It had similar in range
flute: of the pipe-class including whistles, recorders, flageolets, etc. The older form of flute is known as the 'direct' or 'beaked' flute, with a mouthpiece held vertically from the performer's mouth. The transverse flute, sounded by blowing into a hole in the side of the tube, was also available in medieval Europe. Modern flutes are of this type. The Medieval flutes were arranged in a full family from bass to treble. There is a claim that a flute made from animal bone 45,000 or more years ago by a Neanderthal has been found:
http://www.webster.sk.ca/greenwich/fl-compl.htm http://www.exploratorium.edu/aaas-2000/0221_dispatch_flutes.html
gemshorn: crafted from the chamois, a small antelope (The chamois can jump 18 feet in case you were wondering)
hirtenschalmei (shepherd's shawm): an instrument of 'commoners'. Had a rich tone
horn: wind inst. from the ancient practice of using the horn of an animal for a call to war or hunting. Horns of metal are used for music
krummhorn (crumhorn, cromorne): Obsolete wind inst. of the bombard family. Lower end of tube curved back to musician. Poor tone.
kortholt: similar to the krumhorn
oboe: a general name for instruments with a double reed. Its obsolete groups include krummhorns, bombards and shawms. The modern oboe had its start in the treble shawm. A prominent medieval inst. with a penetrating tone and much variation. The name comes from the Fr. hautbois; Eng. hautboy; Gm. hoboe
ocarinas: small wind inst. of terracotta, shaped like a bird with a whistle-like mouthpiece and a varying number of finger holes. They came in several sizes and were named after the 'oca', Italian for goose. Originated in the Tyrol (the Alps of western Austria and northern Italy).
panpipe (pan's-pipe, syrinx): wind inst. of several reeds or wooden tubes known by ancient Greeks
pibcorn or pibgorn (also known as hornpipe): An ancient Celtic instrument of the clarinet-class with a cylindrical tube of bone, a bell at each end of ox-horn and a small reed of straw. Usually with 7 finger holes.
piffero: small Italian and Tyrol oboe or flageolet
pipe: any small tubular instrument usually of wood as the whistle or oboe. From the ancient pipe came flutes, oboes, clarinets, etc.
rackett (ranket): was less than a foot long in length with a 3-foot long bore within, giving weak, low tones. Made in several sizes an as many as 8 finger holes
rauschpfeife: of the woodwind family, its size ranged from soprano to bass
recorder: used until the 18th c. Six sizes, 1 to 8 feet long, usually with 8 finger holes. Mellow tone, much variety. Also known as a fipple-flute, the blown air passing a slit-shaped airway. Replaced by the flageolet in the 18th c.
sackbut (sacbut sagbut): similar to trumpet, but with a slide like the trombone
shawm, shawm (Latin calamus; Fr. chalumeau; Gm. schalmei): the shawm is a complete family of six wood-wind instruments. Can be from 2 to 10 feet long and with 6-10 finger holes. Forerunner of the oboe, Eng. horn and bassoons; related to older clarinets. On the continent it was known as pommer and on occasion bombard.
sordono, sordun: a form of bombard (or pommer) in five sizes and 12 finger holes
trombone: large instrument of the trumpet-class with a movable slide and 2 � octaves. Origin unknown, traceable to the 14th c. as 'sackbut'; Sp. sacabuche (draw-tube); Fr. Saqueboute). An early Italian name was 'tromba spezzata' (broken trumpet)
trumpet: brass wind-inst. In its early form the tube was straight. The ancient trumpet was the curved lituus, used by the Roman military. The straight Roman trumpet was known as the tuba, no relation to the modern tuba (1835)
whistle: a small inst. of wood or metal with the fipple or flageolet mouthpiece (fipple: a cavity for blown air that then passes through a slit-shaped windway)
zink or cornett: the zink (zinke) was a medieval form of trumpet in two or three sizes and usually 7 finger holes. Small size was called cornettino. The lizard (lysard) was a tenor cornett. From the large (bass) cornon came the serpent, the bass cornett. It was a long s-shaped tube of wood invented by Edme Guillaume, canon of Auxeere in 1590, for church music.
Stringed Instruments
bandola (bandora, bandura; also with the stem mand- or pand-): of the lute family with an oval body, associated with folk-music. Usually 12 wire strings with half of them open, the larger variety with as many as 30. From the mandola came the mandolin
cithara, cither, cithern, cittern, citole: Eng variations of the common medieval name for an instrument of the lute-class, made in various shapes, sizes and number of strings. From the same root came gittern, guitar and zither, all these names are traced to 'kithara', the name of the Greek lyre, which was not a lute or a zither
crwths (crouth, crowd, chrotta, rotta, cruit): ancient Celtic stringed inst. with a nearly-square body of the lyre or lute class. Originally with 3 strings then 6 strings.
dulcimer (Gm. hackbrett, It. cembalo, Fr. tympanon): resonance box or soundboard with several or many metal strings struck with a small hammer. Ancient, known to Assyrians and the Persians as 'santir'
fiddle: the old English name for any form of viol.
harp: an ancient, many stringed inst. whose strings are plucked or strummed over an open frame
gittern: from the lute-class, became the guitar
guitar: of the lute-class, introduced to Europe by the Moors. The older inst. often had ten on more strings tuned in pairs. Popularity began in the 18th c.
hurdy-gurdy: peculiar stringed inst. popular in the middle ages. Pear-shaped and without an extended neck, this inst. has with 4-6 strings that are sounded by a rosined wheel revolved by a crank. Used for church music until replaced by the organ. In the 10th c. it was known as the organistrum, then called the armonie, symphonie, chifonie, sambuca, zampugna, etc. In modern Fr. vielle; Gm. bauernleier, drehleier or bettlerleier ('leier' as in 'lyra' or 'lyre')
lira: It for lyre, but applied also the hurdygurdy (lira tedesca), and especially to a form of viol that probably led to the violin. The lira da braccio had 7 strings on fingerboard, and 2 open; the lira da gamba had 12 strings on fingerboard, and 2 open; the lirone (archiviola da lira) up to 24 strings
lute: very popular pear-shaped inst. with 6-13 strings. Known first by Arabs. Made in several sizes, the chitarra (chiterna) was smallest with 4 strings. Next was the theorbo (archlute) bass-lute with 14-20 strings with 6-8 of them open. The chitarrone were the largest lute with up to 24 strings. Lutes have a delicate and sweet tone. Other names for the smallest form are chitarino, chitarrina and chitarrone
lyre (kithara kitharis and phorminx): ancient Greek stringed instruments with 4-18 strings
psaltery (psalterion): name of several medieval inst. of the zither-class and sometimes dulcimers. Played by twanging or the striking of the strings
rebec (rebeck): this small viol with 3 gut-strings and pear-shaped body was introduced to Europe in the 8th c. by Arabs
tromba marina: of the viol-class with a long, slender body with flat flaring end on floor. One thick, heavy string. Named due to its trumpet-like in appearance. 'Marina' comes either from a 16th c. trumpeter named Marin or that the instrument was sounded from a boat. Also called a nun's-fiddle, due to it's scale agreeability with women's voices
tympan (tympano): ancient Irish inst. possibly same as crwth
vielle: originally same as viol, but finally applied mostly to the hurdy-gurdy
vihuela: a stringed instrument with a shape similar to a modern guitar. It was popular in 15th and 16th century Spain before the guitar replaced it. Known as the viola in Italy and Portugal
viol: general name for the extensive class of stringed inst. strings sounded with bow. Eng viol and fiddle, It viola from Old Gm High fidula and Late Latin vitula
viola: It. for viol. Descended from the older viola da braccio. The name violino was given to it just prior to 1600, later transferred to the treble form
viola bastarda: a large variety of the viola da gamba
viola da gamba (gamba): the bass in the old viol family 6-7 strings popular despite its lack of tonal quality. Replaced by the violoncello (18th c.) Cello is the abbreviation of violoncello
viola d'amore: a variety of viola da braccio. Sweet tone, 5-7 gut-strings
violin: the name of the final form of the viol in the 17th c. the treble member of the viol family: viola (alto or tenor); violoncello (baritone or bass); bass-viol (double-bass)
violone: the large (or bass) member of the viol-family, the precursor of the of the modern bass-viol or double-bass
Keyboard
clavichord: keyboard inst. of the 16th to18th c. that led to the invention of the piano. Weak metallic tone, for home use. Portable, placed on table. 20 keys, 2 1/2 octaves on original form.
harpsichord (clavicembalo, gravicembalo or cembalo): keyboard inst. of the 16th to18th c. the precursor of piano. Smaller forms known as spinet, virginal and cembalino (It.). Louder than clavichord it was used in concerts. It had 4-6 octaves.
organ (pipe-organ): keyboard inst. whose tones are produced from pipes in which air is artificially compressed. Invented by the Greeks 100-200 BC. First used in medieval Europe in the 4th c. The portative organ is a small organ (regal) that can be carried. The left hand operated the bellows while the right hand played the keys. Organetto and chamber-organ are also names for the smaller organ. The positive organ is one that is too large to move. The hydraulus was invented by Ktesibios of Alexandria 175 BC or earlier. In 1885 a clay model of the hydraulus was discovered at Carthage.
Percussion
bodhran: Irish drum
carillon: usually a set of bells although sometimes applied to chimes
nakers: small kettle drums made from wood, metal or clay.
tabor (taborine; also timbrel): a small drum used by medieval pipers. With the tabor strapped to their arm the pipers would pipe with one hand and beat the drum with a stick with the other hand. Diminutive is taboret or tabret.
tambourine (also timbrel): a small drum that was hoop with a head of parchment with metal jingles attached to the hoop
Medieval Composers and Musicians
Hucbald (840-930): French monk at St. Armand (n. Tournai)
Notker Balbulus (830-912): Monk at St. Gaul (Switzerland)
Odo (d. 942): French monk at Tours, Baume, Aurillac and Cluny
Alfarabi (900-950): Arab theorist at Damascus
Aron (d. 1052): Abbott at Cologne
Aribo Scholasticus (d. 1078): Monk at Freising (Bavaria)
Berno Augiensis (d. 1048): Abbott at Reichenau (Baden)
Guido d�Arezzo (995-1050): French (?) monk at Pomposa (n. Ferrara) Arezzo and
Avellano; famous teacher. [Invented a form of musical notation, 1000 A.D.]
Hermannus Contractus (1013-1054): Swabian monk at Reichenau (Baden)
John Cotton (circa 1100): English (?) monk
Perotinus Magnus (12th C.): French choirmaster at Notre Dame, Paris
Adam de la Halle (1240-1287): French Trouv�re
Pietro Casella (13th C.): Italian friend of Dante; first known madrigalist
Elias Salomonis (13th C.): French monk at St. Astere; first to give rules for improvised counterpoint
Franco of Cologne (circa 1200): Prior at Cologne
Franco of Paris (13th C): French choirmaster at Notre Dame, Paris
Frauenlob [Heinrich von Meissen] (d. 1318): The last Minnesinger
Johnannes de Garlandia (13th C): English teacher, mostly at Paris.
Marchettus of Padua (13-14th C.): Important theorist on northern Italy
Walter Oddington (d. after 1330): English monk at Evesham
Georgios Pachymeres (1242-1310): Byzantine Writer
Thibaut IV (1201-1253): King of Navarre; famous Trouv�re
Abd-el-Kadir ben Isa (14th C.): Arab theorist
Manuel Bryennios (14th C.): The last Byzantine writer on music
Nikolaus Faber (14th C.): German priest at Halberstadt, where he built the first German organ
Gheradello (14th C.): Early Florentine madrigalist
Giovanni da Cascia (14th C.): Reputed founder of the Ars Nova at Florence
Robert de Handlo (14th C.): English writer
Hugo von Reutlingen (1285-1359): Swabian priest and writer
Francesco Landino (1325-1397): Florentine organist and madrigalist
Guillaume Machault (1300-1372): French Trouv�re and imitator of the Florentine Ars Nova
Johannes de Muris (14th C.): French mathematician at Oxford
Paulus de Florentia (14th C.): Florentine madrigalist
Piero di Firenzie (14th C.): Florentine madrigalist
Simon Tunsted (14th C.): English monk at Oxford
Philippe de Vitry (1290-1361): French bishop, composer and theorist
15th century
Henry Abyndon (d. 1497): English church-musician, from 1447 at Wells Cathedral, in 1463 first Mus-B. at Cambridge and in 1465-83 master at the Chapel Royal
Adam von Fulda: German composer and theorist, about 1490 active in Bavaria (Wurzburg)
Aegidius de Murano: Author of a tractate on mensural music
Agricola [Ackerman] Alexander (1446-1506): Able German singer and composer, long in Choirs at Milan and Mantua and from 1491 chaplain at the Burgundian court
Gilbert Bannister: English church-musician, from 1483 master at the Chapel Royal
Jacques Barbireau (d. 1491): Belgian church-musician, from 1448 choirmaster at Antwerp Cathedral
Philippe Bassiron [Basiron]: Belgian church-musician
Michel Behaim (1416-74): Wurtemburger Meistersinger and soldier in German, Danish and Hungarian service.
Prosdocimus de Beldemandis (b. 1375): Italian professor of philosophy at Padua; writer on mensural music (noting a 17-tone enharmonic scale)
Johannes Benet: English church-composer who used features from the Florentine Ars Nova
Bernhad der Deutsche (d. 1459): German organist at St. Mark�s in Venice from 1445; said to have introduced the pedal-keyboard
Giles Binchois (1400-60): Eminent Belgian singer and composer at the Burgundian court, writing both sacred and secular works
Johannes Brasart: Belgian singer in the Papal Chapel about 1430
Nicolaus Burtius (1450-1518): Italian author of a work (1487) containing early examples of mensural music
Antoine Busnois (d. 1492): Belgian singer at the Burgundian court in 1467-81 and then choirmaster at Bruges
Philippe Caron: Belgian composer, probably pupil of Dufay
Phlippus de Caserta: Neapolitan writer on mensural music
Johannes Cesaris: Belgian contemporary of Dufay
Johannes Ciconia: Belgian composer and theorist, about 1400 canon at Padua
Loyset Compere: (d. 1518) Noted Belgian singer and composer at St. Quentin Cathedral, becoming canon and chancellor; pupil of Okeghem
Richard Davy [Davys]: English singer and organist at Magdalen College, Oxford about 1490
Josquin Despres (1450-1521): The most gifted Belgian composer at the beginning of the 15th century, pupil of Okeghem; from 1474 singer at Milan, from 1484 in the Papal Chapel, from 1495 choirmaster at Cambrai, in 1499-1503 at Modena, Paris and Ferrara in turn and finally prebendary at Conde.
Petrus de Domarto: Italian composer, probably in the Papal Chapel
Donatus de Florentia: Italian composer after the style of Ars Nova
Guillaume Dufay (1400-74): The last of the strong Belgian composer before Okeghem and Despres, following Dunstable and Binchois; in 1428-37 singer in the Papal Chapel, in 1442-49 employed by Felix V of Savoy (antipope) besides in 1436-37 becoming canon at both Cambrai and Mons
John Dunstable (1370-1453): Able English composer, details of life unknown; one of the first to use the accompanied melody and detached phrase-form of the Florentines
Domingo Marcos Duran: Spanish writer on plainsongs (1492-98)
Eloy d�Amerval: French choirmaster at Ste.-Croix in Orleans about 1480
Fernando Esteban: Spanish writer (1410), sacristan at S. Clemente in Seville
Vincent Faugues: Belgian composer, probably of Dufay�s school
Heinrich Finck (1445-1527): German musician, educated in Poland, and from 1492 in court-service there, from 1510 at Stuttgart and later at Salzburg
Franchino Gafori (1451-1522): Able Italian theorist, from 1484 choirmaster at Milan Cathedral and also from 1498 lecturer at Pavia (works 1480-1518)
Gaspar von Werbecke (b. 1440): Belgian church-musician from 1472 at the Milanese court, from 1481 in the Papal Chapel and from 1489 at Oudenarde (his birthplace)
John Hanboys [Hamboys]: English writer on mensural music
Heyne van Ghizeghem: Belgian church-musician, from 1453 at Cambrai Cathedral and from 1468 at th Burgundian court; one of the earliest to use instruments for accompaniment
Paulus von Hofhaimer (1459-1537): Eminent Austrian organist and composer, in 1480-1519 at the Innsbruck court and from 1528 at the Salzburg Cathedral
Johannes Hothby (d. 1487): English theorist (Carmelite monk), in 1435 lecturer at Oxford and in 1467-86 at S. Martino at Lucca
Heinrich Isaac (1450-1517): Belgian by descent, though perhaps born at Prague, early employed at Ferrara, in 1477-93 in the Florentine court and in 1497-1515 imperial composer at Innsbruck; the most gifted of the German circle.
Jacotin [Jacques Godebrye] (1445-1529): Belgian composer, from 1497 choirmaster at Antwerp Cathedral
Jean Japart: Belgian contemporary of Despres, probably in court-service at Ferrara
Erasmus Lapicida Biography unknown, except that in 1519 he was in Vienna, dying there in Schottenkloster (nearly 100 years old)
Pierre de La Rue (d. 1518): Eminent Belgian composer, in 1477-1502 (or later) at the Burgundian court, then at Brussels under Charles V and Margaret of Austria. Fellow-student with Despres and almost as famous
Jacob Obrecht (1430-1505): Eminent Dutch church-composer, from 1456 choirmaster at Utrecht, in 1483-85 at Cambrai, in 1489-92 and 1498-1500 at St. Donat�s in Bruges, in 1492-98 and 1501-04 at Antwerp, dying at Ferrara
Jean de Okeghem [Joannes] (1430-95): Eminent Dutch composer, trained at Antwerp and by Dufay, from 1453 in service at the French court, becoming royal choirmaster in 1465, with travels in Spain and Flanders. With Obrecht, the first strong exponent of elaborate contrapuntal imitation
Marbriano de Orto: Belgian singer in the Papal Chapel in 1484-94 and at the Burgundian court in 1505-16
Conrad Paumann (1410-73): Noted Bavarian organist (blind), in 1446-67 at St. Sebald�s in Nuremberg and then court-organist at Munich
Lionel Power: English contemporary of Dunstable
Johannes Prioris: Belgian church-musician, from about 1490 organist at St. Peter�s in Rome and from 1507 royal choirmaster at Paris
Bartolomeo Ramis de Pareja (1440-95): Spanish theorist, from about 1470 active at Salamanca, in 1480-82 at Bologna and later at Rome; the first to urge the modern values for major and minor thirds (circa 1480)
Johannes Regis: Belgian church-musician, from 1463 choir-trainer at Antwerp Cathedral and later Dufay�s secretary and canon at Soignies
Scotto family: Venetian music-printers
Giovanni Spataro (1458-1541): Italian theorist, from 1512 choirmaster at S. Petronio in Bologna
Thomas Stoltzer (1450-1526): Bohemian church-musician, for a time royal choirmaster in Hungary
Johannes Tinctoris (1446-1511): Able Belgian theorist, in 1475-87 royal choirmaster at Naples, founding a music-school and issuing the first dictionary of terms (1474)
Bartolomeo Tromboncino: Italian secular composer, in 1487-95 and 1501-13 at the Mantuan court
Belrame Vacqueras: In 1483-1507 singer in the Papal Chapel
Oswald von Wolkenstein (1377-1445): A late poet-musician like the Minnesinger
16th century French
Pierre Attaignant (d.1552): Important Parisian printer in 1527-49, using types by Haultin
Jean Antoine de Baif (Venice 1532-89) Court-official at Paris, about 1570 forming a literary and musical club and (like Ronsard) seeking to revive the ancient quantitative verse (Vers measures) musically illustrated by Mauduit (1586) and Le Jeune (1603)
Julien Belin (b.1530): Noted lutist at Paris; book in 1556
Etienne Briard: An Avignon engraver and typemaster who about 1530 introduced rounded note-heads and other modern shapes in place of the old ligatures
Francois Eustache du Caurroy (1549-1609): In the royal chapel at Paris from 1569, becoming choirmaster and in 1598 designated �surintendant�; works include a Requiem used for all kings till the 18th century
Pierre Certon (d. 1572): From 1532 in the royal chapel at Paris (choirmaster from 1542); fine works from 1540
Claude Goudimel (1505-72): Huguenot composer at Metz, Besancon and Lyons (killed in the St. Bartholomew massacre); works from 1549, including Psalm-settings. Long supposed to have live in Italy and to have taught Palestrina
Robert Grandjon: Type-maker and printer at Lyons, perhaps Briard�s predecessor in improved characters, but most active in 1559-82)
Pierre Haultin: (d. 1580) Parisian type-maker, the inventor (1525) of music-type in which notes and staffs were produced together, first used by Attaignant
Philibert Jambe de Fer (d.1572): Author of one of the first text-books in singing, flute- and violin-playing, etc. (1556) and of a Huguenot Psalter (1561). He fell in the St. Bartholomew massacre
Clement Jannequin: Life unknown (possibly the same as some other Clement). Founder of a new descriptive style in chanson-writing; about 200 secular works from 1529, besides settings from Proverbs and the Psalms
Francois Layolle: In service to Cardinal Farnese at Florence and music-teacher to Benvenuto Cellini; works, 1532-60. Probably from Lyons
Jacques Mauduit (1557-1627): Noted Parisian lutenist, associated with Ronsard and Baif, writing a Requiem for the former and chansons by the latter. In 1581 he took a prize at Evreux
Jean Mouton (1475-1522): Pupil of Despres and teacher of Willaert, long in the royal chapel at Paris, finally canon at Therouanne at St. Quentin; many fine works from 1508
Pierre de Ronsard (1524-85): Poet-musician in Paris, like Baif eager for a fresh development of French song. From about 1552 his verses were extensively set by many composers
Jean Titelouze (1563-1633): From 1585 organist at Rouen (after 1588 at the Cathedral) and canon from 1610; the founder of French organ-playing; works from 1623
16th century Belgian and Dutch
Jacob Arcadelt (1514-57): In the Papal Chapel in 1540-49, going to Paris with the Duke of Guise about 1555; works from 1539, especially madrigals
Jacques Clement [Clemens non Papa] (1500-57): Perhaps choirmaster at Antwerp; one of the most fertile and melodious composers of his time; works from 1539
Ghiselin Dankers [Dankerts]: Dutch singer in the Papal Chapel in 1538-65; works from 1540. About 1550 he (with Escobedo) was umpire in the famous dispute between Vincentino and Lusitano
Jhan Ghero: Choirmaster at Orvieto; noted for secular works from 1541
Nicholas Gombert: In Charles V�s chapel at Brussels from 1520 (choirmaster in 1530-34) and in 1537 going with 20 singers to Madrid, besides being prebendary at Tournai in 1532-52; many fine works from 1532
Jacobus de Kerle (1532-91): From 1555 choirmaster at Orvieto, then in courtly posts at Augsburg, Rome, Ypres, Cambrai, Cologne and Prague, most influential while choirmaster and organist at Augsburg in 1562-75; works 1558-75
Orlandus Lassus [Orlando di Lasso] (1530-94): Highly trained under noble patrons in Italy, in 1553-55 serving as choirmaster at the Latean in Rome, then at Antwerp and after 1556 at the Munich court, in 1559 becoming choirmaster; over 2000 rich and original works in 1555-89, linking him with Palestrina as one of the chief composers of the age.
Claudin Le Jeune (1528-1602): One of the earliest to set Psalms for Huguenot use (from 1564) besides descriptive chansons.
Charles Luython (d.1620): From 1576 court-organist at Prague; notable use of chromatics and free modulation
Filippo de Monte (1521-1603): From 1568 court-choirmaster at Vienna and Prague; many fine works from 1557
Jacob Regnart (1540-1600): Early in the Imperial chapel at Vienna and Prague, being second choirmaster in 1579-82 and from 1595, in the interval being choirmaster at Innsbruck; many works, largely secular, from 1574
Cipriano de Rore [name perhaps Van Roor] 1516-65): Born at Antwerp or Mechlin, pupil of Willaert at Venice, in 1550-58 court-director at Ferrara, in 1561-63 at Parma, then Willaert�s successor at St. Mark�s, but in 1564 at Parma again; very notable and influential works from 1542
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621): Famous Dutch organist, from about 1577 at the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam; important as player, composer and teacher; the first to write freely for the pedals and in fugue-form
Philippe Verdelot: Probably from about 1525 in Venice, Rome and Florence; works from 1526; perhaps the first to write true madrigals
Jacob van Wert [Giaches or Jachet de] (1536-96): Long at the Mantua court (choirmaster from 1565); many able madrigals and motets from 1558
Adrian Willaert (1480-1526): From 1516 at Rome, Ferrara and Hungary and from 1527 choirmaster at St. Mark�s in Venice, establishing a notable line of successors; many fine works from 1536 (some for double choir)
16th century Spanish and Portuguese
Antonio Barre: From 1555 printer at Rome and in 1564-88 at Milan. His relative, Leonardo, sang in the Papal Chapel in 1537-55. Both were good madrigalists.
Juan Bermudo (b. 1510): Spanish Minorite at Ecija, author of a large work on composition and instruments (1549-55)
Antonio de Cabezon (1510-66): Able Spanish organist (blind), long musician to Philip II at Madrid; works edited in 1578 by his son Hernando (d. 1620) who succeeded him
Jual del Encina (1469-1537): Spanish poet-musician, the founder of Spanish drama, one of the earliest to write Christmas and Passion plays and author of about 70 part-songs in the Cancionero Musical (circa 1500)
Antoine de Fevin: Fine works from 1514. Perhaps a Spaniard
Miguel de Fuenllana: Noted Spanish lutanist (blind) for the Marquis of Tarifa; able fantasias and arrangements, 1554
Fernando de las Infantas: Spanish priest; works from 1570. In 1577 he objected successfully to the edition of service-books as then projected under Gregory XIII
Vicente Lusitano: Portuguese theorist, in 1551 winning a noted dispute with Vincentino at Rome (see under Dankers)
Luis Milan: Able Spanish lutenist at the Valencia court; works 1535-61
Diego Ortiz [Spanish]: About 1553 viceregal choirmaster at Naples to the Duke of Alva; works 1547-65 and a treatise on instrumental music
Francisco Salinas (1513-90): Spanish theorist (blind) for a time viceregal organist at Naples, later professor at Salamanca
Tomas Luiz de Victoria [Vittoria] (1540-1613): Eminent Spanish composer, educated at Rome, becoming in 1573 choirmaster at the German College and in 1575 at S. Apollinare, but in 1589-1602 Rogier�s assistant at Madrid; many notable works from 1576
Definitions for some of the words on this page:
Ars Nova: beginning in Florence, Italy in the 14th century, was the start of the development of of the freer part-writing
canon: a melody imitated tone by tone by another voice. (2) canon: a clergyman serving in a cathedral
chansons (French): a song or ballad for single voice, no refrain. Italian, canzona; German, lied; English, song
chromatic: a tone, interval, scale or chord deviating by a small interval from the typical major or minor form
counterpoint (also contrapuntal): the rules of counterpoint, which was either a melody accompanying a melody note for note, or notes played or sung indepedant of each other, but still harmonizing
fantasia: a short impromptu or fancy (2) A contrapuntal piece in which imitation was free and the form somewhat irregular
fugue: the most elaborate form of polyphonic or conrapuntal composition; with one or more themes or subjects
intermezzo: Originally an entr'acte or divertissement between the acts of a play
ligatures: in notation, a system of marks and symbols
litany: prayer or intercession. In the Rom. Catholic Ch. these invocations are to the saints, Mary, or in the name of the Savior
madrigal: (1) a short poem, usually a love poem, that can be set to music. (2) in the 15th through 17th centuries was a contrapunal song with parts for several voices that was sung without accompaniment
mensural: rhythmical compostion and notation developed from th 12th century on in connection with the rise of polyphony
Meistersinger (mastersinger): a member of a German guild during the 14th to 16th centuries who cultivated music and poetry.
Minnesinger: In Germany, was a lyric poet and poet musician during the 11th to 13th centuries. They composed poems about love and chivalry. Also known as a troubadour or minstrel, or trouv�re in France.
modulation: a gerneral term for alteration in pitch, as in the inflections in speech or the melody of song
motet: a secular form of part-song (2) from the 25th century a musicl setting of a Biblical text or the verse of a sequence in elaborate contrapuntal style
Mus.B. or Bachelor of Music: one of the academic degrees for music in England and America. In England the degree is given after a considerable examination and the presentation of an exercise (one or more original compositions). There is also a Mus.D. or Doctor of Music. The Mus.M. or Masters rarely applies to music.
part-song: a homophonic song utilizing several voices in harmony. Homophonic means sameness in pitch and sound
Passion: a dramatic presentation of the death of the Messiah
plain-song or plain-chant: same as Gregorian music, the ritual music associated with the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church. Unison singing, without regular rhythm
polyphony: two or more voice-parts combined harmoniously, but without losing their melodic individuality; opposed to homophony; counterpoint
prebendary: someone who collects a salary from a church
psalter: a version of the Psalms for use in religious services. The "breviary" in the Rom. Catholic Ch.
requiem: the Mass for the Dead, or a Requiem Mass
sacristan: a member of a cathedral who copies and cares for the choir music; a sacrist
surintendant: an obsolete way of saying "superintendent"; a director
treatise: an essay or book on any subject dealing with facts, evidence or principles and the author's conclusion on the subject
viceregal: a governor ruling in the name of a king (or duke) and with the king's (or duke's) authority. (I assume that when a musician is viceregal he is just the director of the music department and has no authority in the government.)
