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The epitaph of Seikilos is the oldest musical composition that has been preserved in its entirety. It was inscribed on a marble stele that Seikilos had erected in the 1st century AD for his wife Euterpe, near present-day Aydin, Turkey. -
Gregorian Chant is a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred music that emerged in the early medieval Catholic Church and is characterized by its free-flowing melody and spiritual solemnity. The chant system was named after Pope Gregory I (590–604) -
Guido of Arezzo was an 11th-century Italian Benedictine monk and music theorist, considered a central figure in the history of music for his innovations in musical notation. He is known as the father of modern musical notation, as he developed tools to facilitate the learning and writing of melodies. -
Born in 1098 in Bermersheim vor der Höhe, in the Holy Roman Empire, into a noble family.
She was the youngest of ten children and reportedly a sickly child.
At age 8, she was dedicated to religious life and later entered the Benedictine monastery at Disibodenberg.Hildegard composed over 70 liturgical songs, including the morality play Ordo Virtutum, which features allegorical characters and is considered one of the earliest known musical dramas. -
Ars antiqua is the style of polyphonic music that flourished in the 13th and early 14th centuries, mainly in France, especially at the School of Notre Dame in Paris. This period represents a crucial phase in the development of Western music, marking the end of the Pythagorean conception of music and the beginning of a more empirical view, influenced by the ideas of Aristotle. -
During the Ars Antiqua (12th and 13th centuries moreless) the first plyphonic form was developed: the organum. It´s main componers, from the Notre Dame school, were Leoninand Perotin.
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Bernart de Ventadorn was one of the most famous Provençal troubadours of the Middle Ages, recognised as a master of his art. He was a poet and composer, and his work, written in Occitan, is a notable example of courtly love (or fin'amors). Bernart is believed to have been born in the region of Ventadorn, in present-day France. He learned the art of poetry and music from his patron, Eble III of Ventadorn, and composed his first poems for Eble's wife, Marguerite de Touraine. -
He was born in the year 1135, in Paris, France.Between 1150 and 1160, he was the administrator of the cathedral in Paris.Together with Pérotin, called the Great, and Robert de Sabilon, they were the three masters who collaborated at the school of Paris.He was ordained a priest at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 1192. -
Pérotin was a French medieval composer in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. He is one of the most important figures of the Notre Dame School of Paris. Pérotin was a key figure in the development of medieval polyphony, music with several independent voices sounding at the same time. He revised and expanded the Magnus Liber Organi (Great Book of the Organ). -
Alfonso X the Wise (1221–1284) was King of Castile and León from. He is considered one of the most important figures of the Spanish Middle Ages for his remarkable cultural and legal work, which led to the official recognition of Castilian as the language of the kingdom. Under Alfonso X's leadership, a tremendous amount of intellectual and translation work was carried out at court. His vision led him to establish cultural centres, such as the famous Toledo School of Translators. -
Guillaume de Machaut (c. 1300–1377) was an influential French composer and poet, considered the central figure of the Ars Nova style in late medieval music and the most celebrated poet-composer of the 14th century.
Guillaume de Machaut is remembered for his ability to unify music and text in complex and innovative ways, bridging medieval music and practices that would influence the Renaissance. -
Ars Nova (Latin for “New Art”) originated as the title of a treatise by Philippe de Vitry around 1320 and signifies a major innovation in musical notation and rhythmic practice, marking a departure from the earlier Ars Antiqua and transforming polyphonic music in the 14th century. -
Francesco Landini was a renowned 14th-century Italian composer, organist, poet, and instrument maker, celebrated for his contributions to the Ars Nova musical style. Born in Fiesole or Florence, Italy, his father, Jacopo del Casentino, was a painter. He served as organist at the Church of San Lorenzo in Florence from 1362 until his death in 1397. -
Johannes Gutenberg (c. 1400 – 3 February 1468) was a German goldsmith, printer and inventor, world-renowned for developing movable type printing in Europe around 1440. His invention radically transformed the dissemination of knowledge and information, marking the beginning of the Modern Age.
Gutenberg's masterpiece was the 42-line Bible (named after the number of lines per page), completed around 1455. Approximately 180 copies were printed, an enormous number for the time. -
He was a multifaceted figure: poet, musician, playwright, and priest, active during the time of the Catholic Monarchs. His education began as a choirboy at the Cathedral of Salamanca, and later he studied at the University of Salamanca, probably under the influence of Antonio de Nebrija. His talent led him to the court of the Dukes of Alba, where he began to stand out as a creator. -
He became an Augustinian monk. While studying the Bible, he concluded that salvation depended on faith, not on works or paying for indulgences. In 1517, he published his 95 theses, criticizing church corruption, especially the sale of indulgences. The Church excommunicated him in 1521, but his ideas had already spread thanks to the printing press. He translated the Bible into German, helping to standardize the language and bring the Scriptures closer to the people. -
He was a priest, chapel master, and composer, specializing almost exclusively in sacred music. He trained with Pedro Fernández de Castilleja and became acquainted with the Sevillian polyphonic tradition, one of the richest of the time. He worked as chapel master in several Spanish cathedrals: Ávila, Plasencia, Toledo, and Málaga. Between 1535 and 1545, he was a singer in the Papal Chapel in Rome, one of the most prestigious musical positions in the Christian world. -
Blind since childhood, his relative Esteban Martínez de Cabezón, who was a canon of the cathedral of Burgos, took him to Palencia with him when he was appointed provost and vicar general of that diocese.He studied with García de Baeza, the cathedral's organist.When he was sixteen years old, he was appointed organist of Empress Isabel's chapel and, after her death, he entered the service of Charles V and Philip II. -
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525–1594) was an eminent Italian composer of the late Renaissance, known for his prolific and sophisticated sacred music, and considered the most prominent representative of the Roman School of composition.
Palestrina's influence on the development of ecclesiastical music was immense. His masterpiece is the Missa Papae Marcelli (Mass for Pope Marcellus). -
Orlando di Lasso was one of the most influential composers of the Renaissance, a key figure in 16th-century European polyphony. He worked in Italy, France, and finally in Bavaria, where he became Kapellmeister at the Munich court, one of the most prestigious musical positions of his time. -
In 1566, after a tough competition, he obtained the prestigious position of organist at the Basilica of Saint Mark in Venice. Previously, he had briefly worked for Duke Albert V of Bavaria and as an organist in other Venetian churches. He was a teacher of important figures such as Giovanni Gabrieli, Hans Leo Hassler, and Sweelinck. -
She was the first woman to publish a complete music book: Il primo libro di madrigali (Venice, 1568). She mainly composed madrigals, with a moderately contrapuntal and chromatic style, influenced by composers such as Luca Marenzio and Philippe de Monte. Her known works include around 66 madrigals. Her music carefully integrates the text, with expressive sensitivity and clarity in the vocal lines. -
Tomás Luis de Victoria (c. 1548 – 27 August 1611) was a Catholic priest, chapel master and the most celebrated Spanish composer of the Renaissance. He is considered one of the most important composers of the Counter-Reformation, alongside Palestrina and Orlando di Lasso.
Main works:
-Officium defunctorum (Requiem Mass, 1605).
-Officium hebdomadae sanctae (1585).
-Motets.
-Masses. -
. Fue compositor y organista, y está considerado la culminación de la Escuela Veneciana, un movimiento musical que transformó la sonoridad europea entre los siglos XVI y XVII. Se formó con su tío Andrea Gabrieli, una figura clave del Renacimiento veneciano, y también estudió con Orlando di Lasso durante su estancia en Múnich entre 1575 y 1579. -
He was prince of Venosa and count of Conza, a member of a very influential aristocratic family. He studied music with distinguished teachers such as Stefano Felis and Pomponio Nenna. He was an excellent lutenist and a composer who worked mainly for his own private circle, not for public institutions. -
Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643) was an Italian composer who bridged the Renaissance and Baroque periods. He is considered a pioneer of opera and advanced the use of orchestration, harmony, and expressive vocal writing. Monteverdi’s most famous works include the operas L’Orfeo and L’incoronazione di Poppea, as well as his Vespro della Beata Vergine. His music is known for its emotional intensity and for shaping the early Baroque style. -
Giacomo Carissimi (1605–1674) was an Italian Baroque composer known as a pioneer of the oratorio. Working mainly in Rome, he wrote expressive sacred works such as Jephte and Jonas, as well as many cantatas. His music greatly influenced later Baroque composers. -
Barbara Strozzi (1619–1677) was an Italian Baroque composer and singer, considered one of the most important female composers of the 17th century. Born in Venice, she was known for her expressive vocal music and for publishing more works than any other woman composer of her time.
Strozzi composed mainly cantatas, arias, and madrigals, exploring themes of love, longing, and emotional intensity. Her music stands out for its originality, rich harmonies and she highlited the capabilities of voice. -
Henry Purcell (1659–1695) was an English Baroque composer, widely regarded as one of England’s greatest. He wrote operas, sacred music, anthems, and instrumental works, blending English traditions with Italian and French influences. Purcell is best known for his opera Dido and Aeneas, as well as his choral works and songs. His music is celebrated for its expressive melodies, rich harmonies, and dramatic sense, leaving a lasting influence on English music. -
Stradivarius refers to the string instruments—mainly violins, violas, and cellos—crafted by Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737), an Italian luthier from Cremona. His instruments are renowned for their exceptional craftsmanship, beautiful tone, and powerful projection. Stradivarius instruments are considered some of the finest ever made and are highly prized by musicians and collectors worldwide. They remain a gold standard in string instrument quality, even centuries after their creation. -
Antonio Vivaldi was born on March 4, 1678, in Venice, Italy. He was the eldest son of Giovanni Battista Vivaldi, a professional violinist, who likely introduced him to music. Initially educated in music and theology, Antonio was ordained as a priest in 1703 and nicknamed "Il Prete Rosso" (The Red Priest) due to his distinctive red hair and clerical status. Vivaldi is considered a master of the Baroque concerto form. He composed over 500 concertos, including approximately 230 for solo violin. -
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) was a German composer and organist of the Baroque period, considered one of the most important musicians in history. He came from a family of musicians and worked in several cities, eventually distinguishing himself as the music director at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig.
His work is characterized by his mastery of counterpoint, spiritual depth, and technical perfection. Among his most famous compositions are the Brandenburg Concertos, The Well-Tempered Clavier... -
Georg Friedrich Händel (1685–1759) was a German-born Baroque composer who became a major musical figure in England. He is famous for his expressive oratorios, operas, and orchestral suites. His most well-known works include Messiah (with the “Hallelujah” chorus), Water Music, and Music for the Royal Fireworks. Händel’s music is celebrated for its drama, strong melodies, and powerful choral writing. -
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681–1767) was a German Baroque composer, one of the most prolific in history. He wrote a vast amount of music, including sacred and secular vocal works, orchestral suites, concertos, and chamber music. Telemann was admired for his melodic inventiveness, skillful counterpoint, and ability to blend French, Italian, and German styles. His music was highly popular during his lifetime and influenced contemporaries such as Bach and Handel.