Not much is known about the musicians and composers of the Medieval Era. Much of early medieval music was composed by members of the church.
The Renaissance Era followed with continued choral music in the church, but also more music being composed outside of the church for instruments such as the recorder, harpsichord or lute.
Or click here to learn even more about what changes occurred in music during the Renaissance Era.
Hildegard von Bingen was a Abbess and composer for the church. Much of the early medieval music was music for the church.
Pérotin, often known as Pérotin the Great, was a European (believed to be French) composer in the Middle Ages. His name is one of the most well known because an unknown author wrote much about his great musicianship. He was a part of the Notre Dame school of polyphony. How is his music different from the music heard before?
Here is a different recording of the same piece.
Some pieces of Tylman Susato’s Danseryre, a collection of renaissance dances.
All pieces conducted by David Munrow, The Early Music Consort of London.
Rebecca Pechefsky plays a Fantasia by William Byrd on the harpsichord.
Michael Maxwell Steer performs Gibbons’ most famous Pavan(e) & Galliard on harpsichord. This coupling of slow & fast dances was popular all over Europe from c1540 to c1650, after which they were superseded by Louis XIV’s fashion/passion for the Allemande & Courante.
Click to learn more about how Monteverdi was revolutionaryto music.