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By the Renaissance, musicians and composers had more status and freedom to move about. Patrons from many countries; Italy, France, and England, would sponsor them and their compositions. For this reason, we find a Flemish (Netherlands) composer such as Josquin des Pres working and writing at the Papal court in the Vatican.
1543-1623
William Byrd was one of the most celebrated English composers in the Renaissance. He was considered a true Renaissance Man. His music was mostly for the Catholic church services, so he thrived under Queen Mary, but fell out of favor with the protestant Queen Elizabeth, her successor.
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Examples of his music:
1450-1455
Josquin des Pres was a Franco-Flemish (French-Netherlands) composer of the Renaissance. He was the most famous European composer between Guillaume Dufay and Palestrina, and is usually considered to be the central figure of the Netherlands style. Although in his day, his style was overshadowed by the Palestrina school, his Italian and French contributions are highly regarded today.
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Examples of his music:
1563-1626
Dowland's early life is a virtual unknown. Some believe he was born in London or possibly Dublin. It is known that he went to Paris in 1580 where he was in service to the ambassador to the French court. He returned to England in 1606 and in 1612 became one of James I of England's lutenists. He died in London. Most of Dowland's music is for the lute, the instrument he played. These works include several books for solo lute, lute songs for solo voice and lute, part-songs with lute accompaniment, and several pieces for viol consort with lute. His best known works are "Flow My Tears," and "Come Again Sweet Love." He is the only composer mentioned by name in the Shakespeare plays.
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Examples of his music:
Flow My Tears
Come Again Sweet Love
1554-1612
Giovanni Gabrieli was an Italian composer and organist. His music influenced the other musicians of his time, and represents the culmination of the style of the Venetian School, at the time of the shift from the Renaissance to the Baroque. Though Gabrieli composed in many of the forms current at the time, he clearly preferred sacred vocal and instrumental music. Gabrieli was original not only in his use of instrumentation, but in his development of dynamic markings.
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Examples of his music:
Canzona Septimi Octavi Toni
Canzona Duodecimi Toni
1483-1546
Martin Luther was born in Eisleben, Germany. He was a German theologian, an Augustinian monk who called the Church to return to the teachings of the Bible. His call formed 95 theses (things needing change, such as the selling of indulgences, or forgiving of sins for money) which he nailed to the church door. His stand and teachings inspired the Reformation and the beginning wave of Protestantism. This also led to the Counter-Reformation, the Church reaction to these movements, which resulted in trials and executions. In music, Luther felt the congregation should participate in the church services, and wrote the first hymns and chorales for the people to sing. His most famous hymn is "A Mighty Fortress is our God."
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Examples of his music:
A Mighty Fortess Is Our God
Isaiah, Mighty Seer in Days of Old
1548-1611
Victoria was born in Ávila, Spain. He studied in Rome with the Italian composer, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, whom he succeeded in 1571 as musical director of the Collegium Romanum. Starting in 1586 he was named chaplain for the Spanish Dowager Empress María (the widow of the Emperor Maximilian II), and he settled in Madrid where he died in 1611. He was considered the best Spanish composer in the Renaissance.
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Examples of his music:
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
1525-1594
Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina was born at Palestrina, near Rome. He was the most famous representative of the Roman School of musical composition. Palestrina had a large and lasting influence on the development of Roman Catholic church music, and his work can be seen as a culmination of Renaissance polyphony. The Roman Inquisition, through the Council of Trent, felt that polyphony should be banned because the music covered up the words of scripture. Palestrina composed in a transparent style that allowed the words to be clearly understood, pacifying the Council. It helped that he named the mass after the pope, and the decision was to allow polyphonic music to continue.
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For more of his biography, click here.
Examples of his music:
Kyrie of Missa Dies Sanctificatus
Pope Marcellus Mass - Agnus Dei
1561-1633
Jacopo Peri was an Italian composer and singer of the developmental period between the Renaissance and Baroque styles, and is often called the father or inventor of opera. He began to work in the Medici court, first as a tenor singer and keyboard player, and later as a composer. His earliest works were incidental music for plays and madrigals. He wrote the first work to be called an opera, Dafne (around 1597), and also the first opera to have survived to the present day, Euridice (1600). Euridice was written for wedding of Maria de Medici to Henry the IV of France. In his version of the story, Orpheus is able to safely lead Euridice out of the Underworld to eternal happiness, as would be fitting for a wedding.
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Examples of his music:
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Silver Burdette Making Music
Wind Instruments of the Renaissance
