List of Renaissance composers

This is a list of composers active during the Renaissance period of European history. Since the 14th century is not usually considered by music historians to be part of the musical Renaissance, but part of the Middle Ages, composers active during that time can be found in the List of Medieval composers. Composers on this list had some period of significant activity after 1400, before 1600, or in a few cases they wrote music in a Renaissance idiom in the several decades after 1600.

Lists of classical music
composers by era and century
Medieval era (476–1400)
Renaissance era (1400–1600)
Baroque era (1600–1760)
Classical era (1730–1820)
Romantic era (1815–1910)
Modernist era (1890–1950)
Postmodernist era (since 1930)
20th century (1900–2000)
21st century (since 2000)

Timeline
Orlando GibbonsMichael PraetoriusJohn Cooper (composer)Claudio MonteverdiThomas CampionHans Leo HasslerJohn DowlandCarlo GesualdoPhilippe RogierGiovanni GabrieliThomas MorleyLuca MarenzioGiovanni de MacqueTomás Luis de VictoriaLuzzasco LuzzaschiWilliam ByrdGiaches de WertAndrea GabrieliOrlande de LassusClaude Le JeuneCostanzo PortaFrancisco Guerrero (composer)Giovanni Pierluigi da PalestrinaCipriano de RoreJacob Clemens non PapaClaude GoudimelPierre de ManchicourtThomas TallisChristopher TyeCristóbal de MoralesJohn TavernerAdrian WillaertThomas CrecquillonNicolas GombertClément JanequinPhilippe VerdelotAntoine BrumelAntonius DivitisAntoine de FévinMartin AgricolaJean MoutonHeinrich IsaacJosquin des PrezJacob ObrechtAlexander AgricolaLoyset CompèreAntoine BusnoisWalter FryeJohannes OckeghemGilles BinchoisLeonel PowerOswald von Wolkenstein

Burgundian
Main article: Burgundian School
Guillaume Dufay, 1397–1474 and Gilles Binchois, c. 1400–1460
Gilles Joye, 1424/25–1483

The Burgundian School was a group of composers active in the 15th century in what is now northern and eastern France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, centered on the court of the Dukes of Burgundy. The school also included some English composers at the time when part of modern France was controlled by England. The Burgundian School was the first phase of activity of the Franco-Flemish School, the central musical practice of the Renaissance in Europe.

Name Born Died Notes
Johannes Tapissier
(Jean de Noyers)		c. 1370before 1410
Nicolas Grenonc. 13751456
Pierre Fontainec. 1380c. 1450
Jacobus Videfl. 1405?after 1433
Guillaume Legrant
(Lemarcherier)		fl. 1405after 1449
Guillaume Dufay
(Guillaume Du Fay)		13971474
Johannes Brassartc. 14001455
Johannes Legrantfl. c. 1420after 1440
Gilles Binchois
(Gilles de Bins)		c. 14001460
Hugo de Lantinsfl. c. 1420after 1430
Arnold de Lantinsfl. 14231431/1432
Reginaldus Libertfl. c. 1425after 1435
Jean Cousinbefore 1425after 1475
Gilles Joye1424/14251483
Guillaume le Rougefl. 1450after 1465
Robert Mortonc. 14301479English
Antoine Busnoisc. 14301492
Adrien Basinfl. 1457after 1498
Hayne van Ghizeghemc. 1445after 1476
Jean-Baptiste Besard15671625

Franco-Flemish
Main article: Franco-Flemish School

The Franco-Flemish School refers, somewhat imprecisely, to the style of polyphonic vocal music composition in Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries. See Renaissance music for a more detailed description of the style. The composers of this time and place, and the music they produced, are also known as the Dutch School. However, this is a misnomer, since Dutch (as well as The Netherlands) now refers to the northern Low Countries. The reference is to modern Belgium, northern France and the south of the modern Netherlands. Most artists were born in Hainaut, Flanders and Brabant.

1370–1450
Josquin des Prez, c. 1450–1521

1451–1500
Jacob Obrecht, 1457/58-1505
Orlande de Lassus, 1532–1594
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, 1562–1621

1501–1550

1551–1574

French

"France" here does not refer to the France of today, but a smaller region of French-speaking people separate from the area controlled by the Duchy of Burgundy. In medieval times, France was the centre of musical development with the Notre Dame school and Ars nova; this was later surpassed by the Burgundian School, but France remained a leading producer of choral music throughout the Renaissance.

1370–1450
Claude Le Jeune, 1530–1600

1451–1500

1501–1550
Jean Maillard, c. 1510–c. 1570
Guillaume Costeley, 1530–1606

1551–1600

Italian

After the Burgundian School came to an end, Italy became the leading exponent of renaissance music and continued its innovation with, for example, the Venetian and (somewhat more conservative) Roman Schools of composition. In particular the Venetian School's polychoral compositions of the late 16th century were among the most famous musical events in Europe, and their influence on musical practice in other countries was enormous. The innovations introduced by the Venetian School, along with the contemporary development of monody and opera in Florence, together define the end of the musical Renaissance and the beginning of the musical Baroque.

1350–1470
Zacara da Teramo, 1350/60–1413/16
Francesco Canova da Milano, 1497–1543

1471–1500
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, c. 1525–1594

1501–1525
Carlo Gesualdo, 1560–1613

1526–1550
Orazio Vecchi, 1550–1605
Jacopo Peri, 1561–1633

1551–1586

Serbian

Greek

Spanish

1370–1450
  • Johannes Cornago (c. 1400–after 1475)
  • Juan de Urrede (c. 1430–after 1482), or Johannes de Wreede

1451–1510
Diego Ortiz, c. 1510–c. 1570

1511–1570
Tomás Luis de Victoria, 1548–1611

Cuban
  • Teodora Ginés (c. 1530 – 1598), not to be confused with the later Cuban singer and former slave of the same name

Swiss

Danish

Polish-Lithuanian

Following a period of favourable economic and political conditions at the beginning of the 16th century, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth reached the height of its powers, when it was one of the richest and most powerful countries in Europe. It encompassed an area which included present day Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, most of modern Ukraine and portions of what is now Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russian federation and Germany. As the middle class prospered, patronage for the arts in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth increased, and also looked westward – particularly to Italy – for influences.

Considered by many musicologists as the "Golden Age of Polish music," the period was influenced by the foundation of the Collegium Rorantistarum in 1543 at the chapel in Kraków of King Sigismund I the Old. The Collegium consisted of nine singers. And although it was required that all members be Poles, foreign influence was acknowledged in the dedication of their sacred repertory, "to the noble Italian art" (Reese 1959, p. 748).

Czech
Kryštof Harant z Polžic a Bezdružic, 1564–1621

Hungarian

Slovenian
  • Jacobus Gallus (1550–1591), also known as Jacob Handl; active in Moravia and Bohemia

Croatian

Dutch

Swedish

German

1350–1400
Oswald von Wolkenstein, 1376/77–1445

1401–1450
Hans Leo Hassler, 1564–1612

1451–1500
Michael Praetorius, c. 1571–1621

1501–1550

1551–1600

Portuguese
Duarte Lobo
John IV of Portugal, 1603–1656

1400–1475

1476–1500

1501–1525

1526–1550

1551–1575

1576–1625

English
See also: List of English Renaissance composers

Due in part to its isolation from mainland Europe, the English Renaissance began later than most other parts of Europe. The Renaissance style also continued into a period in which many other European nations had already made the transition into the Baroque. While late medieval English music was influential on the development of the Burgundian style, most English music of the 15th century was lost, particularly during the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the time of Henry VIII. The Tudor period of the 16th century was a time of intense interest in music, and Renaissance styles began to develop with mutual influence from the mainland. Some English musical trends were heavily indebted to foreign styles, for example the English Madrigal School; others had aspects of continental practice as well as uniquely English traits. Composers included Thomas Tallis, John Dowland, Orlando Gibbons and William Byrd.

1370–1450
Name Born Died Notes
Pycard fl. c. 1390after c. 1410Has works preserved in the first layer of the Old Hall Manuscript and elsewhere. His identity is unclear; probably English, but possibly from France.
Leonel Powerc. 13701445
Roy Henryfl. 1410after 1410Very likely to be Henry V of England (1387–1422)
Byttering
possibly Thomas Byttering		fl. c. 1410after 1420
John Dunstaple
(or Dunstable)		c. 13901453
John Plummerc. 1410c. 1483
Henry Abyngdonc. 14181497
Walter Fryefl. c. 14501474
William Horwoodc. 14301484Some of his music is collected in the Eton Choirbook.
John Hothby
Johannes Ottobi		c. 14301487English theorist and composer mainly active in Italy.
William Hawte
William Haute		c. 14301497
Richard Hygonsc. 1435c. 1509
Gilbert Banesterc. 14451487
Walter Lambec. 1450after 1504Major contributor to the Eton Choirbook.
Hugh Kellyklate 15th century16th century?has two surviving pieces, a five-part Magnificat and a seven-part Gaude flore virginali, in the Eton Choirbook.
Edmund Turges
possibly the same as Edmund Sturges		14501500Has a number of works preserved in the Eton Choirbook; at least three Magnificat settings and two masses have been lost.

1451–1500
  • Robert Wilkinson (c. 1450 – after 1515), or Wylkynson
  • John Browne (fl. c. 1490), likely born 1453; major contributor to the Eton Choirbook
  • Robert Hacomplaynt (c. 1456 – 1528), also written as Hacomplayne, Hacomblene; has a single surviving work, a setting of Salve regina, in the Eton Choirbook; a work known as Haycomplayne's Gaude, dated 1529, has been lost
  • Robert Fayrfax (1464–1521), also spelled Fairfax, Fairfaux, Feyrefax
  • Richard Davy (c. 1465 – c. 1507), major contributor to the Eton Choirbook
  • William Cornysh the younger (c. 1468 – 1523), probably the son of William Cornysh the elder
  • Richard Sampson (c. 1470 – 1554)
  • Robert Cowper (c. 1474–1535/1540), also written as Cooper or Coupar; represented by a work in the Gyffard partbooks and manuscript sourcesplainsong; and a three-part Miserere Mihi in the Ritson manuscript that is much more elaborate, somewhat resembling John Taverner's responds
  • Thomas Ashewell (c. 1478–after 1513), also spelled Ashwelle, Asshwell
  • Hugh Aston (c. 1485 – 1558), also spelled Ashton, Assheton
  • Nicholas Ludford (c. 1485 – 1557)
  • Edmund Sturton (fl. late 15th – early 16th century), presumably identical with the Sturton who composed the six-part Ave Maria ancilla Trinitatis in the Lambeth Choirbook, he contributed a Gaude virgo mater Christi to the Eton Choirbook, the six voices of which cover a fifteen-note range
  • John Redford (c. 1486 – 1547), one of the main contributors to The Mulliner Book
  • Thomas Appleby (c. 1488 – 1563)
  • John Taverner (c. 1490 – 1545)
  • Henry VIII of England (1491–1547)
  • Thomas Preston (died c. 1563), composed 12 Offertory settings for keyboard, including the popular Felix namque, and an alternatim organ Mass for Easter, containing the only known sequence setting of the time; his keyboard writing is extremely virtuosic for the period

1501–1550
Thomas Tallis, c. 1505–1585
  • Thomas Tallis (c. 1505 – 1585)
  • Christopher Tye (c. 1505 – ? 1572)
  • John Merbecke (also Marbeck) (c. 1510 – c. 1585), produced the first musical setting for the English liturgy, publishing The Booke of Common Praier Noted, 1549; surviving works include a Missa Per arma iustitie; almost burnt as a heretic in 1543
  • Osbert Parsley (1511–1585), also spelled Parsely; wrote a set of Lamentations for Holy Week
  • John Sheppard (c. 1515 – 1559)
  • Edward Kyrton (fl. 1540 to 1550), Miserere for keyboard in a British Museum MS
  • John Black (c. 1520 – 1587)
  • Thomas Caustun (c. 1520/1525–1569), or Causton
  • John Blitheman (c. 1525 – 1591)
  • Richard Edwardes (1525–1566), also spelled Edwards
  • Thomas Whythorne (1528–1595)
  • William Mundy (1529–1591), father of John Mundy; his output includes fine examples of both the large-scale Latin votive antiphon and the short English anthem, as well as Masses and Latin psalm settings; his style is vigorous and eloquent; represented in The Mulliner Book and in the Gyffard partbooks
  • Robert Parsons (c. 1535 – 1572), Latin music includes antiphons, Credo quod redemptor, Domine quis habitabit, Magnificat and Jam Christus astra; also three responds from the Office of the Dead, songs (including Pandolpho), In nomine settings for ensemble, and a galliard
  • Robert White (1538–1574), also spelled Whyte
  • Clement Woodcock (1540–1590), also spelled Woodcoke, Woodecock; his Browning my dear is one of several pieces of the period based on a popular tune, also known as The leaves be green
  • William Byrd (c. 1540 – 1623)
  • Anthony Holborne (c. 1545 – 1602), also known as Olborner
  • John Johnson (c. 1545 – 1594)
  • Francis Cutting (1550-1595/1596)
William Byrd, 1540–1623

1551–1570
  • Edmund Hooper (c. 1553 – 1621), also spelled Hoop; contributed to Michael East's psalter and William Leighton's Teares, and wrote some intensely expressive anthems; has two keyboard pieces in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
  • John Mundy (c. 1555 – 1630), son of William Mundy; published a volume of Songs and Psalms in 1594, contributed to the Triumphs of Oriana, composed English and Latin sacred music, and is represented with five pieces in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book; his Goe from my window variations are a particularly fine example of the genre
  • Thomas Morley (1557/1558–1603)
  • Nathaniel Giles (c. 1558 – 1634), also spelled Gyles
  • Ferdinando Richardson (1558–1618), also known as Sir Ferdinando Heybourne; there survives a keyboard Pavan and Galliard, each with variation, in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
  • Richard Carlton (1558–1638)
  • Richard Allison (c. 1560/1570–before 1610)
  • William Brade (1560–1630), active in Denmark and Germany
  • William Cobbold (1560–1639), organist at Norwich Cathedral (from 1594 to 1608); a single piece by him exists in Ravenscroft's 1621 collection
  • Peter Philips (1560–1628), exiled to Flanders
  • Thomas Robinson (1560–1610)
  • John Bull (1562–1628), exiled to the Netherlands
  • John Dowland (1563–1626)
  • Giles Farnaby (c. 1563 – 1640)
  • John Milton (c. 1563 – 1647), father of the poet John Milton; composed madrigals, one of which was printed in The Triumphs of Oriana, as well as anthems, Psalm settings, a motet, and some consort music including a six-part In nomine
  • John Danyel (1564 – after 1625), also spelled Danyell; brother of the poet Samuel Daniel (spellings of the names of the two brothers differ)
  • Michael Cavendish (c. 1565 – 1628)
  • John Farmer (c. 1565 – 1605)
  • George Kirbye (c. 1565 – 1634)
  • William Leighton (c. 1565 – 1622)
  • John Hilton (1565–1609), probably father of John Hilton 'the younger' (1599–1657)
  • Francis Pilkington (c. 1565 – 1638), lutenist
  • Thomas Campion (1567–1620), also spelled Campian; the only English composer to experiment with musique mesurée, and the first to imitate the Florentine monodists
  • Philip Rosseter (c. 1568 – 1623)
  • Tobias Hume (c. 1569 – 1645), responsible for the earliest known use of col legno in Western music
  • Nicholas Strogers (fl. 1560–1575), also spelled Strowger, Strowgers; three (probably four) keyboard pieces in a Christ Church, Oxford, manuscript, and a Fantasia in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (No. 89); an In nomine exists in a Bodleian manuscript
  • Thomas Bateson (c. 1570 – 1630)
  • John Cooper (c. 1570 – 1626), also spelled Coperario, Coprario
  • William Tisdale (born c. 1570), also spelled Tisdall
    John Bull, 1562–1628

1571–1580
  • Thomas Lupo (1571–1627), also known as Thomas Lupo The Elder; composer of several works, but solid attribution of many works to him or another of his relatives is difficult
  • John Ward (1571–1638)
  • Edward Johnson (1572–1601), contributed to Michael East's psalter and The Triumphs of Oriana and more
  • Daniel Bacheler (1572–1618)
  • Martin Peerson (1572–1650), may be the same person as Martin Pearson; four keyboard pieces in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book; many works also published
  • Thomas Tomkins (1572–1656)
  • Ellis Gibbons (1573–1603), brother of Orlando Gibbons
  • John Wilbye (1574–1638)
  • John Bartlet (fl. 1606 to 1610)
  • John Bennet (c. 1575 – after 1614)
  • John Coprario (c. 1575 – 1626)
  • Daniel Farrant (1575–1671)
  • Alfonso Ferrabosco the younger (c. 1575 – 1628), illegitimate son of Alfonso Ferrabosco the elder
  • William Simmes (c. 1575 – c. 1625)
  • John Holmes (fl. from 1599; died 1629)
  • Thomas Greaves (fl. 1604)
  • Thomas Weelkes (1576–1623)
  • John Maynard (c. 1577 – between 1614 and 1633), primarily known from one published work, The XIII Wonders of the World, published in London in 1611; It contains twelve songs, six duets for lute and viol, and seven pieces for lyra viol with optional bass viol
  • Robert Jones (1577–1617), published five volumes of simple and melodious lute songs, and one of madrigals
  • John Amner (1579–1641)
  • Michael East (c. 1580 – 1648), probably the son of Thomas East
  • Richard Dering (c. 1580 – 1630)
  • Thomas Ford (c. 1580 – 1648)
  • Richard Nicholson (died 1639), composed English and Latin church music, and consort songs, in humorous rather than melancholy vein, and contributed to The Triumphs of Oriana
  • Thomas Vautor (born c. 1580/90), published a volume of five- and six-part madrigals in 1619; his best-known piece is Sweet Suffolk Owl
  • Henry Youll (born c. 1580/90), his Canzonets to Three Voyces, although clearly the work of an amateur, have charm and individuality
  • George Handford (fl. c. 1609), book of Ayresin MS bears a dedication to Prince Henry dated 1609, but was never published
  • John Lugg (1580 – 1647/1655), also spelled Lugge; there survive nine plainsong settings, one hexachord, and three voluntaries for double organ in a Christ Church autograph MS, among others
Orlando Gibbons, 1583–1625

1581–1611

Scottish
  • Robert Johnson (c. 1470 – after 1554), active in England and Scotland
  • Robert Carver (1485–1570), wrote a mass on L'Homme armé (the only known by a British composer) and a nineteen-part O bone jesu
  • David Peebles (fl. c. 1530–1579)

See also

There is considerable overlap near the beginning and end of this era. See lists of composers for the previous and following eras:

Sources
  • Reese. 1959.
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