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1434
The Medici family
The Medici Family becomes the head of the city-state of Florence -
1450
Printing Press Invented
Johannes Gutenberg invents the printing press -
1450
Instruments
Instrumental music takes root in Europe. During the Renaissance period, the music would consist of early brass instruments, small percussion instruments, early woodwind instruments, and adapted string instruments. -
1453
The Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire captures the city of Constantinople, signaling an end to the Byzantine Empire. Ottoman conquest of Constantinople: many Greek thinkers and workers travel westward; end of Hundred Years War: stability return to north-west Europe. -
1477
Rebirth of Music
Johannes Tinctoris, a theorist, announces the rebirth of music in his "Liber de arte Contrapuncti". This new form of music continued to flourish in the Religious forms such as masses, anthems, psalms, and motets. Towards the end of the period, some composers started to adopt more secular forms, such as the madrigal. -
1486
The Birth of Venus
Boticelli completes the painting The Birth of Venus -
1492
The discovery of the Americas
The explorer Christopher Columbus discovers the Americas -
1495
the Last Supper
Leonardo do Vinci paints the Last Supper -
1499
Music Degree
University at Oxford begins granting degrees in MUSIC -
1501
Music Printings
Ottavio Petrucci invents music paintings/ printings. This Era brought and increased amount of harmony and polyphony into the music. Most composers focused on choral music. -
1503
Mona Lisa
Leonardo da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa -
1517
The start of the Reformation
Martin Luther posts his 95 theses on the door of the Church of Wittenberg. This signals the start of the Reformation. -
1525
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
An Italian composer who wrote more than 105 masses and 250 motets. -
1534
The Seperation
Henry VIII separates the Church of England from the Catholic Church of Rome -
1543
William Byrd
An English composer during this time period. He is well known for his development of the English madrigal. He too wrote and performed organ and virginal music that elevated the English keyboard style. -
1558
The Golden Age
Elizabeth I becomes the Queen of England: the start of the English "Golden Age". -
1558
Major and Minor
Gioseffo Zarlino publishes "Le istitution harmoniche", definition of modern major and minor scales. The second part of the period, composers moved away from the harmony music and more focused on the organization of major and minor scales. -
Globe Theatre
William Shakespeare builds the Globe Theatre
