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1540s in music
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April 2025
1540 music art
The decade of the 1540s in music (years 1540–1549) involved some significant events.
Events
1540
4 April – Cristobal Morales leaves the position of master of the choristers at the Chapel of the Papal Basilica in St. Peter's, Rome
23 April – Thomas Tallis loses his job at Waltham Abbey due to the Dissolution of the Monasteries
27 April – Gioseffo Zarlino is elected capellini and mansionario of the Scuola di San Francesco in Chioggia
1 May – Ambrose Lupo is taken on as a musician and composer at the court of Henry VIII
30 December – Jacques Arcadelt is appointed maestro di cappella at the Sistine chapel in Rome
December – Nicolas Gombert dismissed from his position at the court chapel of the Emperor, Charles V
1541
25 May – Cristobal Morales re-joined the Papal choir at St. Peter's, Rome
15 July – Jacques Buus appointed second organist at the basilica of S Marco, Venice
1542
3 April – Francisco Guerrero joined the Seville Cathedral choir as a contralto
1543: Thomas Tallis becomes a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal in England.
20 July Tielman Susato is granted a three-year privilege to print music in the Netherlands.
1544
28 October Giovanni Pierluigi Da Palestrina appointed organist at San Agapito Church, Palestrina
1545
1 May Bartolomeo de Escobedo appointed maestro di cappella at the chapel of the Papal Basilica at St Peter's in Rome.
1 May Cristobal Morales was granted 10 months leave from the Papal Chapel in Rome. He never returned.
31 August Cristobal Morales succeeded Andres de Torrentes as maestro di capilla at Toledo Cathedral.
1547
6 May Waclaw of Szamotuly joined the Chapel Royal of Sigismund II Augustus of Poland in Vilnius.
28 May Jacques Arcadelt reappointed maestro di cappella at the Sistine chapel.
12 June Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina marries Lucrezia de Goris in his home town of Palestrina, Lazio
9 August Cristobal Morales leaves the position of maestro di cappella at Toledo Cathedral.
Bologna's first public theatre, the Teatro Della Sala, was opened. It burned down in 1623.
1548 François Roussel appointed maestro di cappella at St. Peter's, Rome
1549 Juan Francisco de Penalosa succeeded Francisca Sacedo as principal organist of Toledo Cathedral
Balint Bakfark appointed court lutenist to King Sigismund Augustus of Poland
Bands formed
1548: Staatskapelle Dresden formed in Saxony.
Publications
1540
Sebald Heyden – la De arte canendi, third installment, important treatise on singing
Francesco de Layolle – 25 it canzoni for five voices (Lyon: Jacques Moderne)
Hubert Naich – la Exercitium Seraficum for four and five voices (Rome: Antonio Blado), a collection of madrigals
Hans Neusidler – de Ein newes Lautenbüchlein (Nuremberg: Hans Guldenmundt), a collection of lute music
Alfonso dalla Viola – it Il secondo libro di madrigali for four voices (Ferrara: Henrico De Campis)
Claudio Veggio – it Madrigali a quattro voci, published in Venice
1541
Martin Agricola – Book of Protestant hymns de Sangbuchlein, published in Wittenberg.
Jhan Gero – it Il Primo Libro de Madrigali Italiani et Canzoni Francese a due voci (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Nicolas Gombert
Second book of motets for five voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
Second book of motets for four voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
Giovanni Domenico da Nola – it Canzone villanesche, books 1 and 2, for three voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
Giordano Passetto – it Madrigali nuovi a voce pare, book 1 (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
1542
Benedictus Appenzeller – fr Des Chansons a Quattre Parties (Antwerp: Henry Loys & Jehan de Buys), a collection of chansons for 4 voices
Jacques Arcadelt – First book of madrigals for three voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano), "together with some madrigals by Costanzo Festa along with twelve French chansons and six new motets"
Pierre Certon
Second book of motets for four voices (Paris: Pierre Attaingnant & Hubert Jullet)
Third book of motets for four voices (Paris: Pierre Attaingnant & Hubert Jullet)
Domenico Ferrabosco – First book of madrigals for four voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Silvestro Ganassi dal Fontego – Regola rubertina, Venice
Johannes Lupi – Third book of motets for four voices (Paris: Pierre Attaingnant & Hubert Jullet), published posthumously
Cipriano de Rore – First book of madrigals a5.
1543
Jacques Buus – First book of French chansons for six voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Sebastian z Felsztyna – Directiones musicae ad cathedralis ecclesia premislensis usum, Kraków
Silvestro Ganassi dal Fontego – Lettione seconda [=second book of Regola rubertina], Venice
Balthasar Resinarius – Responsorium numero orctoginta de tempore et festis...libri duo
First known songs by Ebran are published by Pierre Attaingnant2001 Frank Dobbins Ebran Grove Music Online Oxford University Press 10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.08505
1544
Jacques Arcadelt – it Il Quinto Libro di Madrigali for 4 voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Paolo Aretino – la Sacra responsoria (Venice: Gerolamo Scotto)
Jacquet de Berchem – "Ala Dolc'ombra de le Belle Frondi" published by Antonio Gardano in Venice.
Simon Boyleau – Motets for four voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
Francesco Corteccia – First book of madrigals for four voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
Cristóbal de Morales
First book of masses, for four and five voices (Rome: Valerio and Luigi Dorico)
Second book of masses, for four, five, and six voices (Rome: Valerio and Luigi Dorico)
Hans Neusidler – three books of lute music: de Das erst Buch: ein newes Lautenbüchlein, de Das ander Buch: ein new künstlich Lautten Buch, and de Das dritt Buch: ein new künstlich Lauten Buch.
Georg Rhau – de Newe Deudsche Geistliche Gesenge published in Wittemberg.
Cipriano de Rore – it Il secondo libro de madrigali for 5 voices published in Venice.
Tielman Susato (ed.)
Third book of chansons, for four voices (Antwerp: Tielman Susato), contains only compositions by Thomas Crecquillon
Fifth book of chansons, for five and six voices (Antwerp: Tielman Susato), contains mostly compositions by Nicolas Gombert
1545
Perissone Cambio
Madrigals for five voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
it Canzone villanesche alla napolitana for four voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Vincenzo Fontana – First book of it canzone villanesche alla napolitana for three voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Guillaume Le Heurteur – 12 Motets (Paris: Pierre Attaingnant)
Pierre de Manchicourt – la Modulorum musicalium, tome one, for four voices (Paris: Pierre Attaingnant), a collection of motets
Gian Domenico del Giovane da Nola – it Madrigali for four voices (Venice)
Cipriano de Rore – Motets for five voices
Vincenzo Ruffo – it Li madrigali a notte negre for four voices published in Venice
Tielman Susato (ed.)
Ninth book of chansons, for four voices (Antwerp: Tielman Susato), contains only compositions by Pierre de Manchicourt
The Lutheran hymnal Geistliche Lieder published by Valentin Babst in Leipzig
1546
Giovan Thomaso di Maio – it Canzone villanesche a3, book 1.
1547
Giovanni Animuccia – First book of madrigals for 4, 5, and 6 voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Loys Bourgeois – First book of four-part psalms (Lyon: Godfroy & Marcelin Beringen frères), published for the Calvinists of Geneva using the French translations by Clément Marot.
Jacques Buus – First book of ricercars for four voices or instruments (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Perissone Cambio – First book of madrigals for four voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano), also includes a few madrigals by Cipriano de Rore
Francesco Corteccia
New expanded edition of the first book of madrigals for four voices, including pieces composed for intermedii for the comedy it Il furto by Francesco d'Ambra (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Second book of madrigals for four voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
First book of madrigals for five and six voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Claude Gervaise, ed. – Second book of dances for four instruments (Paris: Pierre Attaingnant)
Heinrich Glarean – Dodecachordon published in Basel.
Hoste da Reggio – First book of madrigals for four voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Hans Neusidler – de Das erst Buch: ein newes Lautenbüchlein
Caspar Othmayr
la Bicinia sacra (Nuremberg: Johann Berg and Ulrich Neuber)
la Symbola for five voices (Nuremberg: Johann Berg and Ulrich Neuber), a collection of motets
Dominique Phinot – First book of motets for five voices (Lyon: Godefroy & Marcellin Beringen)
Enriquez de Valderrabano – Book of vihuela music es Libra de musica de vihuela intitulado Silva de Sirenas published in Valladolid
1548
Benedictus Appenzeller – A collection of sacred songs without a title (Augsburg: Philip Ulhart)
Arnold Caussin – First book of motets for five voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Heinrich Faber – Beginner's music textbook la Compendium Musicae published in Nuremberg.
Didier Lupi Second
First book of spiritual chansons for four voices (Lyon: Beringen & Beringen), all texts by Guillaume Guéroult
Third Book, containing 35 chansons for four voices (Lyon: Beringen & Beringen)
Tugdual Menon – it Madrigali d'amore for four voices (Ferrara: Giovanni de Buglhat & Antonio Hucher)Jane A. Bernstein Jane A.. Bernstein Music Printing in Renaissance Venice: The Scotto Press (1539-1572) https://books.google.com/books?id=hToWGz9xDaoC&pg=PA377 29 October 1998 Oxford University Press, USA 978-0-19-510231-4 377
Jan Nasco – Madrigals for five voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Dominique Phinot
Second book of motets for six, seven, and eight voices (Lyon: Godefroy & Marcellin Beringer)
First book of thirty-seven chansons (Lyon: Godefroy & Marcellin Beringer)
Second book containing thirty-six chansons (Lyon: Godefroy & Marcellin Beringer)
Francesco Portinaro – it Primi frutti de motetti for five voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Cipriano de Rore – it Il terzo libro de madrigali a cinque voci (Third Book of Madrigals for Five Voices) published in Venice.
1549
Gasparo Alberti – First book of masses (Venice: Girolamo Scotto), the first printed book of masses dedicated to a single Italian composer
Paolo Aretino – it Libro primo delli madrigali cromati (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
Jacques Buus
Second book of ricercars (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
First book of it Intabolatura d'organo di recercari (Venice: Antonio Gardano), a collection of ricercars in organ tablature
First book of motets for five voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Ghiselin Danckerts – Canons for four voices (Augsburg: Melchior Kriesstein)
Nicolao Dorati – First book of madrigals for five voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Jhan Gero
it Libro primo delli madrigali a quatro voci (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
it Libro secondo delli madrigali a quatro voce (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
Claude Goudimel – book of chansons.
Clement Janequin – fr XXX chansons nouvelles
Didier Lupi Second – 30 Psalms for four voices (Lyon: Beringen & Beringen), French translations by Gilles D'Aurigny
Hans Neusidler – de Das ander Buch: ein new künstlich Lauten Buch
Giovanni Domenico da Nola – First book of motets for five voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
Caspar Othmayr
la Tricinia (Nuremberg: Johann Berg & Ulrich Neuber)
de Reutterische unnd Jegerische Liedlein for four voices (Nuremberg: Johann Berg & Ulrich Neuber)
Robert Wedderburn (probable) – The Complaynt of Scotland, including the earliest known references (in Middle Scots) to a number of Border ballads
Gioseffo Zarlino – la Moduli motecta vulga noncupata liber primus – book of motets for 5 voices
Sacred music
1541
Gasparo Alberti – Magnificat
1542
Gasparo Alberti – Magnificat
1547
Louis Bourgeois – published his first 4-voice psalms
Births
1540
date unknown – Giovanni Maria Artusi, Italian composer and theorist (d. 1613)
probable – William Byrd, English composer (d. 1623)
probable – Jakob Regnart, Franco-Flemish composer (d. 1599)
probable – Girolamo Dalla Casa, Italian composer, cornetist and writer (d. 1601)
probable – William Daman, Flemish recorder player, organist and composer (d. 1591)
probable – Giovanni Dragoni, Italian composer (d. 1598)
probable – Noel Fagnient, Flemish composer and shopkeeper (d. c. 1600)
probable – Johannes de Fossa, Flemish composer and choirmaster (d, 1603)
probable – Marcin Leopolita, Polish composer and musician (d. c. 1585)
probable – Francesco Rovigo, Italian composer and organist (d. 1597)
probable – Alexander Utendal, Flemish singer, composer and choirmaster (d. 1581)
probable – Matthaus Waissel, German lutenist, composer, Lutheran theologian, publisher, schoolteacher and writer (d. 1602)
1541
September 7 – Hernando de Cabezon, Spanish composer, publisher and editor (d. 1602)
probable – Vincenzo Bellavere, Italian composer and organist (d. 1587)
1542
January 27 – Gioseffo Guami, Italian composer, organist, singer and teacher (d. 1611)
February 22 – Santino Garsi da Parma, lutenist and composer (d. 1604)
May 20 – Gasparo da Salo, Italian violin maker and double bass player (d. 1609)
November 1 – Tarquinia Molza, Italian singer (d. 1617)
probable – Cesare Bendinelli, Italian trumpeter (d. 1617)
probable – Jakob Meiland, German composer, organist and choirmaster (d. 1577)
1543
Alfonso Ferrabosco the elder, Anglo-Italian composer (d. 1588)
Andreas Pevernage, Flemish composer and choirmaster (d. 1591)
Giovanni Maria Nanino, Italian composer, teacher, tenor and choirmaster (d. 1607)
1544
Maddelena Casulana, Italian composer, lutenist and singer. First female composer of the period to have her music printed and published.
Ivo de Vento, Flemish composer and organist (d. 1575).
1545
October 19 – Giovenale Ancina – Italian priest and composer (d. 1604)
probable
Gioseppe Caimo, Italian composer and organist (d. post 1584)
Luzzasco Luzzaschi, Ferrarese composer (d. 1607)
Lodovico Balbi, Italian composer, singer, choirmaster and Minorite friar (d. 1604)
Antoine Barbe II, Flemish organist and choirmaster (d. 1604)
Gioseppe Caimo, Italian composer and organist (d. 1584)
Bernardo Clavijo del Castillo, Spanish composer, organist, harpsichord player and teacher (d. 1626)
Anthony Holborne, English composer (d. 1602)
1546
date unknown – Luca Bati, Italian composer (d. 1608)
1547
April 8 – Lucrezia Bendidio, Italian noblewoman and singer (d. c. 1584)
George de la Hele, Flemish composer (d. 1586).
Manuel Mendes, Portuguese composer (d. 1605).
1548
Gines Perez De La Parra, Spanish composer (d. 1600).
Lambert de Sayve, Flemish singer and composer (d. 1614).
Tomas Luis de Victoria, Spanish composer, singer, organist, priest and choirmaster (d. 1611).
1549
December 9 – Costanzo Antegnati – Italian organ builder, organist, and composer (d. 1624).
December 24 – Kaspar Ulenberg, German theologian, poet, and composer (d. 1617)
Eustache du Caurroy, French composer and singer (d. 1609)
Giovanni de Macque, French composer, singer, organist and choirmaster (d. 1614)
Deaths
1540: Francesco De Layolle, Italian composer and organist (b. 1492)
1541:
Lupus Hellinck, Flemish composer (b. c. 1493/1494)
Hans Kotter, Organist and composer (b. 1480)
1542: Lodovico Fogliano, theorist and composer (c. 66)
1543: probable
Ludwig Senfl, Swiss composer (b. c. 1486)
Francesco Canova da Milano, composer and lutenist (b. 1497)
Avery Burton, composer (c.73) died in England
1544:
Balthasar Resinarius, (b. c. 1483)
Benedictus Dulcis, (c. 52)
1545: April 10 – Constanzo Festa, Italian composer (b. c.1485–1490)
July 7 – William Crane, English composer, musician and merchant.
Pietro Aaron, Italian composer, theorist and priest (b. c. 1480)
Sebastian z Felsztyna, Polish composer and theorist (b. c. 1480–1490)
1546: October 18 – John Taverner, English composer (b. c. 1490)
1547: October or November – John Redford, English composer, poet and playwright (b. c. 1500)
1548: June 14 – Elzéar Genet de Carpentras, French composer (b. c. 1470)
January 23 – Bernardo Pisano, Italian composer and singer (b. 1490).
April 10 – Giacomo Fogliano, Italian composer, organist and teacher (b. c. 1468)
August 16 – Georg Rhau, printer, publisher and composer, died in Wittenberg (b. 1488)
October 21 – Sixt Dietrich, composer and teacher, died in St Gallen, Switzerland (c. 55)
Vincenzo Capirola, lutenist and composer, died in Brescia (b. 1474).
1549
Richard Pygott, English composer and choirmaster
Antonio Rotta, Italian lutenist and composer (b. 1495)2001 Hans Radke Rotta [Rota], Antonio Grove Music Online Oxford University Press 10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.23941
References
Music
Category:16th century in music