Date:Mid-14th century (circa 1350) Description:“Douce Dame Jolie” is a monophonic song composed by Guillaume de Machaut, one of the most influential composers and poets of the Medieval period. Written in the style of a virelai, it expresses the pain of unrequited love and devotion to a distant lady. Its haunting …
Date:Traditional; earliest known forms from the 16th–17th century Description:“Dona Nobis Pacem” (Latin for “Grant us peace”) is a simple yet powerful round or canon often attributed—without historical basis—to Mozart. It is widely used in choral settings, schools, and peace services around the world. Its elegance lies in its melodic clarity …
Date:Published in 1600 (The First Booke of Ayres) Description:“Doe You Not Know” is a bright, playful English madrigal composed by Thomas Morley, a leading figure of the English Renaissance and a student of William Byrd. This piece is typical of Morley’s light, dance-like madrigals, blending courtly wit with cheerful polyphony. …
Date:16th century (exact date and authorship uncertain) Description:“Dindirin, Dindirin” is a charming and rhythmically lively Spanish or Catalan Renaissance song, often categorized as a villancico or canción. It is a dialogue or monologue of romantic yearning, with a playful refrain that imitates the sound of a bell or a lute: …
Date:1608 (published in Scherzi Musicali, Venice) Description:“Contrapunto Bestiale alla Mente” is a witty and inventive madrigal by Adriano Banchieri, an Italian composer, theorist, and organist. The piece is a humorous parody of learned counterpoint, featuring animal sounds and character voices (such as the cat, dog, cuckoo, owl, and donkey) singing …
Date:Late 15th century (c. 1490–1500) Description:“Como pudeo yo vivir” (modern spelling: ¿Cómo puedo yo vivir sin mi bien?) is a poignant Spanish love song from the Cancionero de Palacio, a major collection of courtly music from late 15th-century Spain. The title translates to “How can I live without my beloved?” …
Date:1597 (published in The Cittharn Schoole) Description:“Change then for lo, she changeth” is a melancholic and refined Elizabethan song composed by William Holborne, brother of the more famous Anthony Holborne. It was published in The Cittharn Schoole, a collection of songs and dances for cittern (a wire-strung plucked instrument popular …
Date:Late 16th century (c. 1580–1590) Description:“Célébrons sans cesse de Dieu les bontés” (Let us ceaselessly celebrate the goodness of God) is a French sacred chanson or psalm setting by Orlando di Lasso (also known as Orlande de Lassus), one of the most prolific and influential composers of the Renaissance. This …
Date:Late 16th century (published 1589) Description:“Belle qui tiens ma vie” is a charming and elegant French pavane composed by Thoinot Arbeau, featured in his famous dance manual Orchésographie. The piece is both a dance and a love song, expressing devotion to a beloved with courtly grace. Its slow, stately rhythm …
Date:Late 15th century (c. 1476–1500) Description:“Ave Vera Virginitas” is a luminous motet composed by Josquin des Prez, celebrating the Virgin Mary. Its title translates to “Hail, True Virginity”, and the text exalts Mary’s purity and role in the Incarnation. This piece showcases Josquin’s masterful control of vocal texture, imitative counterpoint, …