1556 in music explained

Events

• June – At a Corpus Christi procession in Pátzcuaro, Morelia, Mexico, the earliest extant zarabanda was sung.^[1]
• Orlande de Lassus joins the court of Albrecht V, Duke of Bavaria.

Publications

• Julien Belin – French: Premier livre contenant Plusieurs motets, chansons, et Fantasies (Paris: Nicolas du Chemin), a collection of intabulations for the lute
• Pierre Cadéac – Mass for four voices (Paris: Nicolas du Chemin)
• Jacob Clemens non Papa
  • First book of masses: Latin: Missa Misericorde for four voices (Leuven: Pierre Phalèse), possibly published posthumously
  • Fifth book of motets for five voices (Paris: Simon du Bosc), possibly published posthumously
  • Dutch; Flemish: Souterliedekens I, II, & III for three voices (Antwerp: Tielman Susato), settings of Psalms in Dutch, possibly published posthumously
• Jhan Gero – Second book of madrigals for three voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
• Claude Gervaise, ed. – Third book of dances for four instruments (Paris: widow of Pierre Attaingnant)
• Philibert Jambe de Fer – French: Epitome musical, des tons, sons, et accordz...Violes & violons
• Clément Janequin – French: Premier livre contenant plusieurs chansons spirituelles (Paris: Le Roy & Ballard)
• Orlande de Lassus – First book of motets for five and six voices (Antwerp: Johann Laet)
• Pierre de Manchicourt – Latin: Missa Quo abiit dilectus tuus for four voices (Paris: Nicolas du Chemin)
• Annibale Padovano – First book of ricercars for four voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano), a collection of vocal partsongs

Births

• February 21 – Sethus Calvisius, German theorist and composer (d. 1615)
• June – Pomponio Nenna, Neapolitan Italian composer (d. 1608)
• August 10 – Philipp Nicolai, German pastor and composer (d. 1608)
• December 17 – Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana, composer and a minister of the Mughal emperor Akbar (d. 1627)

Deaths

• March 4 – Leonhard Kleber, German organist (b. 1495)^[2]
• May 7 – Hieronymus Andreae (alias Formschneider), German printer of music, amongst other things
• June 10 – Martin Agricola, German theorist and composer (b. 1486)^[3]

Notes and References

1. Robert Stevenson, "Morelia", The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London: Macmillan Publishers, 2001).
2. Web site: Kleber, Leonhard . Grove Music Online . 2001. 4 February 2022 . en . 10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.15112. 978-1-56159-263-0. Schuler. Manfred.
3. Book: Don Michael Randel. The Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 30 October 2002. Harvard University Press. 978-0-674-25572-2. 25. en.