The Ricercar programme offers a database dedicated to the musicians of the Renaissance. Consisting mainly of the 4500 records from the Prosopographie des Chantres de la Renaissance, the database is expanded with several hundred records from other projects, and will be periodically enriched by the addition of new biographical records.
For any queries, please contact David Fiala.


Start date
End date
Role
Role
  • Musical abilities
    • Composition
      • Composer
      • Composer (no known polyphonic works preserved)
      • Plainchant composer
      • Plainchant composer (no known plainchant preserved)
      • Secondary composer
      • Reconstruction
    • Singers
      • Singer
      • Superius
      • Altus
      • Contratenor
      • Tenor
      • Bassus
      • Choirboy
    • Instrumentalists
      • Instrumentalist
      • Organist
      • Lutenist
      • Instrument maker or seller
    • Music theory
      • Music theorist
      • Music theorist (no known writings preserved)
    • Music dissemination and circulation
      • Music copyist
      • Music copyist (no known copy identified)
      • Printer/publisher
      • Music printer
      • Editor
      • Agent for recruitment of musicians
    • Musical direction responsibilities
      • Choirmaster
      • Master of choirboys
      • Cantor (ecclesiastical dignitary)
      • Succentor (ecclesiastical office)
      • First chaplain
    • Music pedagogy
      • Teacher
      • Instrumental teacher
      • University teacher
      • Singing teacher
  • Professional environment
    • Court chapels
      • Member of a court chapel (musician)
      • Member of a court chapel (lower ranked officer)
      • Member of a court chapel (higher ecclesiastic)
    • Church choirs
      • Member of a church (musician)
      • Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon)
      • Member of a church (lower ranked officer)
    • Professional environment - others
      • Member of a princely/private household
      • Member of a civic musical ensemble
      • Cleric
      • Priest
      • Monastic order
      • Civic officer
  • Others
    • Employer/patron
    • Bookseller
    • Copyist/scribe
    • Cartographer
    • Calligraph
    • Dedicatee/owner
    • Dedicator
    • Writer/scientist
    • Actor
    • Lyricist-poet
    • Artist/craftsman
    • Student
    • Member of a confraternity
    • Illegitimate birth
    • Noble birth
Institution type
Institution type
  • Religious institution
    • Administrated space
      • Archidiocese
      • Diocese
      • Other administrated space
    • Religious building
      • Anglican church
      • Buddhist temple
      • Catholic church
      • Monastery
      • Mosques
      • Orthodox church
      • Protestant church
      • Calvinist church
      • Lutherian church
      • Synagogue
    • Ecclesiastical household
      • Abbott’s household
      • Antipapal household
      • Bishop’s household
      • Cardinal’s household
      • Religious confraternity
      • Papal household
      • Patriarch’s househould
  • Political institution
    • Secular institution
      • Governor’s household
      • Municipal institution
      • Parliament
    • Aristocratic household
      • Caliph’s household
      • Count’s household
      • Countess’ household
      • Duke’s household
      • Duchess’ household
      • Emir’s household
      • Imperial household
      • Marquess’ household
      • Marchioness’ household
      • Princely household
      • Shah’s household
      • Sultan’s household
    • Royal household
      • Dauphin’s household
      • King’s household
      • Queen’s household
  • Educational/academic institution
    • Academy
    • School
    • University
  • Other institution
    • Guild
    • Hospital
    • Private family
    • Other
Event type
Event type
  • Personal event
    • Birth
    • Death
    • Marriage
    • Post mortem
    • Personal event - others
  • Professional career
    • Musical position
    • Musical performance
    • Musical source
    • Religious position
    • Benefices
    • Activity period
    • Professional career - others
  • Education
    • General education
    • Musical education
  • Others
    • Travel
    • Official event
    • Other event
Search is case insensitive. Use double quotes for a group of words. Use commas or spaces to separate several words.

Results (147)

Project
130
18
18
17
10
6
4
1
1
Role
45
38
31
29
24
19
19
17
16
14
13
11
8
7
6
6
6
6
6
5
4
4
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
Institution type
72
47
9
4
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
Event type
98
71
35
30
26
22
15
7
5
3
2
2
1
Place
21
20
17
12
11
11
8
8
8
7
6
6
5
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Event participation type
123
32
Adam [Adam —] fl. circa 1430

Roles: Composer

Adam Hocquet fl. 1414-1446†

Roles: Member of a church (musician)

Roles: Member of a court chapel (lower ranked officer)

Adrian dit Frelorion [Adrian —] fl. 1504/1505

Roles: Member of a church (musician)

Adrian VI [Adriaan Florenszoon Boeyens] 1459-1523

Roles: Employer/Patron ; Teacher ; Writer/Scientist

Adrian Willaert fl. 1515-1562†

Roles: Choirmaster ; Composer ; Instrumentalist ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer ; Teacher

Adrien Basin fl. 1456-1498†

Roles: Cleric ; Composer ; Member of a confraternity ; Member of a princely/private household ; Singer

Roles: Copyist/Scribe

Alexandre Huppillon fl. 1486/1487

Roles: Master of choirboys

Roles: Employer/Patron