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
    • Playwright
    • Involved in a criminal case
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
    • Benefice
    • 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 (184)

Project
133
35
19
18
18
6
4
1
1
Role
49
48
41
39
35
33
23
23
16
15
14
14
12
11
10
8
6
6
6
5
5
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
Institution type
100
54
12
5
4
4
4
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
Event type
129
80
45
33
27
27
19
9
5
3
3
2
2
Place
26
21
18
13
12
12
10
10
10
9
9
8
8
8
7
6
6
6
6
6
5
4
4
4
4
4
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
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
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Event participation type
159
35
Abel fl. 1540

Roles: Composer

Abel Patuges fl. 1532/1535

Roles: Member of a church (musician) ; Singer

Adam [Adam —] fl. circa 1430

Roles: Composer

Adam Hocquet fl. 1414-1446†

Roles: Member of a church (musician)

Adolphe de la Verde Rue fl. 1506/1520

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

Aegidius Tschudi 1505-1572

Roles: Copyist/Scribe