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 (204)

Project
152
35
20
19
18
9
4
1
1
Role
55
53
48
42
42
36
30
28
19
17
16
15
15
14
10
10
8
6
6
5
5
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Institution type
119
56
13
6
5
5
4
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
Event type
146
90
52
35
30
29
24
11
7
4
3
2
2
1
Place
31
27
18
17
16
12
11
11
10
9
9
8
8
8
7
7
7
6
6
6
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
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
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Event participation type
178
37
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)

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

Adrian Henri dit Frelorion [Adrian Henrici] fl. 1503/1507

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