Medieval

Music played a crucial role in the Middle Ages, serving both religious and secular purposes. During this period, music was primarily vocal, with instruments providing accompaniment in some cases. The Catholic Church was the main patron of music, and Gregorian chants were the predominant form of sacred music. Troubadours and minstrels were popular secular musicians who traveled across Europe, entertaining nobility with their songs and stories. These musicians played various instruments such as lutes, harps, and drums. Notably, many medieval musical compositions lacked written notation, relying instead on oral transmission. However, the development of musical notation and polyphony in the late Middle Ages paved the way for the complex musical compositions of the Renaissance period.