Léonin
Léonin, also known as Leoninus, Leonius, or Leo, was the first important composer of polyphonic organum, a type of music with multiple voices singing together. He was likely French and probably lived and worked in Paris at the Notre-Dame Cathedral. He was the first known member of the Notre-Dame school of polyphony and the ars antiqua style to have his name recorded, thanks to a writer known as Anonymous IV.
Guido of Arezzo
Guido of Arezzo (Italian: Guido d’Arezzo; c. 991–992 – after 1033) was an Italian music theorist and teacher who lived during the High Middle Ages. A monk from the Order of Saint Benedict, he is considered the creator or someone who improved the modern staff notation, which greatly influenced Western musical notation and practice.
Hildegard of Bingen
Hildegard of Bingen OSB (German: Hildegard von Bingen, pronounced [ˈhɪldəɡaʁt fɔn ˈbɪŋən]; Latin: Hildegardis Bingensis; c. 1098 – 17 September 1179), also called the Sibyl of the Rhine, was a German Benedictine abbess and expert in many areas. She lived during the High Middle Ages and worked as a writer, composer, philosopher, mystic, visionary, and medical writer for the Catholic Church.
Lasus of Hermione
Lasus of Hermione (Greek: Λάσος ὁ Ἑρμιονεύς) was a Greek lyric poet who lived in the 6th century BC. He was born in the city of Hermione in the Argolid region. He was active in Athens during the time when the Peisistratids ruled.
Tyrtaeus
Tyrtaeus (pronounced “turr-TEE-uhss”) was a Greek poet from Sparta who lived around the middle of the 7th century BC. He is believed to have written five books of poetry, but only parts of his works remain today. These fragments come from quotes by other writers and ancient paper scrolls.
Bacchylides
Bacchylides (pronounced /bəˈkɪlɪˌdiːz/; Ancient Greek: Βακχυλίδης Bakkhulides; born about 518 BC, died about 451 BC) was a Greek lyric poet. Later Greeks added him to a special list of Nine Lyric Poets, which also included his uncle Simonides. Scholars, including Longinus, have praised the elegance and polished style of his poems.
Simonides of Ceos
Simonides of Ceos (pronounced s-eye-MON-ee-deez; Ancient Greek: Σιμωνίδης ὁ Κεῖος; around 556 to 468 BC) was a Greek lyric poet born in Ioulis on the island of Ceos. Scholars from Hellenistic Alexandria added him to a special list of the nine lyric poets they considered important for study. This list included Bacchylides, his nephew, and Pindar, who was known to be a rival.
Stesichorus
Stesichorus (pronounced stee-SEE-kə-rəs; Greek: Στησίχορος, Stēsichoros; about 630–555 BC) was a Greek lyric poet from the city of Metauros, which is now called Gioia Tauro. He is most famous for telling epic stories using lyric poetry styles. Some ancient traditions describe his life, such as his opposition to a tyrant named Phalaris and a story that he became blind and then regained his sight after writing verses that first insulted and then praised Helen of Troy.
Ibycus
Ibycus (pronounced /ˈɪbɪkəs/; Ancient Greek: Ἴβυκος; lived in the second half of the 6th century BC) was an Ancient Greek lyric poet. He was a citizen of Rhegium in Magna Graecia and likely worked in Samos during the rule of the tyrant Polycrates. Scholars from Hellenistic Alexandria included him in their list of nine important lyric poets.
Alcman
Alcman (pronounced /ˈælk mən/; Ancient Greek: Ἀλκμάν Alkmán; lived in the 7th century BC) was an Ancient Greek poet from Sparta. He was the first poet in the Alexandrian list of the Nine Lyric Poets. He wrote six books of choral poetry, but most of them are lost today.