Early music refers to European music of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, sometimes extended to the Baroque. The term also covers a performance approach using period instruments and historical sources, popularized from the 1960s by musicians such as David Munrow, Gustav Leonhardt and Nikolaus Harnoncourt.

Which early music records are good for beginners?

A good start is a Renaissance mass by Palestrina or Josquin des Prez, followed by Guillaume de Machaut's Messe de Nostre Dame and a program of medieval songs. Recordings by Jordi Savall, the Tallis Scholars or the Hilliard Ensemble are reliable choices.

What's the difference between early music and Baroque music?

Early music covers the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, up to around 1600. Baroque music follows, from about 1600 to 1750, from Monteverdi to Bach and Handel. The same ensembles often perform both repertoires on period instruments. On Vinyles.com, each repertoire has its own collection.

Why are so many early music LPs secondhand?

Because the early music revival coincided with the heyday of the LP in the 1960s and 1970s. Many benchmark recordings date from that period, while newer releases mostly come out on CD or digital. The used market remains the main source for vinyl.

Early Music

Masses, requiems, and passions immerse us in a repertoire where spirituality and dramatic emotion unite. From the contemplation of Fauré's Requiem to the majesty of Verdi's Requiem, and the profound depth of Bach's Passions, these works carry exceptional musical and human intensity.

Listening to this music on our systems reveals the richness of the choirs, the orchestral grandeur, and the emotional depth that envelops us, offering a suspended moment where sacred art meets the pure pleasure of listening.

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Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber Vesperae A 32

Ars Antiqua Austria

Early Music Vinyl: Medieval and Renaissance Records on LP

Early music on vinyl: what this collection covers

This collection gathers early music vinyl: the repertoire of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, from Gregorian chant and medieval polyphony to masses, motets, chansons, madrigals and music for lute, viols or recorders. The term also describes a way of playing, known as historically informed performance, on period instruments or copies with small ensembles. For the next period, from Monteverdi to Bach, head to the Baroque music collection.

Composers and ensembles to know

A few landmarks among composers: Hildegard von Bingen in the 12th century, Guillaume de Machaut and his Messe de Nostre Dame in the 14th, then Josquin des Prez, Palestrina, Tomás Luis de Victoria and Carlo Gesualdo in the Renaissance, along with Monteverdi's madrigals. This music was written for churches, court chapels and private rooms, so on record the acoustic of the recording venue is part of the sound, and the best engineering captures that natural reverb.

The early music revival largely happened on LP in the 1960s and 1970s. David Munrow and his Early Music Consort of London, Gustav Leonhardt, Nikolaus Harnoncourt with his Concentus Musicus Wien, and Jordi Savall with Hespèrion XX made recordings that became benchmarks. Later came Marcel Pérès's Ensemble Organum, the Tallis Scholars and the Hilliard Ensemble, and today The Gesualdo Six or Christina Pluhar's L'Arpeggiata. Soprano Emma Kirkby shaped generations of recordings.

Labels and pressings: buying tips

Much of the early music catalog on vinyl is found used: recordings from the 1960s to the 1980s issued by Archiv Produktion, Harmonia Mundi, L'Oiseau-Lyre, Telefunken's Das Alte Werk series or Erato. These labels generally took care with pressings and liner notes. Newer labels such as Jordi Savall's Alia Vox or Hyperion release mostly on CD.