The decade of the 1540s in music (years 1540–1549) involved some significant events.
Events
1540
4 April – Cristobal Morales leaves the position of master of the choristers at the Chapel of the Papal Basilica in St. Peter's, Rome 23 April – Thomas Tallis loses his job at Waltham Abbey due to the Dissolution of the Monasteries 27 April – Gioseffo Zarlino is elected capellini and mansionario of the Scuola di San Francesco in Chioggia 1 May – Ambrose Lupo is taken on as a musician and composer at the court of Henry VIII 30 December – Jacques Arcadelt is appointed maestro di cappella at the Sistine chapel in Rome December – Nicolas Gombert dismissed from his position at the court chapel of the Emperor, Charles V 1541 25 May – Cristobal Morales re-joined the Papal choir at St. Peter's, Rome 15 July – Jacques Buus appointed second organist at the basilica of S Marco, Venice 1542 3 April – Francisco Guerrero joined the Seville Cathedral choir as a contralto 1543: Thomas Tallis becomes a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal in England. 20 July Tielman Susato is granted a three-year privilege to print music in the Netherlands. 1544 28 October Giovanni Pierluigi Da Palestrina appointed organist at San Agapito Church, Palestrina 1545 1 May Bartolomeo de Escobedo appointed maestro di cappella at the chapel of the Papal Basilica at St Peter's in Rome. 1 May Cristobal Morales was granted 10 months leave from the Papal Chapel in Rome. He never returned. 31 August Cristobal Morales succeeded Andres de Torrentes as maestro di capilla at Toledo Cathedral. 1547 6 May Waclaw of Szamotuly joined the Chapel Royal of Sigismund II Augustus of Poland in Vilnius. 28 May Jacques Arcadelt reappointed maestro di cappella at the Sistine chapel. 12 June Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina marries Lucrezia de Goris in his home town of Palestrina, Lazio 9 August Cristobal Morales leaves the position of maestro di cappella at Toledo Cathedral. Bologna's first public theatre, the Teatro Della Sala, was opened. It burned down in 1623. 1548 François Roussel appointed maestro di cappella at St. Peter's, Rome 1549 Juan Francisco de Penalosa succeeded Francisca Sacedo as principal organist of Toledo Cathedral Balint Bakfark appointed court lutenist to King Sigismund Augustus of Poland
Bands formed
1548: Staatskapelle Dresden formed in Saxony.
Publications
1540
Sebald Heyden – , third installment, important treatise on singing
Francesco de Layolle – 25 for five voices (Lyon: Jacques Moderne) Hubert Naich – for four and five voices (Rome: Antonio Blado), a collection of madrigals Hans Neusidler – (Nuremberg: Hans Guldenmundt), a collection of lute music Alfonso dalla Viola – for four voices (Ferrara: Henrico De Campis) Claudio Veggio – , published in Venice
1541
Martin Agricola – Book of Protestant hymns , published in Wittenberg. Jhan Gero – (Venice: Antonio Gardano) Nicolas Gombert Second book of motets for five voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto) Second book of motets for four voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto) Giovanni Domenico da Nola – , books 1 and 2, for three voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto) Giordano Passetto – , book 1 (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
1542
Benedictus Appenzeller – (Antwerp: Henry Loys & Jehan de Buys), a collection of chansons for 4 voices Jacques Arcadelt – First book of madrigals for three voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano), "together with some madrigals by Costanzo Festa along with twelve French chansons and six new motets" Pierre Certon Second book of motets for four voices (Paris: Pierre Attaingnant & Hubert Jullet) Third book of motets for four voices (Paris: Pierre Attaingnant & Hubert Jullet) Domenico Ferrabosco – First book of madrigals for four voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano) Silvestro Ganassi dal Fontego – Regola rubertina, Venice Johannes Lupi – Third book of motets for four voices (Paris: Pierre Attaingnant & Hubert Jullet), published posthumously Cipriano de Rore – First book of madrigals a5.
1543
Jacques Buus – First book of French chansons for six voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano) Sebastian z Felsztyna – Directiones musicae ad cathedralis ecclesia premislensis usum, Kraków Silvestro Ganassi dal Fontego – Lettione seconda [=second book of Regola rubertina], Venice Balthasar Resinarius – Responsorium numero orctoginta de tempore et festis...libri duo