I. The development of the central musical language of the Renaissance in France, the Low Countries, and Italy. Social background in Burgundy (1363-1477) and in the French crown lands (reign of Charles VI); French music between Machaut and Dufay; Italian music of the early Quattrocento

Composers, mainly of northern France, in the period of Dufay

Music of France and the Low Countries in the period of Busnois and Ockeghem; an outpost at Naples

The Frottolists and their contemporaries in northern and central Italy

Josquin des Prez and his contemporaries from France and the Low Countries, in particular Obrecht, Agricola, Isaac, Compére, Brumel, Pierre de la Rue, and Mouton

Secular vocal music of the post-Josquin period; Claudin, Janequin, Gombert, and their contemporaries as writers of polyphonic chansons; Verdelot, Festa, Arcadelt, Willaert, Rore, and their contemporaries as writers of Italian madrigals

Sacred vocal music of the post-Josquin period: Gombert, Clemens non Papa, Willaert, and their contemporaries

Secular vocal music of the late Renaissance: Arcadelt, Le Jeune, Lassus, Sweelinck, and their contemporaries as writers of polyphonic chansons; Palestrina, Monte, Marenzio, Monteverdi, and their contemporaries as writers of Italian madrigals

Sacred vocal music of the late Renaissance: Italian composers, including Palestrina at Rome and the Gabrielis at Venice; French and Netherlandish composers, including Goudimel in his relation to the Genevan psalter and Lassus at Antwerp

Instrumental music of the 16th century: the Italian production, including the lute-books printed by Petrucci and those written by Francesco da Milano, Galilei, and Molinaro, the keyboard works of the Cavazzonis, Merulo, and Andrea Gabrieli, and the ensemble compositions of Giovanni Gabrieli; the French and Netherlandish production, including the lute-books of Le Roy and Besard and the keyboard and ensemble collections printed by Attaingnant; music in the 16th century theater.

II. The diffusion and development of the musical language of the Renaissance in the Hispanic peninsula, Germany, Eastern Europe, and England. Spain and Portugal: the musicians of the 15th century, including those of Ferdinand and Isabella; the 16th-century polyphonists, including Morales, Guerrero, and Victoria; the writers of 16th-century instrumental music, including the six great Vihuelistas and Cabezón

Germany: pre-Reformation vocal polyphony, including the Lochamer, Glogauer, and other miscellaneous Liederbücher, the Franco-Netherlandish element as represented by Isaac, and the music of Heinrich Finck; monophony, the meistersinger; instrumental music through the 16th century, including the keyboard works of Paumann, Schlick, and Hofhaimer and the lute pieces of the Newsidlers

Germany: music of the Reformation, including the collections of Walter, Rhaw (1544), and Eccard; 16th-century Catholic polyphony from about 1520, including the music of Senfl and the Franco-Netherlandish influence as represented by Lassus and Monte; secular polyphony, including the Ott and Forster Liederbücher and the collections of Hassler

Music in Hungary, Bohemia, Poland, and the Adriatic coastal areas of the southern Slavs

England: music from c. 1450 to c. 1535, including the carols and the works of Fayrfax and Taverner; the composers of sacred music with Latin text from c. 1535 to c. 1635, including Tallis, Byrd, and Philips; sacred music with English text from c. 1535 to c. 1635, including the Booke of Common Praier noted, the early psalters, and the anthems of Tomkins and Gibbons

England (c. 1535 to 1635): the madrigals, including those of Morley, Weelkes, and Wilbye; the Ayre; instrumental music, including the lute works of Dowland, the keyboard works of Byrd, Bull, and Farnaby, and the ensemble compositions of Tye, Morley, and Gibbons; music in the theater.