Events

• January 22 - Thomas Tallis and William Byrd are granted a 25-year monopoly for printing and selling part-music and manuscript paper by Queen Elizabeth I of England.
• The first performance of a mixed consort takes place in the court of Queen Elizabeth I of England.
• First appearance of the dulcian in Nuremberg.
• Tomás Luis de Victoria is ordained a priest.

  Publications

• Elias Nicolaus Ammerbach publishes Ein new künstlich Tabulaturbuch, a book of 40 vocal intabulations and one praeambulum.
• Costanzo Antegnati publishes a book of four- and five-part motets.
• Jean d'Arras publishes a chanson.
• William Byrd & Thomas Tallis – Cantiones Sacrae
• Ippolito Chamaterò publishes Li Magnificat, works for 8, 9, and 12 voices, in Venice.
• Giovanni Ferretti publishes the Canzoni, his second book of light, secular pieces, for six voices
• Gian Domenico del Giovane da Nola – Motets for six voices
• Costanzo Porta – Litaniae, published in Venice.
• Antonio Scandello – Newe schöne ausserlesene geistliche deudsche Lieder, published in Dresden.
• Il secondo libro de madrigali a cinque voci de floridi virtuosi del Serenissimo Ducca di Baviera, an anthology of music by court composers from Munich, is published.
• Kurtzer Ausszug der Christlichen und Catholischen Geseng, a defense of conservative music during the Reformation, is published.

  Births

• December 18 - Michelagnolo Galilei, lutenist and composer (died 1631)
• date unknown
  • John Bennet, English composer
  • Estêvão de Brito, Portuguese composer
  • Christoph Strauss, cantor, organist and composer (died 1631)
• probable
  • Vittoria Aleotti, Italian composer (died c.1620)
  • Alfonso Ferrabosco the younger, viol player and composer (died 1628)
  • Ennemond Gaultier, French lutenist and composer (died 1651)
  • Giovanni Priuli, composer (died 1626)
  • Giovanni Maria Trabaci, composer (died 1647)

  Deaths

• March 15 – Annibale Padovano, Venetian organist and composer (born 1527)
• April 17 – Johann Bertram, German composer, kantor, and theologian
• August 16 – Francesco Adriani, Italian composer
• probable – Giacomo Gorzanis, Italian lutenist
• possible (alternatively 1576) – Nicola Vicentino, Italian music theorist and composer (born 1511)