The Renaissance or rebirth actually began to occur closer to the end of the Middle Ages through society and culture in general. It is considered a time of great creativity, exploration, and adventure. The arts, the sciences, and learning became extremely important aspects of life during this time period. In the Renaissance the church lost a great deal of its power because of the Protestant Reformation led by Martin Luther. The church no longer monopolized learning. The middle and upper classes began to view learning and education as status symbols and hired people to educate their children.
Another important historical development that occurred in the Renaissance period was the invention of the printing press and movable type. It greatly affected the music world because it became possible to print and duplicate compositions and send them all over Europe. The printing press popularized the music of the great composers, not only of the Renaissance, but also of the Middle Ages, in what was then the Western world.
Every educated person was expected to be trained in music. When education shifted from the clergy to the middle and upper classes, musical activity shifted from the churches to the courts of the nobility. The music of the Renaissance period continued to include both sacred and secular forms of music, but a greater emphasis was placed on instrumental forms of music. In general, music in the Renaissance, along with all the other arts and sciences, developed and expanded in many ways never before thought possible.