early music

noun

1. music of the medieval, Renaissance, and early Baroque periods, especially revived and played on period instruments; European music after ancient music and before the classical music era, from the beginning of the Middle Ages to about 1750.

early music

noun

1. music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, sometimes also including music of the baroque and early classical periods

adjective

1. of or denoting an approach to musical performance emphasizing the use of period instruments and historically researched scores and playing techniques

   the early-music movement

Other Words From

• early-music adjective
• early musician noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of early music¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

This month, the Fleet Foxes came out with their fourth album, which reclaims the warmth of their early music while still creating a new, meticulously crafted sound.

From Outside Online

And surely with such changes as are implied in that past tense some of the notes of life's early music are silenced forever.

From Project Gutenberg

In addition she had to practice many a piece of early music which he wished to hear for his work.

From Project Gutenberg

Then follows a discussion of song-poems and of the early music to which they were set.

From Project Gutenberg