1559 in music

Events

• Cipriano de Rore leaves his post as maestro di cappella in Ferrara when Alfonso II becomes duke.

Publications

• Filippo Azzaiolo – Il secondo libro de villotte del fiore alla padoana con alcune napolitanae e madrigali, for four voices
• Jacob Clemens non Papa
• *Eighth book of masses: Missa Pastores quidnam vidistis for five voices, published posthumously
• *Ninth book of masses: Missa A la fontaine du prez for six voices, published posthumously
• *First through sixth books of motets for four voices, published posthumously
• Pierre Clereau
• *First book of chansons tant françoises qu'italiennes for three voices
• *Tenth book of chansons tant françoises qu'italiennes for four voices
• Johannes de Cleve
• *First book of motets for four, five, and six voices
• *Second book of motets for four, five, and six voices
• Thomas Crecquillon – Seventh book of motets for four voices, published posthumously
• Nicolao Dorati – Second book of madrigals for five, six, seven, and eight voices
• Philibert Jambe de Fer – Psalmodie de quarante et un pseaumes royaux
• Clément Janequin – Octante deux pseaumes de David traduits en rithme françoise par Cl. Marot et autres avec plusieurs cantiques, published posthumously
• Mattheus Le Maistre – Catechesis numeris musicis inclusa for three voices
• Costanzo Porta
• *First book of madrigals for five voices
• *First book of motets for four voices
• Adrian Willaert – ''Musica Nova''

Births

• date unknown - Adam Gumpelzhaimer, Bavarian composer and music theorist

Deaths

• October 2 – Jacquet of Mantua, composer
• date unknown
• *Nicolas Payen, choirmaster and composer