Italian Ars Nova

music history

Also known as: Italian trecento music

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Last updated

June 29, 2026

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The Italian Ars Nova, also known as Italian trecento music, was a period of significant musical development in 14th-century Italy. This era saw innovations in rhythmic notation and harmony, moving beyond the older "Ars Antiqua" style.12

Key characteristics of the Italian Ars Nova include:
* Rhythmic Innovations: A departure from the strict modal rhythms of the previous era, with increased use of smaller note values and the incorporation of duple as well as triple divisions of the basic pulse.12
* Harmonic Advancements: A growing appreciation for harmonious intervals of thirds and sixths.2
* New Musical Forms: The development and prominence of forms such as madrigals, ballatas, and caccias.2

Prominent composers of this period include Marchettus of Padua, Jacopo da Bologna, Francesco Landini, and Ghirardello da Firenze.12

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Ars Nova
…which is also known as Italian trecento music. The most important theorist of this school was Marchettus of Padua, whose treatise Pomerium (in the early 14th century) outlines certain rhythmic innovations in Italian notation of the time. The most important composers of 14th-century Italy are Jacopo da Bologna, Francesco Landini,…
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…which is also known as Italian trecento music. The most important theorist of this school was Marchettus of Padua, whose treatise Pomerium (in the early 14th century) outlines certain rhythmic innovations in Italian notation of the time. The most important composers of 14th-century Italy are Jacopo da Bologna, Francesco Landini,…
Read More