Medieval music encompasses the sacred and secular music of Western Europe during the Middle Ages, from approximately the 6th to 15th centuries. It is the first and longest era of Western classical music and followed by the Renaissance music; the two eras comprise what musicologists term as early music, preceding the common practice period. Following the traditional divisions of the Middle Ages, medieval music can be divided into Early (500–1150), High (1000–1300), and Late (1300–1400) medieval music.
Some characteristics include being more artificial, with exaggerated proportions, and distorted perspectives. Mannerism took influences from the high renaissance period.
