1554 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in 1554.

Events

 * Johann Walter is appointed court composer for Moritz, Duke of Saxony, in Dresden.
 * Vigevano Cathedral's first organ is built by Gian Giacomo Antegnati.

Publications

 * Pierre Certon – First book of psalms in lute tablature (Paris: Michel Fezendat), arranged by Guillaume Morlaye
 * Ippolito Ciera – Madrigali del laberinto (Madrigals of the Labyrinth), first book of madrigals for four voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
 * Pierre Clereau
 * 4 Masses for four voices (Paris: Nicolas Du Chemin)
 * Missa pro mortuis, cum duobus motetis (Requiem mass with two motets) (Paris: Nicolas Du Chemin)
 * Costanzo Festa – Magnificat, tutti gli otto toni for four voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto), published posthumously
 * Giulio Fiesco – First book of madrigals for four voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
 * Miguel de Fuenllana – Orphenica lyra (Sevilla: Martin de Montesdoca), arrangements for vihuela of works by various composers
 * Hoste da Reggio
 * First book of madrigals for five voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
 * Second book of madrigals for four voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
 * Third book of madrigals for four voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
 * First book of madrigals for three voices (Milan: Francesco & Simone Moscheni)
 * Jacquet of Mantua – First book of masses for five voices (Venice: Girolamo Scotto)
 * Jean de Latre – Lamentations for three, four, five, and six voices (Maastricht: Jacob Baethen)
 * Philippe de Monte – First book of madrigals for five voices (Rome: Valerio & Luigi Dorico)
 * Guillaume Morlaye – First book of psalms by Pierre Certon in lute tablature (Paris: Michel Fezendat)
 * Jan Nasco – First book of madrigals for four voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
 * Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina – First book of masses (Rome: Valerio & Luigi Dorico)
 * Pierre Phalèse (ed.) – Ninth book of motets, for five and six voices (Leuven: Pierre Phalèse), contains only compositions by Pierre de Manchicourt
 * Dominique Phinot – Second book of motets for five voices (Pesaro: Bartolomeo Cesano)
 * Francesco Portinaro – Second book of madrigals for five voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)

Sacred music

 * Thomas Tallis – Puer natus est nobis

Births

 * May 20 – Paolo Bellasio, composer (d. 1594)
 * date unknown – Cosimo Bottegari, Italian lutenist and composer (d. 1620)
 * probable – Emmanuel Adriaenssen, Dutch lutenist and composer (d. 1604)

Deaths

 * February 6 – Arnold von Bruck, composer (b. c. 1500)
 * February 24 – Philip van Wilder, lutenist and composer (b. c. 1500)
 * September 25 – Richard Sampson, composer