1556 in music

Events

 * June – At a Corpus Christi procession in Pátzcuaro, Morelia, Mexico, the earliest extant zarabanda was sung.
 * Orlande de Lassus joins the court of Albrecht V, Duke of Bavaria.

Publications

 * Julien Belin – Premier livre contenant Plusieurs motets, chansons, et Fantasies (Paris: Nicolas du Chemin), a collection of intabulations for the lute
 * Pierre Cadéac – Mass for four voices (Paris: Nicolas du Chemin)
 * Jacob Clemens non Papa
 * First book of masses: Missa Misericorde for four voices (Leuven: Pierre Phalèse), possibly published posthumously
 * Fifth book of motets for five voices (Paris: Simon du Bosc), possibly published posthumously
 * Souterliedekens I, II, & III for three voices (Antwerp: Tielman Susato), settings of Psalms in Dutch, possibly published posthumously
 * Jhan Gero – Second book of madrigals for three voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
 * Claude Gervaise, ed. – Third book of dances for four instruments (Paris: widow of Pierre Attaingnant)
 * Philibert Jambe de Fer – Epitome musical, des tons, sons, et accordz...Violes & violons
 * Clément Janequin – Premier livre contenant plusieurs chansons spirituelles (Paris: Le Roy & Ballard)
 * Orlande de Lassus – First book of motets for five and six voices (Antwerp: Johann Laet)
 * Pierre de Manchicourt – Missa Quo abiit dilectus tuus for four voices (Paris: Nicolas du Chemin)
 * Annibale Padovano – First book of ricercars for four voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano), a collection of vocal partsongs

Births

 * February 21 – Sethus Calvisius, German theorist and composer (d. 1615)
 * June – Pomponio Nenna, Neapolitan Italian composer (d. 1608)
 * August 10 – Philipp Nicolai, German pastor and composer (d. 1608)
 * December 17 – Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana, composer and a minister of the Mughal emperor Akbar (d. 1627)

Deaths

 * March 4 – Leonhard Kleber, German organist (b. 1495)
 * May 7 – Hieronymus Andreae (alias Formschneider), German printer of music, amongst other things
 * June 10 – Martin Agricola, German theorist and composer (b. 1486)