1598 in music

Events

 * Thomas Weelkes becomes organist at Winchester College.
 * The "first documented European music education" in the United States begins in a colony in New Mexico, founded by a group of Spanish friars accompanying Juan de Oñate.

Publications

 * Gregor Aichinger – Tricinia Mariana (Innsbruck: Johannes Agricola), a collection of antiphons, hymns, Magnificats, and litanies for the Office of the Blessed Virgin, for three voices
 * Felice Anerio – Madrigals for three voices (Venice: Giacomo Vincenti)
 * Giovanni Artusi – First book of canzonettas for four voices (Venice: Giacomo Vincenti)
 * Giammateo Asola
 * Introitus in dominicis diebus totius anni... (Introits for the Sundays of the whole year) for four voices (Venice: Ricciardo Amadino)
 * In omnibus totius anni solemnitatibus Introitus et Alleluia ad Missalis Romani formam ordinati... (Introits and Alleluias for all the solemnities of the year...) (Venice: Ricciardo Amadino)
 * Completorium romanum primus et secundus chorus (Venice: Ricciardo Amadino), music for Compline, including an Alma Redemptoris Mater and an Ave Regina caelorum
 * Adriano Banchieri
 * Psalms for five voices (Venice: Ricciardo Amadino), includes pieces for Vespers for the entire year
 * La pazzia senile, second book for three voices (Venice: Ricciardi Amadino), a madrigal comedy
 * Giovanni Bassano – Motetti per concerti ecclesiastici for five, six, seven, eight, and twelve voices (Venice: Giacomo Vincenti)
 * Giulio Belli – Psalmi ad vesperas in totius anni solemnitatibus for five voices (Venice: Ricciardo Amadino), Psalms for Vespers for the whole year, also includes two Magnificats and a Te Deum
 * Michael Cavendish – Ayres in Tabletorie
 * Scipione Dentice – Third book of madrigals for five voices (Naples: Giovanni Giacomo Carlino & Antonio Pace)
 * Johannes Eccard
 * Epithalamion (Wer rechte Freud wil habn) for five voices (Königsberg, Georg Osterberger), a wedding song
 * Der CXXVIII Psalm, zu hochzeitlichen Ehren (Selig ist der gepreiset) for five voices (Königsberg, Georg Osterberger), a wedding song
 * Braudt Lied (Gott selber hat auss höchstem Rath) for four voices (Königsberg, Georg Osterberger), a wedding song
 * Giles Farnaby – [20] Canzonets to Fowre Voyces with a Song of Eight Parts (London: Peter Short), with a dedicatory poem in Latin by Anthony Holborne
 * Bartholomäus Gesius – Der Lobgesang Mariae (Meine Seel erhebt den Herren, Herr Gott dich loben wir) und andere geistliche Lieder (Marian hymns) for five voices (Frankfurt an der Oder: Andreas Eichorn), also includes a New Year's motet for eight voices
 * Claude Le Jeune – Dodécacorde (La Rochelle: Hierosme Haultin), a collection of twelve psalms for two, three, four, five, six, and seven voices
 * Luzzasco Luzzaschi – First book of motets for five voices (Venice: Angelo Gardano)
 * Luca Marenzio – Eighth book of madrigals for five voices (Venice: Angelo Gardano)
 * Tiburtio Massaino – Third book of masses for five voices (Venice: Ricciardo Amadino)
 * Claudio Merulo – Toccate d’Intavolatura d’Organo, Book 1 (Rome: Simone Verovio)
 * Philippe de Monte – Nineteenth book of madrigals for five voices (Venice: Angelo Gardano)
 * Peter Philips – Madrigals for eight voices (Antwerp: Pierre Phalèse)
 * Orfeo Vecchi
 * Second book of masses for five voices (Milan: heirs of Simon Tini & Giovanni Francesco Besozzi)
 * Second book of motets for five voices (Milan: heirs of Simon Tini & Giovanni Francesco Besozzi)
 * Third book of motets for six voices (Milan: heirs of Simon Tini & Giovanni Francesco Besozzi)
 * Thomas Weelkes – Balletts And Madrigals to five voyces
 * John Wilbye – The First Set Of English Madrigals To 3. 4. 5. and 6. voices

Opera

 * Jacopo Peri (and Jacopo Corsi) – Dafne, the earliest known modern opera

Births

 * April 9 – Johann Crüger, composer of hymns (died 1662)
 * date unknown
 * Charles d'Helfer, French baroque composer and maître de musique at Soissons Cathedral (died 1661)
 * Charles Racquet, organist and composer (died 1664)
 * Jan Vencálek, composer for lute and voice (date of death unknown)

Deaths

 * April 8 – Ludwig Helmbold, poet of chorales (born 1532)
 * May 3 – Anna Guarini, virtuoso singer (born 1563)
 * December – Giovanni Dragoni, composer and maestro di cappella (born c.1540)
 * date unknown
 * Adrian Le Roy, French music publisher, lutenist, guitarist, composer and music educator (born c.1520)
 * Christoph Fischer or Vischer, hymnist (born c.1518/1520)
 * probable – Simon Bar Jona Madelka, composer
 * Teodora Ginés, Dominican musician and composer (born c. 1530)