Alonso Lobo, Spanish composer, is appointed maestro de capilla by Seville Cathedral.
Ruggiero Giovannelli, Italian composer and successor to Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina at St. Peter's, acquires post at Collegio Germanico in Rome.
Giulio Belli, Italian composer, is appointed maestro di cappella at cathedral in Carpi, Italy.
Giovanni Bernardino Nanino, Italian composer of the Roman School, is appointed maestro di cappella at S Luigi dei Francesi in Rome.
John Bull becomes organist for Elizabeth I at the Chapel Royal.
Emilio de' Cavalieri serves as a papal spy, engaging in several secret vote-buying missions to Florence.
William Byrd, Catholic composer in England, publishes his Cantiones sacrae, Book 2
First collection by Giovanni Croce, his Compietta for eight voices
Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi – Balletti a5, published in Venice
Hans Leo Hassler, German composer, publishes the large collection Cantiones sacrae de festis praecipuis totius anni in Augsburg
Luca Marenzio, Italian composer of madrigals, publishes his fifth book of madrigals in Venice
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Italian composer, publishes a group of Magnificat settings, in Rome
Giaches de Wert, Franco-Flemish composer, publishes his tenth book of madrigals
October 6 – Settimia Caccini, Italian composer and singer, younger daughter of Giulio Caccini and sister of Francesca Caccini (died 1638)
date unknown
Joseph Solomon Delmedigo, Cretan music theorist, in Candia (Iraklion) (died 1655)
Robert Dowland, lutenist and composer (died 1641)
January 7 – Jacobus de Kerle, Netherlandish composer
February 10 - Ambrose Lupo, court musician and composer to Tudor monarchs (date of birth unknown)
May 23 - John Blitheman, organist and composer (born 1525)
July 2 – Vincenzo Galilei, Italian composer, lutenist and music theorist, father of Galileo (born 1520)
July 18 – Jacobus Gallus (Jakob Handl), Slovene composer (born 1550)
date unknown
Joan Brudieu, composer (born 1520)
William Mundy, composer of sacred music (born 1529)
1591 in music Wikipedia (Text) CC BY-SA
