The Story of Classical is your essential nine-part companion guide to classical music. In each of our commentaries, we unlock the mystery and beauty of every musical period—from the Middle Ages to the present day—by chronicling an encounter between vital figures in music history. Our final commentary takes us to the gilded Renaissance, a time of great cultural significance, and of extraordinary musical innovation and progress. The invention of the printing press along with major changes to society allowed easier access to works by the great names of the day, including Josquin, Monteverdi, Palestrina and Byrd. It was boom time for secular and liturgical music, and it witnessed the emergence of a unified, international style for the very first time. Classical music, as we know it, was born. Enjoy the commentary in full on the first track, and on subsequent tracks explore all of its featured music.