How African Musicians Came to Medieval and Renaissance Europe

Long before Blanke's time, African musicians entered Europe through the Iberian Peninsula, documented since the Muslim conquest. Western music's multicultural roots are evident, with influences from Africa shaping song styles and even the evolution of instruments like the lute.

From Ziryab's music school in 9th-century Córdoba to New Orleans jazz, the migration of instruments, song styles, and even music schools from Africa to Europe was significant. The legacy of Afro-European music may have largely vanished, but traces remain in the works of pioneers like Vicente Lusitano.

Lusitano, a Portuguese musician of African origins, lived an extraordinary life, serving as a priest in Rome and later residing in Germany as a Protestant. Rediscovered in the 21st century, his music finally entered the classical repertoire 500 years after his birth.