Leonardo da Vinci - Music Maker

Leonardo didn't just study art; he studied all sorts of interesting things. He began his career as an apprentice to Verrocchio in a studio where a variety of creative activities were taking place. Paintings were created there, but so were musical instruments. Verrocchio himself was a musician. While serving as his apprentice, Leonardo may have learned to play a musical instrument and to sing. He may have also learned how to construct musical instruments.

While serving in the courts of his patrons, the Medici family and the Sforza family, he would have been surrounded by music too. Music was a popular and growing art form at that time. More and more people were taking an interest in music since the invention of the printing press had made printed music widely available. Anyplace where people who were interested in the arts gathered, there was sure to be music. Songs and dance music were popular in court festivities.

Even before he became exposed to other musicians, however, Leonardo was interested in music because he had always taken an interest in the sounds of nature. With the same attention that he focused his eyes on everything he saw, Leonardo must have focused his ears on the sounds around him. Maybe it was the sound of water, or wind, or street noises. Maybe he thought about the mysterious sounds of outer space, known then as the "music of the spheres."