1556 in music

	… 1546; 1547; 1548; 1549; 1550; 1551; 1552; ; 1553; 1554; 1555; 1556; 1557; 1558; 1559; ; 1560; 1561; 1562; 1563; 1564; 1565; 1566 …;
	Art; Archaeology; Architecture; Literature; Music; Philosophy; Science; +...

Events

June – At a Corpus Christi procession in Pátzcuaro, Morelia, Mexico, the earliest extant zarabanda was sung.^[1]
Orlande de Lassus joins the court of Albrecht V, Duke of Bavaria.

Julien Belin – Premier livre contenant Plusieurs motets, chansons, et Fantasies (Paris: Nicolas du Chemin), a collection of intabulations for the lute
Pierre Cadéac – Mass for four voices (Paris: Nicolas du Chemin)
Jacob Clemens non Papa
- First book of masses: Missa Misericorde for four voices (Leuven: Pierre Phalèse), possibly published posthumously
- Fifth book of motets for five voices (Paris: Simon du Bosc), possibly published posthumously
- Souterliedekens I, II, & III for three voices (Antwerp: Tielman Susato), settings of Psalms in Dutch, possibly published posthumously
Jhan Gero – Second book of madrigals for three voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano)
Claude Gervaise, ed. – Third book of dances for four instruments (Paris: widow of Pierre Attaingnant)
Philibert Jambe de Fer – Epitome musical, des tons, sons, et accordz...Violes & violons
Clément Janequin – Premier livre contenant plusieurs chansons spirituelles (Paris: Le Roy & Ballard)
Orlande de Lassus – First book of motets for five and six voices (Antwerp: Johann Laet)
Pierre de Manchicourt – Missa Quo abiit dilectus tuus for four voices (Paris: Nicolas du Chemin)
Annibale Padovano – First book of ricercars for four voices (Venice: Antonio Gardano), a collection of vocal partsongs

February 21 – Sethus Calvisius, German theorist and composer (died 1615)
June – Pomponio Nenna, Neapolitan Italian composer (died 1608)
August 10 – Philipp Nicolai, German pastor and composer (died 1608)
December 17 – Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana, composer and a minister of the Mughal emperor Akbar (died 1627)

March 4 – Leonhard Kleber, German organist (born 1495)
May 7 – Hieronymus Andreae (alias Formschneider), German printer of music, amongst other things
June 10 – Martin Agricola, German theorist and composer (born 1486)

^ Robert Stevenson, "Morelia", The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London: Macmillan Publishers, 2001).