The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries represented a true golden age in the musical history of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Northern France, producing such widely influential composers as Josquin des Prez, Ockeghem, Obrecht, and others, whose music is still acclaimed today for its contrapuntal skill and sublime beauty. This study considers this unique school of composers in the broader context of Renaissance culture. Dealing systematically with sacred, secular, and instrumental compositions that are representative of the period, Elders examines the identity of the so-called "Netherlands School" and explains the extraordinary trend of migration southwards. The book includes numerous illustrations and musical examples, short biographies and summaries of over fifty composers, and a glossary of musicological terms.