Italian Renaissance composer Claudio Monteverdi ((1567-1643) showed the way for other composers leaving Medieval style behind. His madrigals went from four balanced parts to soprano-exalted with basso continuo. In opera, he made his greatest contribution: Montiverdi was the first to specify what instruments were to be used. He began this with his first opera, Orpheus. Before his time, this wasn't necessary, but that changed when he began writing for 40 instruments.