Over the centuries, cultures at the periphery of Christian Europe (also ancient cultures predating Christianity) influenced Western Early Music in many and significant ways. This was most especially true in Medieval Spain, where the intermingling of Christians, Muslims, and Jews created a distinctive musical hybrid. This section recognizes the influences on "Early Music" of non-Western musical cultures--Muslim and non-Muslim--from North Africa, the Middle East, the Levant, the Balkans, and elsewhere.
For other eras, see 
