Final answer:
The earliest surviving piece of music referred to is secular music with sheet music and no specified instruments, hence the correct answer is a) Secular music, lyrics, instruments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Intabulatura de lauto book is one of the earliest surviving pieces of secular music; the manuscript contains only sheet music and does not indicate which instruments should play the melody. Therefore, the correct answer is a) Secular music, lyrics, instruments.
Throughout the Middle Ages, music was a vital part of cultural and intellectual life, existing in both sacred and secular forms. Illuminated manuscripts from the era, such as psalters and bibles, include illustrations that often depict the music being performed in various settings. In the late medieval period, secular music became increasingly common, and this period is known for its variety of musical forms, even though much of the music from the earlier periods has not survived. The Intabulatura de lauto represents this trend in that it is a musical work not associated with a church and likely intended for performance in a secular context.