Guillaume Dufay

Donald Macleod is joined by William Lyons to explore Guillaume Dufay's life and music.

The beauty, originality and technical mastery of Guillaume Dufay’s music illustrate why the Florentine ruler Piero de’Medici gave him the epithet “the greatest ornament of our age”. Undoubtedly he is one of the 15th century’s most distinctive voices. He was in his late 70s by the time he died in 1474; a long life by medieval standards. His outstanding talent transported him from an uncertain start in life as the illegitimate son of a servant and an unknown man, to being a musician who was feted at court, and respected by the church and the papacy alike. As his fame spread across Europe, he commanded the admiration of his fellow composers, influencing not only his direct contemporaries but also the generation of composers who succeeded him, among them Johannes Ockeghem.

Donald Macleod is joined by William Lyons, a historical music researcher and the founder of the ensemble The Dufay Collective. Pulling together what’s known about Dufay, across the episode, they build a picture of the man behind this illustrious reputation, examine the key relationships he fostered, and consider how his music flourished as he navigated the turbulent political currents of the age.

Music featured: St. Anthony of Padua Mass Ce jour de l’an Quel fronte signorillo C’est bien raison de devoir essaucier Ave Regina caelorum Missa Ave regina caelorum Motet: Apostolo gloriosum Seigneur Leon, vous soyés bienvenus Missa Sancti Jacobi - Offertorium Magnificat tertii et quarti toni Missa Ecce ancilla Domini - Sanctus Malheureulx cueur Motet: Moribus et genere Adieu ces bons vins de Lannoys Missa Sine Nomine - Kyrie & Gloria Ballade: Resvelliés-vous et faites chiere lye Vasilissa ergo gaude O Sancte Sebastiane Missa Sancti Jacobi - Sanctus, Agnus Dei Vergene Bella La Belle se siet Ballade: Se la face ay pale Flos Florum Ecclesiae militantis Balsamus et munda cera Supremum est mortalibus bonum Ave Maris Stella L’alta tua bellezza Salve flos Tusce gentis Ce moys de may Bon jour, bon mois Il sera par vous combatu Missa L’homme armé - Kyrie S’il est Plaisir Je me complains Par le regard Ave regina caelorum II Sanctus Ave verum corpus Gaude virgo

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Johannah Smith for BBC Wales

For full tracklistings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Guillaume Dufay https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0007yz1

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z