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