One of the leading figures of the Burgundian School,
Guillaume Dufay was the most influential composer of the 15th
century. His works span many of the common forms of his day, both in sacred and
secular music. Dufay's music was widely distributed, a remarkable feat since he
died decades before the availability of music printing, and was absorbed by the
succeeding generation of composers, such Ockeghem, Tinctoris, and Busnois.
Likely born in Beersel nears Brussels in 1397, Dufay was the
illegitimate son of an unknown priest and a woman named Marie Du Fayt. Marie
took her son to Cambrai, where they lived with a relative who was a canon of
the cathedral there. Dufay's inclination for music was quickly noticed, and he
apparently received thorough training at the cathedral, being listed as a
choirboy from 1409 to 1412.
After a likely trip to the Council of Konstanz, which would
be the first of several from Cambrai, between 1414 and 1418, Dufay became a
subdeacon at the Cambrai Cathedral. However, he did not remain long in his
hometown. In 1420, Dufay made the first of his excursions south, traveling to
Remini and possibly Pesaro. During this period, he likely worked for the
Malatesta family, though there is no record of his employment there. Four years
later, Dufay returned to Cambrai because of illness, but departed for Italy
again in 1426. Traveling this time to Bologna, he entered the service of
Cardinal Louis Aleman, the papal legate, and later became a deacon, then a
priest. In 1428, he left Bologna for Rome, and became a member of the Papal
Choir. Growing tension between the papacy and the Council of Basel, however,
eventually drove Dufay from Rome. In 1434, he was appointed maistre de chappelle in Savoy to Duke
Amédée VIII. Yet, the following year he was once again serving the papacy in
Florence.
The widening gulf between the factions of the Catholic
Church in the 1430s ultimately forced Dufay to return to Cambrai in 1439. He
remained in his homeland for the following decade, working
in the service of the Duke of Burgundy. However, with the abdication of the
last antipope in 1449, and the fissure in the Church beginning to mend, Dufay
once again ventured south. Visiting Turin in 1450, and Savoy in 1452, Dufay
remained in Italy for several years, evidently looking for employment that
would keep him there. However, in 1458, he returned for the final time to
Cambrai.
Appointed as canon of the cathedral in Cambrai, Dufay
reestablished his connections with the court of Burgundy, for whom he continued
to compose music. After an illness lasting several weeks, Dufay died on
November 27, 1474.
Guillaume Dufay
Biography
One of the leading figures of the Burgundian School, Guillaume Dufay was the most influential composer of the 15th century. His works span many of the common forms of his day, both in sacred and secular music. Dufay's music was widely distributed, a remarkable feat since he died decades before the availability of music printing, and was absorbed by the succeeding generation of composers, such Ockeghem, Tinctoris, and Busnois.
Likely born in Beersel nears Brussels in 1397, Dufay was the illegitimate son of an unknown priest and a woman named Marie Du Fayt. Marie took her son to Cambrai, where they lived with a relative who was a canon of the cathedral there. Dufay's inclination for music was quickly noticed, and he apparently received thorough training at the cathedral, being listed as a choirboy from 1409 to 1412.
After a likely trip to the Council of Konstanz, which would be the first of several from Cambrai, between 1414 and 1418, Dufay became a subdeacon at the Cambrai Cathedral. However, he did not remain long in his hometown. In 1420, Dufay made the first of his excursions south, traveling to Remini and possibly Pesaro. During this period, he likely worked for the Malatesta family, though there is no record of his employment there. Four years later, Dufay returned to Cambrai because of illness, but departed for Italy again in 1426. Traveling this time to Bologna, he entered the service of Cardinal Louis Aleman, the papal legate, and later became a deacon, then a priest. In 1428, he left Bologna for Rome, and became a member of the Papal Choir. Growing tension between the papacy and the Council of Basel, however, eventually drove Dufay from Rome. In 1434, he was appointed maistre de chappelle in Savoy to Duke Amédée VIII. Yet, the following year he was once again serving the papacy in Florence.
The widening gulf between the factions of the Catholic Church in the 1430s ultimately forced Dufay to return to Cambrai in 1439. He remained in his homeland for the following decade, working in the service of the Duke of Burgundy. However, with the abdication of the last antipope in 1449, and the fissure in the Church beginning to mend, Dufay once again ventured south. Visiting Turin in 1450, and Savoy in 1452, Dufay remained in Italy for several years, evidently looking for employment that would keep him there. However, in 1458, he returned for the final time to Cambrai.
Appointed as canon of the cathedral in Cambrai, Dufay reestablished his connections with the court of Burgundy, for whom he continued to compose music. After an illness lasting several weeks, Dufay died on November 27, 1474.