Guillaume Dufay (on left) with his contemporary Binchois

Guillaume Dufay, the most famous and influential composer of the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance, was born in 1397, probably near Brussels. His mother moved to Cambrai, in what is now France, early in his life, and Dufay became a singer in the local church, where his music talents were quickly discovered and nurtured. In 1420, he received an appointment to be a resident composer for the Malatesta family in Italy, where he remained until 1424, returning to Cambrai to resolve the living situation of his mother. He returned to Italy to work, eventually becoming employed by Pope Martin V, and his successor, Pope Eugene IV. Dufay, however, could see trouble brewing because of the Council of Basel, and decided to leave Rome to avoid being caught up in the inevitable political battles. During the 1430s he was employed by the powerful Este family, who had ties to the Malatesta family, but Dufay again saw that Pope Eugene IV was in trouble, and returned to his native Cambrai in 1439, where he stayed for the next decade. However, Dufay liked living in Italy, and returned in 1453 to attempt to once again find employment, but was unsuccessful, and returned to Cambrai in 1458, where he lived out his years, dying of a protracted illness in 1474.

Dufay is famous for employing both the isorhythmic forms of the Middle Ages, as well as helping to develop the harmonies and melodies that were to come to dominate the Renaissance. His perfection of form is apparent not only in his masses and motets, but also in his secular songs and other works.

On a personal note, I made a research pilgrimage in the late 1990s to the village of Cambrai, France, and saw all the structures that were still standing that dated from Dufay’s time. The historical society of Cambrai was particularly gracious to me, in letting me study (and handle) manuscripts contemporaneous with Dufay, as well as letting me see the village plans (where I discovered that the Maison L’Homme Armé was built across the street from Dufay’s house) and reading the archaeological studies they had on hand. While I have had excellent assistance from libraries, publishers, museums, and other associations in France with my research, the historical society in Cambrai was outstanding in its assistance to me and it was a great pleasure to have worked with them.