Guillaume Dufay - a podcast by BBC Radio 3

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’anQuel fronte signorillo
C’est bien raison de devoir essaucierAve Regina caelorum
Missa Ave regina caelorumMotet: Apostolo gloriosum
Seigneur Leon, vous soyés bienvenusMissa Sancti Jacobi - Offertorium
Magnificat tertii et quarti toniMissa Ecce ancilla Domini - Sanctus
Malheureulx cueurMotet: Moribus et genere
Adieu ces bons vins de LannoysMissa Sine Nomine - Kyrie&Gloria
Ballade: Resvelliés-vous et faites chiere lyeVasilissa ergo gaude
O Sancte SebastianeMissa Sancti Jacobi - Sanctus, Agnus Dei
Vergene BellaLa Belle se siet
Ballade: Se la face ay paleFlos Florum
Ecclesiae militantisBalsamus et munda cera
Supremum est mortalibus bonumAve Maris Stella
L’alta tua bellezzaSalve flos Tusce gentis
Ce moys de mayBon jour, bon mois
Il sera par vous combatuMissa L’homme armé - Kyrie
S’il est PlaisirJe me complains
Par le regardAve regina caelorum II
Sanctus Ave verum corpusGaude virgo


Presented by Donald MacleodProduced 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/m0007yz1And 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

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