Composer’s Portrait: Spotlight on Gilles Binchois (1400-1460)

Gilles Binchois (1400-1460) is renowned as one of the great Franco-Flemish composers of the early 15th century. He is a contemporary of Guillaume Dufay, and - like Dufay - represents the Burgundian school, and the "contenance angloise", the English influence on early 15th century continental composers. While composers Dufay and Dunstaple are usually ranked higher in their musical influence of the time, Binchois’ chansons were extensively quoted and used as the basis for new compositions in the 15th century, leading musicologist David Fallows to write: “the extent to which [Binchois'] works were borrowed, cited, parodied and intabulated in the later 15th century implies that he had more direct influence than either [Du Fay or Dunstaple]” (Grove Music Online, 2001). Binchois has been praised as an outstanding melodist and miniaturist - most of his surviving works are secular compositions, especially rondeaux, alongside some sacred works and individual mass movements. We will explore both secular and sacred works from various manuscripts of the early 15th century, including EscorialA (black mensural notation) and Oxford 213 (white mensural notation).

Image:  Binchois (right) holding a small harp and Guillaume Du Fay (left) beside a portative organ in a c. 1440 Illuminated manuscript copy of Martin le Franc's Le champion des dames