大象传媒

Donald Macleod explores the rich and profoundly moving music Dufay planned for observances at the end of his life.

The beauty, originality and technical mastery of Guillaume Dufay鈥檚 music illustrate why the Florentine ruler Piero de鈥橫edici gave him the epithet 鈥渢he greatest ornament of our age鈥�. Undoubtedly he is one of the 15th century鈥檚 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, director of the ensemble The Dufay Collective. Pulling together what鈥檚 known about Dufay, across the series of five programmes, 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.

Dufay set out his funeral obsequies in detail and he regarded his transition to the after-life to be of paramount importance; naturally all such arrangements required some exceptional music.

St. Anthony of Padua Mass 鈥� Kyrie
The Binchois Consort
Andrew Kirkman, conductor

Ce jour de l鈥檃n
Bernhard Landauer, counter 鈥搕enor
Unicorn Ensemble
Michael Posch, director

St. Anthony of Padua Mass 鈥� Gloria
The Binchois Consort
Andrew Kirkman, conductor

Quel fronte signorillo
C鈥檈st bien raison de devoir essaucier
La Reverdie

Ave Regina caelorum
The Orlando Consort

Missa Ave regina caelorum 鈥� Sanctus, Agnus Dei
Cantica Symphonia
Giuseppe Maletto, director

Producer: Johannah Smith for 大象传媒 Cymru Wales