Guillaume Dufay

Guillaume Dufay (c. 1397–1474) was a Franco-Flemish composer and singer whose sacred and secular works helped establish the international polyphonic style of the 15th century.

Polyphony: Music in which two or more independent melodic lines sound together. Dufay’s international style depends on coordinating independent vocal lines.
Nuper rosarum flores: A motet by Dufay, performed for the 1436 consecration of Florence Cathedral. Its four-part design and ceremonial text make it a landmark example of his public music.
Cambrai: A city in northern France that was an important ecclesiastical and musical center in the late Middle Ages. Dufay spent much of his life there and returned as a canon of its cathedral.
Pope Eugenius IV: Pope from 1431 to 1447 who presided over the Council of Florence and supported major church ceremonies. Dufay’s motet for Florence Cathedral’s consecration was performed during Eugenius IV’s visit.
Ars nova: A 14th-century European musical style marked by rhythmic notation that allowed greater complexity. Dufay inherited its innovations while writing for a new 15th-century musical culture.
Cantus firmus: A pre-existing melody used as the structural basis for a polyphonic composition. Dufay often built large sacred works around borrowed, sustained melodies.
Missa Se la face ay pale: A cyclic Mass by Dufay built around the melody of his own chanson “Se la face ay pale.” It shows a secular song serving as the cantus firmus for a complete Mass Ordinary.
Council of Constance: A church council held from 1414 to 1418 to resolve the Western Schism and address reform. Dufay’s early service in the council’s musical environment helped launch his career.
Pope Martin V: Pope from 1417 to 1431 whose election at the Council of Constance ended the Western Schism. Dufay’s early Roman service took place during Martin V’s pontificate.
Ars subtilior: A late 14th-century style known for intricate rhythms, unusual notation, and elaborate musical design. Its extreme rhythmic complexity contrasts with the clearer balance typical of Dufay’s mature works.

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