Guillaume Du Fay

You Guillaume Fay (also Dufay; * August 5, 1397 () near Brussels? † November 27, 1474 in Cambrai ) was a Flemish composer, singer and music theorist. He is considered the founder of the Franco-Flemish school, and was with John Dunstable and Gilles Binchois one of the old masters of music of the 15th century.

Life

You Guillaume Fay was - according to his training as a chorister at the Cathedral of Cambrai ( 1409-1412 ) - from 1414 at the Council of Constance operates about 1420 on, he was in the service of the Malatesta family of Rimini and Pesaro. 1424 he returned to Cambrai. Two years later he joined Bologna in the service of Cardinal Louis Aleman. In 1428 he was ordained a priest.

From 1428 to 1433 and from 1435 to 1437 he was a member of the papal chapel in Rome and Florence. 1436 he composed one of his most famous works, the motet nuper rosarum flores, the occasion of the consecration of Brunelleschi's dome of the cathedral at Florence ( there resided Pope Eugene IV in exile ) was performed. During this time, its long -lasting connection started to family d'Este in Ferrara, which was one of the most important patrons of music. He worked from 1440 again in Cambrai, where he revised the entire music collection together with Nicholas Grenon. As a canon, he was also active in the Kathedralverwaltung. From 1451/52 he stayed for six years at the court of Savoy, from 1458 he lived as a spiritual dignitary again in Cambrai. There remained center of his life, although he repeatedly tried to find a secure job in the south. After a short illness he died in Cambrai at the age of about 77 years.

Works

Its got about 200 compositions include sacred and secular works: seven complete measuring and test sets, three Magnificat, 24 hymns and other liturgical works, 19 Latin motets of sacred and secular nature, a collection unanimous chorales and, moreover, more than 80 songs in French and Italian. In addition, some likes to anonymous music of the 15th century, attributed to him by his ( the discussions here on fill volumes ).

His entire sacred music is vocal, although it is possible that the means of reinforcing the vocals were used. The rondeau, ballads and other forms of secular works are never set purely instrumental.

His first complete masses, the Missa sine nomine and the Missa Sancti Jacobi, date from the period before 1440 and the first to show the use of the Fauxbourdon, one probably originating from England singing practice in thirds and parallel sixths, the improvised and consist of only one recorded voice is sing. Here he used the technique of head motif that ( so far to come from different composers tended their parts ) into a unified whole summarizes the fair. From 1450, however, you could Fays fairs English influence (especially John Dunstable ) recognize: Cantus firmus and Isorhythmie. This led later to contrapuntal forms.

His motets are all from the period before 1450 and are complex isorhythmic motets. As an outstanding work of musical composition is regarded by number, however, not uncontroversial interpretation of his motet " nuper rosarum flores " which was composed for the consecration of the cathedral of Florence, where it was premiered on March 25, 1436. The four sections of this motet been since Charles Warren ( 1973) set in their size ratio with the proportions of the nave, side aisles, apse and dome height of the dome in relationship and further correspondences with structural dimensions of Solomon's Temple, ratios of the golden section and geriatric numerical values ​​of linguistic expressions suspected.

Written by four Lamentationes, on the occasion of the fall of Constantinople Opel ( 1453), is only received one.

You Fay is said to have introduced the white instead of the previously usual black marks; Other innovations in the notation are attributed to him ( Adam of Fulda).

Recognition

You Fay was his life in the service of the leading courts of Europe (Ferrara, Burgundy, Savoy) and was visited by major composers. He was regarded by his contemporaries as the leading musicians of his time, his compositions have been performed throughout Europe. Taking into account that in his time sheet music could not be distributed in print, its width effect is all the more impressive. In his work, the preferred maintenance of the four-part began. His music tagged with their sonority the musical style in the mid- 15th century, in which the equality of all votes is reached in the polyphonic writing.