Together with G. Dufay, the other protagonist in the first of five “generations” of Flemish Polyphonists, Binchois is considered the champion of the Burgundian (ducal court’s) Chanson, most of which puts French love poetry to music in “formes fixes” (established musical forms), mainly the Rondeau. His importance and popularity is clear from the international distribution of his music and qoutes from or parodies on it (at the time considered a tribute, not plagiarism) by many other Flemish Polyphonists.
(Contribution by Koenraad Vissers. Data, mainly based on KULeuven’s musicilogy prof. I. Bossuyt’s book "De Vlaamse Polyfonie".)
Biography
Binchois’s birth place is presumed, not undisputed.
Binchois was Organist in Mons’s St.Waltrudis church in 1419–23, moved in 1423 to Lille (northern France) and in 1424 enlisted as “English” soldier (Burgundy being the main ally against the French crown in the Hundred Years War) under the earl of Suffolk before joining the court chapel of the dukes of Burgundy from 1427/3 till 1452, when he was pensioned off and got a clercial benefice as provost of the collegial church of St. Vincent in Soignies, in his native Hainaut countship, where he died, after having lead the choir school of the St. Salvator church in Bruges.
(Contribution by Koenraad Vissers. Data, mainly based on KULeuven’s musicilogy prof. I. Bossuyt’s book "De Vlaamse Polyfonie".)
