Binchois

I'm a fifteenth century composer...
B inchois, or Aegidius (Gilles) de Binche was born around the year 1400 in the town of Mons (in modern day Belgium) and became involved with music probably through the Court of Hainaut where his father was a councilor to Duke Guillaume IV. He is first recorded as an organist for Ste Waudru in Mons, but in July of 1423, he paid the town of Mons for the privilege of going to live in Lille. He probably had some training as a chorister, but there is no documented evidence of his professional training.
I n Ockeghem’s Deploration for Binchois, he mentions that Binchois spent part of his youth as an honorably chivalrous soldier. This may have been in the service of William Pole, Earl of Suffolk, who was among the English forces that occupied northern France after the Battle of Agincourt.
N ot long after joining Suffolk’s service, Binchois supported the Duke of Burgundy in an argument (rather than the Duke of Gloucester) against two of Suffolk’s Norman servants.
C hapel records in Burgundy are missing between the years 1419 and 1436, but Binchois entered Duke Philip the Good’s service sometime between 1425 and 1430.
H e is listed among the Duke’s Chapel singers in his motet Nove cantum melodie of 1431, written for the baptism of the Duke’s son.
O rdained as a sub-deacon, Binchois obtained various prebends and benefices from the Duke. He composed both sacred music and courtly chansons, served as a harpist and singer, and also fulfilled certain administrative duties at court. His music was copied into manuscripts across Europe, and even became the subjects of cyclic Masses by later composers.
I n or around 1452 Binchois retired to Soignies as a provost of the collegiate church of St. Vincent. He continued to travel, and he still received a generous pension from Duke Philip, who appreciated Binchois’ years of service to the Burgundian court. Binchois died on
S eptember 20th, 1460
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