Binchois (Binch, Binche), Gilles (de)
Binchois (Binch, Binche), Gilles (de)
Binchois (Binch, Binche), Gilles (de), important Franco-Flemish composer; b. probably in Mons, Hainaut, c. 1400; d. Soignies, near Mons, Sept. 20, 1460. His father was most likely Jean de Binch, counselor to 2 rulers of Hainaut. Binchois may have been in the service of William de la Pole, the Earl of Suffolk, in Paris in 1424; by the close of that decade he was in the service of the Burgundian court, where he advanced from fifth to second chaplain, retaining the latter position until his death. He greatly distinguished himself as a composer of both sacred and secular works, many of which have been publ. since the 19th century; the most important modern eds. are those by W. Rehm in Die Chansons von G. B. (1400–1460) (Mainz, 1957) and P. Kaye in The Sacred Music of G. B. (Oxford, 1992).
Bibliography
W. Rehm, Das Chansonwerk von G. B. (diss., Univ. of Freiburg, 1952); J. Kreps, G. d. B., 1460–1960 (Louvain, 1960); J. Boucher, The Religious Music of G. B. (diss., Boston Univ., 1963).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire