Dunstable or Dunstaple, John
Dunstable or Dunstaple, John
Dunstable or Dunstaple, John, great English composer; b. c. 1390; d. London, Dec. 24, 1453. Almost nothing is known about his life with any certainty. He may have been the John Dunstaple who was in the service of the Duke of Bedford; if he was the same man, he may have accompanied his patron to France. He appears to have been well versed in astronomy and mathematics. The J. Dunstaple buried in the church of St. Stephen, Walbrook (destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666), was undoubtedly the composer. The Old Hall Manuscript and other MSS reveal the existence of a highly developed art in England in the early 15th
century, antedating the full flowering of the Burgundian school of Dufay, Binchois, and other masters. Dunstable’s style appears to be a direct outgrowth of the English school. He was the most important figure in English music in his time. His works were widely known on the Continent as well as in his homeland. Most of his known compositions are preserved in manuscripts on the Continent, although discoveries have recently been made in England. Some works formerly attributed to him are now known to be by Power, Benet, Binchois, and others. Other works remain doubtful. The styles of Dunstable and Power are so comparable that it has not always been possible to separate their works. Undoubtedly, some of Dunstable’s works are in anonymous collections and await verification. M. Bukofzer ed. John Dunstable: Complete Works in Musica Britannica, VIII (London, 1953; 2nd ed., rev., 1970 by M. and I. Bent and B. Trowell); the rev. ed. includes 73 works, several of which are now considered doubtful.
Bibliography
M. Bent, Dunstaple (London, 1981).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire