Gilles Binchois
Gilles Binchois was probably born and raised in Mons in the first decades of the 15th century and served as a chorister in the two main churches of that town–St Germain’s and Ste Waudru’s. In 1419 he became organist at Ste. Waudru’s. After moving to Lille in the mid 1420s Binchois became a member of the Burgundian Court Chapel (“the best choir in the world” according to Jean le Févre) serving Duke, Philip the Good. Other members of the Chapel at this time included Pierre Fontaine, Nicholas Grenon, and Robert Morton. Binchois remained with the Burgundian Chapel for over 25 years, through all the political upheaval attendant on the last years of the Hundred Years’ War; when in 1452 he retired to become Provost of the Collegiate Church of St. Vincent in Soignies. He died there in 1460.
Da pacem Domine
This simple fauxbourdon setting of the Gregorian antiphon is found in two manuscripts one in Munich the other in Modena.
Gilles Binchois "Da pacem Domine"
Da pacem Domine in diebus nostris:
quia non est alius qui pugnet pro nobis,
nisi tu Deus noster.
Give peace in these our days, O Lord:
for there is none other to protect us,
but only Thou, our God.
Ma dame que j’ayme
Gilles Binchois "Ma dame que j'ayme"