Generally regarded by his contemporaries and modern experts as probably the greatest composer of the 15th century.

After singing in the choir at Cambrai Cathedral, Dufay was briefly in the service of the Malatesta family in Italy. After a further period in France, he returned to sing in the Papal chapel in 1428.

He was subsequently involved with a number of ruling families in Italy, including the d'Estes of Ferrara and the rulers of Savoy. Back in Cambrai he served as canon at the cathedral until his death.

Dufay wrote a considerable amount of church music.

These compositions include eight complete Masses with one based on the most popular secular cantus firmus, "L'homme armé", one on his own secular ballade "Se la face ay pale" and another on his "Marian antiphon Ave regina caelorum".

- MIDI FILE - "Vergine bella" (4'06'')

He asked for the Marian antiphon-motet "Ave regina caelorum" to be sung on his death-bed.

His isorhythmic motet, a work using a particular rhythmic structural device developed in the previous century, "Nupervrosarum flores", was performed at the opening ceremony of the Brunelleschi dome in Florence in 1436.

- MIDI FILE - "Nuper rosarum flores" (5'28'')

His motet "O très piteulx - Omnes amici", a lament for the fall of Constantinople in 1453, was probably sung at the extravagant Banquet of the Oath of the Pheasant given by Philippe the Good of Burgundy at Lille in 1454, when an attempt was made to raise a Crusade to free the old Eastern capital of the Roman Empire.