Gilles Binchois (1400-1460) was one of the finest composers of the early 15th century. He was born in Mons, Belgium.
After a brief career as a soldier, he took priestly vows; around 1424 he was employed by William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk. From 1430 on, he was at the court of Burgundy during its most brilliant epoch.
Binchois is often considered to be the finest melodist of the 15th century, writing carefully shaped lines which are easy to sing, and utterly memorable. His tunes appeared in copies decades after his death, and were often used as sources for mass composition by later composers.
Although Binchois wrote some sacred music, his masterpieces are his 50 or more secular French Chansons for solo voice and two accompanying instruments. The solo voice carries the melodic line, the lowest instrument establishes a feeling of key, and the middle instrument fills in the other essential notes in the chord, all characteristics that are remarkably advanced for the time.