Dunstable, John

Dunstable, John dŭn´stəbəl [key], c.1385–1453, English composer. Dunstable is thought to have accompanied his patron, the duke of Bedford, to France. About 60 of his works—nearly all sacred pieces—are extant. He was among the first composers to begin to unify the musical setting of the Mass. Dunstable was the outstanding English composer of his time and influenced composers at the Burgundian court, including Guillaume Dufay and Gilles Binchois. His name is sometimes spelled Dunstaple.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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