Opening Festivities: Keynote & Performance

Friday, April 30, 2027, 7:00 pm
Parish Hall, Christ Church Cambridge
Tickets: $10–$33

Keynote Address: The History and Culture of the Duchy of Burgundy in the 15th Century
Performance: Music by Binchois, Busnoys & others

The Burgundian court and chapel employed some of the finest musicians of the 15th century, from native son Gilles de Binche, called Binchois (born c. 1400), to the Frenchman Antoine Busnoys, who joined the court in the 1460s, and many others. The keynote address of the weekend’s opening festivities will describe the historical, political, and cultural conditions within which these musicians flourished; the recital to follow will sample the exquisite music enjoyed by the Burgundian dukes.

Talks & Conversation

Visual Art in 15th-Century Burgundy: Van Eyck, Van der Weyden, et al.
Music & Lyric Poetry in 15th-Century Burgundy

Saturday, May 1, 2027, 10:00 am–12:00 pm
Margaret Jewett Hall, First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
FREE

Our Saturday morning talks explore visual and literary arts in 15th-century Burgundy, focusing on works by luminaries whom Binchois would have known personally or by reputation. An almost exact contemporary of the great Jan van Eyck, Binchois undoubtedly marveled at Van Eyck’s portraits and altarpieces when they were new, and he set to music lyrics by Christine de Pizan and Alain Chartier, whose works figured prominently in the Burgundian ducal library.

Concert: Music for the Burgundian Chapel

Saturday, May 1, 2027, 3:00 pm
Sanctuary, First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
Tickets: $10–$96

The most celebrated form of music at the Burgundian court was secular song, but Philip the Good was also an intensely religious man, and his chapel comprised an extraordinary team of singers and composers. The centerpiece concert of our Weekend features the elegant counterpoint and ringing harmonies of sacred music by Binchois, Busnoys, Du Fay, and others, including composers who worked for the earlier dukes—Philip the Bold and John the Fearless—and Philip the Good’s son, Duke Charles.

Please note: This concert is NOT included in the Weekend Pass.

Masterclass & Workshop: Sing a Burgundian Song from Original Notation

Saturday, May 1, 2027, 7:00 pm
Margaret Jewett Hall, First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
FREE

Listen in as Blue Heron’s Artistic Director Scott Metcalfe coaches specially selected ensembles in performances of Burgundian music, sharing Blue Heron’s expertise in Renaissance polyphony. All in attendance will learn how to sing a Burgundian song from a 15th-century manuscript.

Cabaret Concert: Burgundian Songs

Sunday, May 2, 2027, 6:00 pm
Margaret Jewett Hall, First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
Tickets: $10–$48

Wrap up the Weekend in the style of the Burgundian dukes at their courts in Brussels, Antwerp, Lille, and Bruges! Feast on food and drink from the Burgundian Low Countries while enjoying the subtle, elegant, and melodious chansons of Binchois, Busnoys, Du Fay, Grenon, Morton, and Malbecque.