Jean Richafort

1480 - 1547

Jean Richefort was part of the explosion of a new multi part harmony style of church music in the 15th century. Music that uses harmonies so complex that at times you simply forget there are no musical instruments of any form involved.

The emergence of this music was primarily in the Flemish lands of modern day Northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Richefort was born in Hainault, and was destined to spend his life devoted to the church and creating music for religious rites. He was a master of polyphony borrowing perhaps from other composers of the time but adding his own touches.

Despencer panel from Norwich Cathedral

Appointed choirmaster first at the cathedral of Mechelen and latterly in St Giles Bruges, he is believed to have studied with another master of the era, Josquin des Prez. The association may be uncertain but what is definite is that Richefort’s Requiem, his finest surviving work, was dedicated to des Prez.