Jean Richafort
Encyclopedia
Jean Richafort was a Franco-Flemish composer
of the Renaissance
.
He was probably born in Hainaut
, and his native language appears to have been French. He may have studied with Josquin des Prez
, though the evidence for this is circumstantial. Richafort served as choir master at St. Rombold cathedral in Mechelen
between 1507 and 1509, and at St. Gilles church in Bruges
between 1542 and 1547—leaving a huge gap in the record of his activity. At some time between these dates he was associated with the French
royal chapel, since some of his music is for official occasions connected with Louis XII
, and there is some evidence he may have been in Brussels
in 1531 in the service of Queen Mary of Hungary, who was regent there.
Musically, Richafort was a representative of the first generation after Josquin, and he followed his style in many ways. In some of his music he used fragments of Josquin's compositions as a tribute. Techniques used by Richafort include are typical of the period, such as smooth polyphony
and pervasive imitation
, but he was unusually attentive to the clear setting of text so the words could be understood.
He wrote a requiem
for six voices (Requiem in memoriam Josquin des Prez, 1532), mass
es, motet
s, settings of the Magnificat
, two secular motets, and chanson
s.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of the Renaissance
Renaissance music
Renaissance music is European music written during the Renaissance. Defining the beginning of the musical era is difficult, given that its defining characteristics were adopted only gradually; musicologists have placed its beginnings from as early as 1300 to as late as the 1470s.Literally meaning...
.
He was probably born in Hainaut
County of Hainaut
The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....
, and his native language appears to have been French. He may have studied with Josquin des Prez
Josquin Des Prez
Josquin des Prez [Josquin Lebloitte dit Desprez] , often referred to simply as Josquin, was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance...
, though the evidence for this is circumstantial. Richafort served as choir master at St. Rombold cathedral in Mechelen
Mechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
between 1507 and 1509, and at St. Gilles church in Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
between 1542 and 1547—leaving a huge gap in the record of his activity. At some time between these dates he was associated with the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
royal chapel, since some of his music is for official occasions connected with Louis XII
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
, and there is some evidence he may have been in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
in 1531 in the service of Queen Mary of Hungary, who was regent there.
Musically, Richafort was a representative of the first generation after Josquin, and he followed his style in many ways. In some of his music he used fragments of Josquin's compositions as a tribute. Techniques used by Richafort include are typical of the period, such as smooth polyphony
Polyphony
In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ....
and pervasive imitation
Imitation (music)
In music, imitation is when a melody in a polyphonic texture is repeated shortly after its first appearance in a different voice, usually at a different pitch. The melody may vary through transposition, inversion, or otherwise, but retain its original character...
, but he was unusually attentive to the clear setting of text so the words could be understood.
He wrote a requiem
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
for six voices (Requiem in memoriam Josquin des Prez, 1532), mass
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
es, motet
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
s, settings of the Magnificat
Magnificat
The Magnificat — also known as the Song of Mary or the Canticle of Mary — is a canticle frequently sung liturgically in Christian church services. It is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymns and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn...
, two secular motets, and chanson
Chanson
A chanson is in general any lyric-driven French song, usually polyphonic and secular. A singer specialising in chansons is known as a "chanteur" or "chanteuse" ; a collection of chansons, especially from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, is also known as a chansonnier.-Chanson de geste:The...
s.
Recordings
- Christus resurgens, motet (with the mass by Adrian Willaert based on it), CD Naxos 8.553211
- Requiem [in memoriam Josquin Desprez], performed by the Huelgas EnsembleHuelgas EnsembleThe Huelgas Ensemble is a Belgian early music group formed by the Flemish conductor Paul Van Nevel in 1971. The group's performance and extensive discography focuses on renaissance polyphony...
, CD HMC 901874