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ASK ALICE: Weekly, from 2003 until 2016/17, Alice McVeigh took on the role of classical music's agony aunt to answer questions on a surprising variety of subjects.
We don't know very much about the Franco-Flemish Renaissance composer Jean Richafort. He was probably born in Hainaut in about 1480, into a French-speaking family, and may have studied with Josquin des Prez. Near the beginning of his career he was choirmaster at St Rombold Cathedral in Mechelen, and he was probably associated with the French royal chapel since he wrote official music for King Louis XII (Louis of Orléans).
Richafort lived into his sixties, his last known appointment being as choirmaster at St Gilles in Bruges. He died in approximately 1547.