Johannes Brassart | es

Johannes Brassart (also Jean Brasart) (c.1400 – before October 22, 1455) was a Burgundian composer of the early Renaissance. Of his output, only sacred vocal music has survived, and it typifies early 15th century practice.

Brassart most likely was born in the town of Lowaige in the province of Limburg, though the date is only known approximately. From 1422 to 1431 he was at the church of St. Jean l'Evangéliste in Liège, where he was a succentor. In the mid 1420s he visited Rome, moving there in 1431, where he was employed in the papal chapel as a singer and probably as a composer as well; he was in the choir at the same time as composers Arnold de Lantins and Guillaume Dufay. During this period Brassart most likely composed the motet O flos fragrans, which was popular enough to appear in several manuscripts of the time, as well as Te dignitas presularis.

In 1432 Brassart went to Basle, where he was a singer at the Council chapel, and two years later Emperor Sigismund employed him as rector of the chapel, a post which he retained until 1443. In 1445 he moved to Liège, where he had a post at the collegiate church of St. Paul. A notice of October 22, 1455 of a supplication for his benefice there indicates he had recently died. .