Five works by this French composer survive in the Chantilly Manuscript. He was probably a younger contemporary of Machaut and he may have been a papal singer since the Chantilly Manuscript contains works by persons of that station. His virelai is found in eight different sources attesting to the import and popularity of Vaillant's compositions. The five pieces can generally be characterized as set with balanced rhythms, more than one text being sung at one time, syncopated rhythms probably for didactic reasons, and some realistic ventures with imitations of natural sounds. A distinctive quality that separated Vaillant's work from Machaut's was his use of cross-rhythms. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi