Orlando de Lassus (or di Lasso) was one of the three most
prominent and influential composers—the other two being Palestrina and
Victoria—at the close of the sixteenth century. An extremely prolific composer,
Lassus composed over two thousand works spanning all the known vocal genres at
his time. Curiously, despite this prolific output, there are no surviving
purely instrumental compositions, nor is Lassus known to have written any at
all.
Born in Mons in Hainaut, now modern-day Belgium, in 1532,
little is known about Lassus's early years. At twelve years of age, he left his
homeland with Ferrante Gonzaga, and traveled to Mantua, Sicily, and Milan. In
the early 1550s, he was working as a singer and a composer for Costantino
Castrioto in Naples, during which time his first works likely appeared. From
Naples, Lassus went to Rome where he was in the employ of Cosimo I de' Medici,
Grand Duke of Tuscany. In 1553, at the young age of twenty-one, he was
appointed maestro di cappella of the
Basilica of Saint John Lateran. Yet, despite this significant post, Lassus
remained there for only one year.
For the year 1554, Lassus's whereabouts are uncertain,
though it is possible he traveled to France and England. However, after a brief
return to the Low Countries in 1555, he secured a position in the court of
Albrecht V, Duke of Bavaria, who was seeking to make Munich a music rival to
the major courts of Italy. Lassus was among several Netherlanders to work at
the Munich court, and was apparently quite happy there. Two years after
arriving, he married, and in 1563, was appointed maestro di cappella. By this time, Lassus's fame was widespread.
Composers, including Andrea Gabrielli and possibly Giovanni, traveled to Munich
to study with him, and honors were bestowed upon him—Emperor Maximilian II
conferred nobility upon him in 1570, and he was knighted by Pope Gregory XIII.
Lassus also received numerous and more lucrative offers from other nobility
that wished to woo him away from Munich. However, Lassus remained in Munich
until his death. During the late 1570s and 1580s, he traveled several times to
Italy. Though he would have experienced the latest musical styles and trends
there, Lassus's own style remained rather conservative in the face of the
burgeoning early Baroque. In the 1590s, his health began to decline, though he
still composed and traveled. Lassus died in Munich on June 14, 1594.
Orlando di Lasso
Biography
Orlando de Lassus (or di Lasso) was one of the three most prominent and influential composers—the other two being Palestrina and Victoria—at the close of the sixteenth century. An extremely prolific composer, Lassus composed over two thousand works spanning all the known vocal genres at his time. Curiously, despite this prolific output, there are no surviving purely instrumental compositions, nor is Lassus known to have written any at all.
Born in Mons in Hainaut, now modern-day Belgium, in 1532, little is known about Lassus's early years. At twelve years of age, he left his homeland with Ferrante Gonzaga, and traveled to Mantua, Sicily, and Milan. In the early 1550s, he was working as a singer and a composer for Costantino Castrioto in Naples, during which time his first works likely appeared. From Naples, Lassus went to Rome where he was in the employ of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. In 1553, at the young age of twenty-one, he was appointed maestro di cappella of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. Yet, despite this significant post, Lassus remained there for only one year.
For the year 1554, Lassus's whereabouts are uncertain, though it is possible he traveled to France and England. However, after a brief return to the Low Countries in 1555, he secured a position in the court of Albrecht V, Duke of Bavaria, who was seeking to make Munich a music rival to the major courts of Italy. Lassus was among several Netherlanders to work at the Munich court, and was apparently quite happy there. Two years after arriving, he married, and in 1563, was appointed maestro di cappella. By this time, Lassus's fame was widespread. Composers, including Andrea Gabrielli and possibly Giovanni, traveled to Munich to study with him, and honors were bestowed upon him—Emperor Maximilian II conferred nobility upon him in 1570, and he was knighted by Pope Gregory XIII. Lassus also received numerous and more lucrative offers from other nobility that wished to woo him away from Munich. However, Lassus remained in Munich until his death. During the late 1570s and 1580s, he traveled several times to Italy. Though he would have experienced the latest musical styles and trends there, Lassus's own style remained rather conservative in the face of the burgeoning early Baroque. In the 1590s, his health began to decline, though he still composed and traveled. Lassus died in Munich on June 14, 1594.