This Week in Classical Music: June 22, 2020.Orlando di Lasso. No, the great Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance was not born this week.We are not even sure when he was born, whether in 1530 or 1532.We do know, though, that he was one of the greatest and most prolific composers of his time.Orlando, often spelled as Orlande de Lassus, was born in the town of Mons in the County of Hainaut in what is now Belgium; at that time Hainaut and the rest of the Low Countries were part of the empire of Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.As a boy, Orlando moved to Italy with Ferrante Gonzaga, a condottiero who was then serving Charles V (Ferrante belonged to a minor branch of Gonzagas, the dukes of Mantua). Orlando’s first stop in Italy was Mantua but several months later Ferrante left the city for Sicily, with Orlando in tow.After serving at several Italian courts, Orlando moved to Rome, where, in 1553, he became maestro di cappella at San Giovanni in Laterano, a position that eventually would be assumed by Palestrina. We know that during that time Orlando traveled to many cities in Europe, possibly visiting England.In 1555 he went to Antwerp, where he met many musicians and made friends with Tielman Susato, a composer and major music publisher. That year Susato published Orlando’s music, his “opus 1.”
In 1556 Orlando received an invitation from Albrecht V, Duke of Bavaria to join his court; Orland accepted and moved to Munich.His initial position was that of a singer (tenor) in the Duke’s chapel (choir), which was being refashioned in the Flemish style.Orlando, who by then was well known as a composer, continued to write and publish music; soon he was made maestro di cappella of the Bavarian court.He stayed in that position for the rest of his life. Orlando’s duties included composing music for morning masses and numerous Magnificats for the Vespers in the evening.He also wrote a copious number of motets.In addition to church music, Orlando wrote many secular pieces composed for different court events: Tafelnusik for the feasts and banquets, and music for other occasions, for example, hunting parties.On top of that he was supervising music education of the choirboys – all that reminds us of the enormous workload Johann Sebastian Bach had as a Thomaskantor in Leipzig some century and a half later.
Orlando’s position at the court was exceptional: he was a friend to the duke and especially to his heir, the future Wilhelm V.He traveled extensively, hiring musicians in the Flanders, attending coronations in Prague and Frankfurt.When he visited Ferrara and Venice (in 1567) he told his hosts that good Italian music could be had even in a far-off Germany.He visited a French court on the invitation of King Charles IX.In 1570 Orlando was made a noble by Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor.
Orlando died in Munich on June 14th of 1594, the same year as Palestrina. Enormously productive, he wrote more than 60 masses and hundreds of motets.Here’s one of them, In Monte Oliveti, performed by the Hilliard Ensemble directed by Paul Hillier.
Orlando di Lasso, 2020
This Week in Classical Music: June 22, 2020. Orlando di Lasso. No, the great Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance was not born this week. We are not even sure when he was
born, whether in 1530 or 1532. We do know, though, that he was one of the greatest and most prolific composers of his time. Orlando, often spelled as Orlande de Lassus, was born in the town of Mons in the County of Hainaut in what is now Belgium; at that time Hainaut and the rest of the Low Countries were part of the empire of Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor. As a boy, Orlando moved to Italy with Ferrante Gonzaga, a condottiero who was then serving Charles V (Ferrante belonged to a minor branch of Gonzagas, the dukes of Mantua). Orlando’s first stop in Italy was Mantua but several months later Ferrante left the city for Sicily, with Orlando in tow. After serving at several Italian courts, Orlando moved to Rome, where, in 1553, he became maestro di cappella at San Giovanni in Laterano, a position that eventually would be assumed by Palestrina. We know that during that time Orlando traveled to many cities in Europe, possibly visiting England. In 1555 he went to Antwerp, where he met many musicians and made friends with Tielman Susato, a composer and major music publisher. That year Susato published Orlando’s music, his “opus 1.”
In 1556 Orlando received an invitation from Albrecht V, Duke of Bavaria to join his court; Orland accepted and moved to Munich. His initial position was that of a singer (tenor) in the Duke’s chapel (choir), which was being refashioned in the Flemish style. Orlando, who by then was well known as a composer, continued to write and publish music; soon he was made maestro di cappella of the Bavarian court. He stayed in that position for the rest of his life. Orlando’s duties included composing music for morning masses and numerous Magnificats for the Vespers in the evening. He also wrote a copious number of motets. In addition to church music, Orlando wrote many secular pieces composed for different court events: Tafelnusik for the feasts and banquets, and music for other occasions, for example, hunting parties. On top of that he was supervising music education of the choirboys – all that reminds us of the enormous workload Johann Sebastian Bach had as a Thomaskantor in Leipzig some century and a half later.
Orlando’s position at the court was exceptional: he was a friend to the duke and especially to his heir, the future Wilhelm V. He traveled extensively, hiring musicians in the Flanders, attending coronations in Prague and Frankfurt. When he visited Ferrara and Venice (in 1567) he told his hosts that good Italian music could be had even in a far-off Germany. He visited a French court on the invitation of King Charles IX. In 1570 Orlando was made a noble by Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor.
Orlando died in Munich on June 14th of 1594, the same year as Palestrina. Enormously productive, he wrote more than 60 masses and hundreds of motets. Here’s one of them, In Monte Oliveti, performed by the Hilliard Ensemble directed by Paul Hillier.