The Melancholic Orlande de Lassus

Orlande de Lassus

Source: Music Timeline

Probably born in 1532 in Mons, which would be modern-day Belgium, Orlande de Lassus (Roland Lasso) takes one to the latter period of Franco-Flemish influence in Renaissance music before counterpoint arrives to baroque in Italy about 1600. A major composer of the period, Lassus left behind more than 2000 compositions including 530 motets, 175 Italian madrigals and villanellas, 150 French chansons and 90 German lieder (songs). The villanella was a form of popular song developing in Naples in the latter 16th century. Lassus was a conservative composer overall, particularly as a Catholic inheriting the edicts of the Council of Trent by which sacred composing had become a competition with Protestants as to which could produce the most somber and unadorned works in respect of diety.

Lassus began traveling about Italy at age twelve. His first known employment was as a singer for Costantino Castrioto in Naples. He next worked for Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, in Rome. In 1553 Lassus became maestro di cappella of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, leaving a year later. He began publishing his works in 1555 in Antwerp: 'Le quatoirsiesme livre a quatre parties' containing titles for four voices was printed by Anvers Susato and is often referred to as Lasso's Opus 1. 'Il primo libro dove si contengono madrigali' was printed the same year containing the same titles a 4. 'Primo libro di madrigali a cinque voci' also appeared in 1555, printed by Antonio Gardano in Venice. Continuing to publish in 1556, Lasso's works would see print in above one hundred books by the time of his death with numerous following posthumously.

It was 1556 when Lasso obtained appointment to the court of Albrecht V, Duke of Bavaria, in Munich where he settled the remainder of his career. By the sixties his fame had spread such that he began to teach. It was 1565 when Lasso's 'Tristis est anima mea' for five voices was published in 'Modulorum 4-10 vocibus secundum volumen' with 24 other motets. Chronological orientation of videos below is by publishing date regardless of when composed or copied into MS compilations.

'Tristis est anima mea usque ad mortem'  Motet a 5 by Orlande de Lassus

'Sorrowful is my soul even unto death'

No.9 of 'Modulorum 4-10 vocibus secundum volumen' of 1565

Ex Cathedra w His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts directed by Jeffrey Skidmore

Lasso entered the seventies by receiving noble rank from Emperor Maximilian II of the Holy Roman Empire in 1570. It was also that year that he published 'Missa Susanne un Jour' originally composed circa 1563. That saw print in 'Praestantissimorum divinae musices auctorum missae dicemb' in 1570 by Pierre Phalese in Leuven (roughly 'Presenting the ten greatest authors of divine music').

'Missa Susanne un Jour'  Mass by Orlande de Lassus

Composed c 1563   No.6 of 'Praestantissimorum divinae musices' of 1570

Oxford Camerata directed by Jeremy Summerly

Lassus visited Charles IX in France in 1571. Pope Gregory XIII knighted him in 1574. From the late seventies into the eighties he made several visits to Italy, most notably to the House of Este in Ferrara, hotspot of the avant-garde in Italian music though Lassus continued along his sober way. Albert V died during this period in 1579, succeeded by William V. Lasso's last finished work was a set of twenty madrigali spirituali and a final motet called 'Vide homo' in 'Lagrime di San Pietro' ('Tears of St. Peter') composed in 1594, published posthumously in 1595. Those were settings to poems by the Italian poet, Luigi Tansillo, addressing Peter's denial of Jesus.

'Missa Pro defunctis quinque vocum'  Mass by Orlande de Lassus

No.2 in 'Missae variis concentibus ornatae' of 1577   Paris by Le Roy & Ballard

No.3 is 'Missa Pro defunctis' a 4

The Collegium Regale directed by Stephen Cleobury

'Matona, Mia Cara'  Villanelle a 4 by Orlande de Lassus

Pub in 'Libro de villanelle, moresche, et altre canzoni' of 1581

The Hilliard Ensemble

'Osculetur Me Osculo'  Double choir motet a 8 by Orlande de Lassus

'Song of Songs 1:1-3': Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth

Pub in 'Fasciculi aliquot sacrarum cantionum' of c 1582   Nuremberg by Gerlach

('Missa super Osculetur me' for double choir a 8 composed c 1582)

Tallis Scholars

'Davidis Poenitentiales'  Penitential psalms by David set by Orlande de Lassus

Psalmus Quartus Poenitentialis   c 1584

Psalmus Quintus Poenitentialis   c 1584

Psalmus Sextus Poenitentialis   c 1584

Psalmus Septimus Poenitentialis   c 1584

Collegium Vocale Gent directed by Philippe Herreweghe

CD: 'Lassus: Psalmi Davidis poenitentiales' on Harmonia Mundi

'De Profundis Clamavi' from 'Davidis Poenitentiales' by Orlande de Lassus

Composed c 1560

MS: 'D-Mbs Mus. MS A Choirbook' compiled in Munich 1565-1570

No.1 of 'Psalmus Sextus Poenitentialis'   Pub c 1584

Christ Church Cathedral Choir

Lassus composed 'Lamentationes Hieremiae Prophetae' for four and five voices. His four part was compiled into the 'Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Mus. MS 2745' collected in Munich 1575 to 1595. The five part was published in Munich in 'Hieremiæ prophetæ lamentationes, et aliæ piæ cantiones' in 1585.

'Lamentationes Hieremiae Prophetae'  Lamentation a 5 by Orlande de Lassus

No.1 of 'Hieremiæ prophetæ lamentationes, et aliæ piæ cantiones'   Pub 1585

Ensemble Vocal Européen de la Chapelle Royale directed by Philippe Herreweghe

Lassus set 'Il Magnanimo Pietro' for seven voices to both Latin and Italian texts. The Latin was composed sometime after 1480 and copied into 'Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Mus. MS 48' in Munich circa 1590.

'Il Magnanimo Pietro'  Italian version a 7 by Orlande de Lassus

No.1 of 'Lagrime di San Pietro'   Pub by Adam Berg in Munich 1595

Ensemble Vocal Européen de la Chapelle Royale directed by Philippe Herreweghe

Lasso's final work is believed to be 'Lagrime di San Pietro' ('Tears of St. Peter') dated to 1584. 'Lagrime di San Pietro' is an array of 20 sacred madrigals and a last motet called 'Vide homo' dedicated to Pope Clement VIII. These are settings to 20 poems by Luigi Tansillo concerning Peter's denial of Christ, followed by a motet written by Philippe de Greve.

'Lagrime di San Pietro' ('Tears of St. Peter')   Final work by Orlande de Lassus

Twenty texts by Luigi Tansillo   No.21 by Philippe de Greve   Pub by Adam Berg in Munich 1595

La Capella Ducale directed by Livio Picotti

'Vide homo, quae pro te patior'   Final motet by Orlande de Lassus

'See o man, how I suffer for you'   Text by Philippe de Greve

No.21 of 'Lagrime di San Pietro' ('Tears of St. Peter')   Pub by Adam Berg in Munich 1595

Ensemble Vocal Européen de la Chapelle Royale directed by Philippe Herreweghe

Lassus died on 14 June 1594 in Munich under William V. He hadn't seen the letter which arrived the same day, dismissing him for financial reasons from about 38 years of employment at the Bavarian court.