Orlando di Lasso (c. 1532-1594); FLM

Orlande de Lassus (c.1532–1594), also known as Orlando di Lasso, was born in Mons in the Habsburg Netherlands and became one of the most celebrated composers of the late Renaissance. As a boy singer he traveled to Italy, where he worked in Mantua, Naples, and Rome and in 1553 became maestro di cappella at the Basilica of St. John Lateran. After a period in Antwerp, he entered the service of Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria in Munich, eventually becoming Kapellmeister. He remained associated with the Bavarian court for the rest of his life, achieving international fame and receiving honors from both imperial and papal authorities.

Lassus was extraordinarily prolific and versatile, composing more than two thousand works in virtually every important vocal genre of his time: masses, motets, magnificats, hymns, chansons, madrigals, and German Lieder. His sacred works range from concise liturgical settings to intensely expressive compositions such as the cycle Prophetiae Sibyllarum and his final collection, Lagrime di San Pietro. His secular music displays equal command of French, Italian, and German traditions. Together with Palestrina, Lassus stands as one of the defining masters of late Renaissance polyphony, admired for expressive text setting, contrapuntal fluency, and exceptional stylistic range.

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Read biography at allmusic.com.