| One of the most versatile and cosmopolitan of 16th century composers, Lassus was equally adept writing sacred and secular music. Not only did he compose numerous Latin masses, motets, hymns and canticles, but also hundreds of Italian madrigals, French chansons and German polyphonic lieder. Whatever language he chose to set, Lassus always paid meticulous attention to the idiomatic expression of the words. Holding one of the most prominent musical posts in Europe, that of chapel master to the Bavarian ducal court in Munich, his compositions became widely known in his day due to the circulation of numerous printed collections of his works throughout continental Europe and Great Britain. However, he was so incredibly prolific that, to this day and despite two attempts at a complete works, one still on-going, a good deal of his music has yet to appear in a reliable modern edition. |
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