Roland de Lassus
Source: Wikipedia: Roland de Lassus
Music • Historical Archive • 🇧🇪 Historical Belgium • 3 views

Roland de Lassus 🇧🇪

Roland de Lassus (Known as "Orlande de Lassus")
Prince of Music, Master of the Late Renaissance Polyphonic School, Kapellmeister
Born c. 1532 🇧🇪 Mons, Hainaut, Historical Belgium
Passed Away 1594-06-14 Munich, Germany
Lifespan 62 years old
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Notice / Correction
"Music elevates the mortal mind above earthly cares into celestial peace."

Archival Overview

Hainaut-born musical giant hailed as the 'Prince of Music' who, alongside Palestrina, dominated European music of the late sixteenth century, composing over 2,000 motets, masses, and madrigals.

Biographical Record

Roland de Lassus (Orlande de Lassus) was born in Mons in 1532. Showing such an extraordinarily sweet treble voice as a choirboy that he was kidnapped three times by rival cathedrals, Lassus was taken to Italy in the service of Ferrante Gonzaga, absorbing Italian madrigal styles before working in Rome and Antwerp.

In 1556, Lassus joined the court of Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria in Munich, rising to Kapellmeister. A versatile, cosmopolitan genius fluent in French, Italian, and Latin, he composed sacred masterpieces such as the Penitential Psalms of David and satirical secular chansons. Knighted by Emperor Maximilian II and Pope Gregory XIII, his statue graces the Grand-Place in Mons.

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Final Resting Place

Perpetual Memorial
Munich Franciscan Cemetery (Remains later reinterred)
Munich, Germany
GPS: 48.1380, 11.5750
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