This programme is devoted to Ludwig Daser, a German composer of the 16th century.
Ludwig Daser can quite rightly be described as a forgotten Renaissance composer. Until only a few years ago, recordings of his music were extremely scarce, and his works rarely featured in the programmes of vocal ensembles. This is remarkable, considering that he spent several years as Kapellmeister at the Munich court, one of the most prestigious musical posts of the 16th century.
Daser was born in Munich and joined the Bavarian court as a choirboy during the reign of Duke Wilhelm IV. He received his musical education there, initially from Kapellmeister Andreas Zauner and later from Ludwig Senfl, who served as court composer from 1523 until his death in 1543. Daser became Kapellmeister in 1552 and court composer two years later.
In 1563, he was relieved of his duties as Kapellmeister, officially on health grounds. In reality, however, his sympathy for the Reformation had made his position at the staunchly Catholic court untenable. There appears to have been no ill feeling between Daser and his employer, Albrecht V. He remained court composer until 1571, and Albrecht evidently valued him highly: he continued to pay Daser a pension until his death and even arranged a pension for Daser’s widow, which she received until her death in 1598. Albrecht and his new Kapellmeister, Orlandus Lassus, also helped Daser secure a position in Stuttgart – something that was certainly not customary.
Daser’s appointment at the Protestant court in Stuttgart marked a change in his musical output. In Munich, he had composed masses and Latin motets; in Stuttgart, he continued to write motets but also composed hymns and psalms to German texts. His musical style changed accordingly. His Munich works reflect the influence of the Franco-Flemish School, while in Stuttgart he adopted the more polychoral Italian style.
The two periods were not entirely separate, however. Daser had already become familiar with the Italian style in Munich. In 1558, Cipriano de Rore – then Kapellmeister in Ferrara – stopped in Munich on his way to his native Flanders. The two courts maintained close contacts: Rore had sent compositions to Munich, and a choirbook from 1557 used by Daser contains both his own masses and works by Rore.
This programme features music from both periods of Daser’s career.
Ludwig Daser (1526–1589)
- Missa Fors seulement a 4
Huelgas Ensemble, conducted by Paul Van Nevel
(CD: Polyphonic Masses – Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 19658793332, 2023) - Benedictus Dominus a 8
- Ad te levavi oculos meos a 4
- Christe, qui lux es et dies a 4
- Salvum me fac a 6
- Fratres, sobrii estote a 8
- Dilexi, quoniam a 8
- Daran gedenck Jacob und Israel a 5
- Danck sagen wir alle a 5
Cinquecento
(CD: Missa Pater noster & Other Works – Hyperion CDA68414, 2023)
Additional track:
Hans-Leo Hassler (1564–1612)
- Ach Gott, von Himmel sieh darein
Manuel Tomadin, organ
(CD: Complete Organ Music – Brilliant Classics 95331, 2022)
Image: Albrecht V, Duke of Bavaria, Daser’s employer (Wikipedia)
