Ludwig Daser

Ludwig Daser (c. 1526 – 27 March 1589) was a German renaissance composer and choirmaster. His career is marked by the Reformation and Counter-Reformation struggles of his time. A noted composer in his day, Daser has been largely overshadowed by Orlande de Lassus, who replaced him in Munich.

Biography Daser was born in Munich near the year 1526, the son of fisherman Achacius Daser. At an early age he joined the Bavarian Hofkapelle in Munich. An ordained priest, He became the Munich court choirmaster in 1552, replacing Andreas Zauner. In addition to conducting and composing, Daser was responsible for training boys for the choir, and for hiring vocal and instrumental musicians for the chapel. There is some controversy surrounding Daser's activities between 1563 and 1572. Daser was subject to an Inquisition, His son-in-law Balduin Hoyoul succeeded him as Kapellmeister in Stuttgart.

Daser was significantly influenced by the Franco-Flemish School, demonstrated by his methodology for tying the cantus firmus to the Ordinary. The sources of his melodies often originate from the Netherlands.

Daser was highly respected by his contemporaries, receiving high commendation from Bavarian court chronicler Massimo Troiano. Much of his work is held in manuscript form at the Bavarian State Library. His works are ambitious in nature, notable for their complexity. His contemporaries particularly valued his lyrical abilities. His style was conservative in nature for his time, evidenced by his four-voice masses and his reliance on the cantus firmus technique. However, his style became more "modern" during his time at Stuttgart.

Orlande de Lassus' mass number 40 Ecce nunc benedicite was directly modeled on a work by Daser.

Works Masses 4 voices Ave Maria De virginibus Dominicalis (i) Dominicalis (ii) Ecce nunc benedicite Grace et vertu (attributed) Mins liefkins braun augen Paschalis Per signum crucis (attributed) Qui habitat Un gay bergier

5 voices Beati omnes Dixerunt discipuli Ferialis Fors seulement Jerusalem surge In feriis quadragesimae Inviolata Maria Magdalena Pater noster Sexti modi

6 voices Praeter rerum seriem

Mass Propers De Sancto Spiritu infra septuagesima (4 voices) De veneratione (4 voices)

In addition to the masses, he composed a work for four voices entitled Patrocinium musices; passionis Domini nostri Jesus Christi historia, a Magnificat for four voices, a Magnificat for eight voices, 24 motets for four to eight voices, and 34 hymns and psalms in German.