Michael Praetorius was a German composer, organist, and writer on music. He was one of the most versatile composers of his time, being particularly important in the development of musical forms based on Protestant hymns. On the other hand, Orlando di Lasso (or Lassus) was not German, but after the year of 1555 he joined the court of Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria in Munich, where, except for some incidental journeys, he remained for the rest of his life. Today he is considered the greatest representative of the mature polyphonic style of the Franco-Flemish school and was one of the most famous and influential musicians in Europe at the end of the 16th century.
