Lasso was considered the greatest composer of his generation with undisputable
mastery of all sixteenth-century genres. The dynamism of the late sixteenth
century saw the most sophisticated compositions in the continuation of the psalm motet tradition. However, more flexible applications for the psalms in the form of meditations, vernacular translations, and paraphrases opened the door for new and diverse interpretations. This dissertation is a study of Lasso’s engagement with established musical traditions and new trends in psalmody. This study unfolds in two parts. First in the discussion of the Latin psalm motet genre and then ensuing with investigation of the German Lied. In each of the genres (1) there is a focus on the definition and classification of terms and older traditions, (2) the examination of the text and the discussion of ways in which the music engages with the prose and poetic forms, and (3) the evaluation of Lasso’s interpretation of psalm texts. From negligible German Lieder to expansive motet cycles, the psalms afforded endless polyphonic inspiration and the diversity of which categorically points to the shifts and development of cultural and aesthetic traditions. The use of psalms to reflect devotion and confession amplifies the Catholic Reform implemented at the Bavarian court during Lasso’s lifetime. This context along with Lasso’s compositional innovation provides an interesting study for the stylistic development of psalm settings in the late sixteenth century.