[7] In 1550 Le Maistre was employed at the Bayerische Hofkapelle in Munich as a composer, in no small part because of the importance imparted to music by the newly-ascended Albrecht V, Duke of Bavaria.
[10] He left Munich in 1554 to assume choirmaster duties in the autumn[6] at the Staatskapelle Dresden,[10] succeeding Johann Walter.
[11] Additional perks of the position included one new uniform each year, plus free food upon the occasions of a court banquet.
[7] Le Maistre requested retirement and a pension in 1565 because of developing health issues[7] involving gout and an accident at the Torgau church.
[11] The request for retirement was not granted [7] but he was rewarded with a life stipend in compensation for the lost patrimony suffered upon his conversion.
[3] At that time he was given a pension of 195 florins,[12] and although officially retired he retained the title of Kapellmeister and remained at the Saxon court until his death.
[3] This work, dedicated to his young singers,[3] is preceded with a poem written in Latin where he proceeds to describe himself as "an old man with a white head, whose power fades.
[3] His style is a synthesis of the traditional techniques of imitation, canon and cantus firmus, and thereby appear to point backwards.
[7] Nevertheless, the importance of this composer is demonstrated by the facts that he began a long tradition of foreign musicians at the Bayerischer Hofkappelle, his compositions were in service for more than 20 years after his death, and further served as role models to the development of future instrumental music.
[3] His commitment to the new faith is particularly demonstrated by the mass setting "Ich Weiss mir ein fest gebauetz Haus" in which he defines the song "O du Lamm Gottes" as a cantus firmus based in the "Qui tollis.
[7] Many of his compositions are based on the spiritual phrasing of Rhau, creating complex motets with virtuoso cantus-firmus treatment from simple strophic material.