Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

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SENESINO SENESINO 413
Leclair. Through his two best pupils Giiignon
and Giiillemain, his ti'aditions were transmitted
and preserved. His compositions show the
influence of CoreUi ; they comprised five books
of Sonatas for violin alone, and were published
in books of ten sonatas in the following years :
1710, 1712, 1716, 1721, 1727. An Aria of
his for Pf. and V. is included in G. Jensen's 'Classische
Violin Musik, ' Heft iii. A Sarabande and
Allemanda (Senate a violon seul) is arranged
by Alfred Moffat. A Sonata in G edited by
Alfred Moffat is in Simrock's ' Meister-Schule
fiir Violine mit Begleitung des Pianoforte.'
Alard includes Senaille's Ninth Sonata in
his 'Maitres Classiqnes de Violon' (1862),
and G. Jensen has arranged the same Sonata
for piano and violin which is published in
'Classische Violin Musik,' 1890. A composition
of Senaille's is also to be found in
E. M. E. Deldevez's ' Pieces diverses choisies
(Paris, Eichault, 1858).— A. Vidal, Les Instruments
a, Archei ; G. Hart, The Violin aiid
its Music ; Choron et FayoUe, Diet. Hist, des
Miis. ; Felix Huet, Etudes sur les diffirentes
Ecoles de Violon ; F^tis, Biog. des Mus. ; J.
Lacombe, Dictionnaire des Beaux-Arts ; Clarke,
Diet, of Fiddlers. E. H-A.
SENESINO, Francesco Beenaedi detto,
one of the most famous of the sopranists who
flourished in the 18th century. He was born
about 1680, at Siena (whence he derived his
name), and received his musical education from
Bernacchi, at Bologna. In 1719 he was singing
at the Court theatre of Saxony, and when
Handel came to Dresden in quest of singers,
was engaged by him for London. His first
appearance in this country (Nov. 1720) was
in Buononcini's opera 'Astarto,' which at once
established him in public favour. He sang
next in a revival of Handel's ' Floridante, ' and
in the celebrated Muzio ' Scaevola ; '
afterwards
in Handel's 'Ottone,' 'Flavio,' and 'Giulio
Cesare' (1723), 'Tamerlano' (1724), 'Rodelinda'
(1725), 'Scipio' and ' Alessandro ' (1726),
and in various operas and pasticcios by other
composers. In ' Giulio Cesare ' his declamation
of the famous accompanied recitative 'Alma
del gran Pompeo ' created a special sensation.
A writer in the London Magazine (Feb. 1733)
relates an amusing anecdote of Senesino in this
'
opera : When I was last at the opera of ' ' Jvilius
Csesar," a piece of the machinery tumbled down
from the roof of the theatre upon the stage,
just as Senesino had chanted forth these
words "Cesare non seppe mai che sia timore"
(Csesar never knew fear). The poor hero was
so frightened that he trembled, lost his voice,
and fell crying. Every tyrant or tyrannical
minister is just such a Csesar as Senesino.'
'
Alessandro had a run of two months, and '
its
last performance, advertised for June 7, was
prevented by the sudden illness of Senesino,
who, as soon as he was able to travel, set off
for Italy, for the recovery of his health, promising
to return the next winter. This promise,
however, was not kept in time to enable the
Opera-house to open till after Christmas.
Senesino reappeared in Handel's 'Admeto,'
early in 1727. This was followed in the same
year by Riccardo Imo,' and in 1728 by Siroe '
' '
and 'Tolonieo,' in which a great effect was
made by the echo song, Dite ' che fa, ' sung by
Cuzzoni, with many of the passages repeated
behind the scenes by Senesino. But now,
alter several nnprosperous seasons, the society
called the Royal Academy was dissolved.
Hawkins attributes to this time the quarrel
which ended in a final rupture between Senesino
and the great composer. But this is disproved
by the fact that Senesino returned to sing for
Handel in 1730. That there was, however,
much discord in the company before it separated
is true enough.
He rejoined the Haymavket company, under
Handel's management, at a salary of 1400
guineas, and appeared on Feb. 2, 1731, in
Poro, ' then considered a great success. In
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the same year were revived Rodelinda ' ' and
'Rinaldo.' 'Ezio' and Sosarme ' ' were produced
in 1732. Besides singing in all these,
Senesino took part (May 2, 1732) in 'Esther,'
Handel's first oratorio, described as a new
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species of exhibition at the Opera-house,' and
on June 10, in a curious performance, under
the composer's own direction, of Acis and
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Galatea.' Several airs and three choruses were
interpolated on this occasion, from Handel's
early Neapolitan Serenata on the same subject,
and the piece was sung partly in English and
partly in Italian.
The last of Handel's operas in which Senesino
appeared, was 'Orlando' (Jan. 1733), but he
took part later in the same season in Deborah,
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described then as an opera, and performed (as
was Esther ' ') on opera nights. The long impending
quarrel now came to a crisis. All
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these wealthy adversaries of Handel naturally
espoused the cause of Senesino from the outset
. . . and ended by demanding that Senesino
should be retained . . . Handel replied that
Senesino should never reappear in his theatre.
(Sohoelcher. ) Accordingly, ^ays Burney, 'the
nobility and gentry opened a subscription
for
Italian operas at Lincoln's Inn Fields, inviting
Porpora thither to compose and conduct, and engaging
Senesino, Cuzzoni, Montagnana, Segatti,
Bertolli, and afterwards Farinelli, to perform
there.' There Senesino remained till 1735,
when he returned to Siena, with a fortune of
£15,000, and built himself a house.
Senesino's voice was a mezzo-soprano, or,
according to some, a contralto. Although
limited in compass it was considered by many
good judges to be superior in quality even to
that of Farinelli. It was clear, penetrating,
and flexible, his intonation faultless, his shake