Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

';
414 SENPF SEPTET
perfect. Purity, simplicity, and expressiveness
were the characteristics of his style, while for
the delivery of recitative he had ' not his fellow
in Europe.'
In 1739 Senesino was living at Florence, and
sang a duet with the Archduchess Maria Theresa
there. He died about 1750. f. a. m.
SENFF, Baetholf, an eminent German
music -publisher, was born at Friedrichshall,
Coburg, Sept. 2, 1815. He founded the house
which bears his name, in Leipzig, in 1850,
and his catalogue contains original editions of
Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms (opp. 5, 6,
Gavotte by Gluck, 5 Studien fiir PF.), Gade,
Hiller, Reiuecke, Reitz, Rubinstein, and other
masters, as well as the excellent educational
works of Louis Kohler.
Senff was founder, editor, and proprietor of
the well-known musical periodical Signale fiir
die musikalische Welt. [See Periodicals,
Musical, vol. iii. p. 686a.] He died at Badenweiler,
June 25, 1900. G.
SENFL, or SENFEL, Ludwig, born at Zurich
towards the end of the 1 5th century. A volume
of MS. songs in the Vienna library contains
some verses, written and set to music by Senfl
himself, describing his early enthusiasm for
music, his education under Heinrich Isaac, and
his gratitude to that master. At an early age
he entered the Court chapel of Maximilian L,
ultimately succeeded Isaac as chapel-master, and
held that office till the emperor's death (Jan.
1519), on which occasion he wrote music to the
words ' Quis dabit ooulis uostris fontem lacrimarum.'
In 1520 he was at Augsburg, received
a present of fifty gulden from Charles V. on
Feb. 19, and in the following November personally
edited the Liber selectarumCantionimi,'
'
one of the first inusic books printed In Germany.
Thence he went to Munich, though in what
capacity is uncertain. On one title-page (1526)
he is called Musicus ' intonator,' on another
(1534) 'Musicus primarius,' of the Duke of
Bavaria, while in his own letters he subscribes
himself simply Componist zu Miinchen.' ' The
date of his death is unknown. In Forster's
collection of Liedlein (preface dated Jan. 31,
1556)he is spoken of as 'L. S. seliger' (i.e. dead)
and if the title musicus primarius ' ' stands for
'chapel-master' he must have died or retired
some years before, since Ludwig Daser had held
that office for some years when Lassus went to
Munich in 1557.
The well-known letter from Luther to Senfl
is no evidence that the composer had worked
specially for the Reformed Church, though the
existence of the correspondence has given rise
to that idea. Indeed his connection with the
strictly Catholic court of Munich would, as
Fetis "points out, render it most improbable. ^
Four letters written by Senfl to the Margrave
1 Dated Coburg, Oct. 4. 1B30. The letter is printed in Dr, M.
Lutlier'g Gedanken aber die MuMk, F. A. Beck (Berlin, 1828), p. 08.
2 Bioffraphie del Musiciens, vi. 44.
Albrecht of Brandenburg and to Georg Schultheis
are printed in the Allgemeiive Musik.
Zeitrntg, for August 12, 1863.
A portrait engraved on a medal by Hagenauer
of Augsburg, with the inscription Ludovvicus
'
Senfel,' and on the reverse 'Psallam deo meo
quamdiu fuero 1529,' is in the collection of coins
and medals at Vienna.
The royal library at Munich contains the
manuscript church service books begun by Isaac
and completed by Senfl, as well as manuscript
masses by the latter. His most important published
works are (1) ' Quinc[ue salutationes D.
N. Hiesu Christi,' etc. (Norimbergae, 1526) ;
(2) ' Varia carminum genera, quibus tum Horatius,
tum alii egregii poetae . . . harmoniis
oomposita' {Id. 1534); (3) '121 newe Lieder'
{Id. 1534), with 81 nos. by L. S. ; (4) Magnificatocto
tonorum,' a 4, 5 {Id. 1537); (5) '115
'
guter newer Liedlein' {Id. 1544), with 64 nos.
by L. S. Besides these Eitner^ names above
100 separate pieces printed in various collections
of the ] 6th century. (See the Qudlen-Lexikon.)
In modem notation nine sacred pieces {a 4) are
given by Winterfeld in Der evaiigelische KirchcngesaTig
(Leipzig, 1843), and five Lieder by.
Liliencron in Die historischen Volkslieder der
Deutschsn (Leipzig, 1865-69). j. R. S.-B.
SENNET— also written Senbt, Senkatb,
Synnet, Gynbt, Signet or Signate—a word
which occurs in stage-directions in the plays
of the Elizabethan dramatists, and is used to
denote that a particular fanfare is to be played.
The name is probably derived from Seven, and
may indicate a flourish of seven notes, as suggested
in Stainer and Barrett's Dictionary of
Musical Terms. It is a technical term, and what
particular notes were played is now unknown.
A Sennet was distinguished from a Flourish,
as is proved by a stage-direction in Dekker's
Satiromastix, 'Trumpets sound a florish, and
then a sennate.' (Nares's Glossary.) w. B. s.
SENZA, without '—as Senza organo, without
organ ' ; a dii'ection of frequent occurrence
' '
throughout Handel's organ concertos ; Senza
repetizione, 'without repeat' [see Repeat];
Senza tempo, 'without time,' which occurs in
Schumann's Humoreske, op. 20, in the movement
marked Precipitoso. The right hand is
marked Come senza tempo ('Wie ausser tempo,'
in German), while the left remains in tempo.
The same direction is employed at the end of
Chopin's Nocturne, op. 9, No. 3. In the
' Sanctus ' of Verdi's Requiem both the terms
senza misura and senza tempo occur. M.
SEPTAVE. The compass of seven diatonic
notes reckoned upward from the tonic or keynote.
The term is occasionally employed by
organ-builders. T. e.
SEPTET (Fr. Septiurr ;
Ital. Septetto). A
composition for seven instruments or voices,
with or without accompaniment.
3 BMiographie (Berlin, 1877).