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Scan 886
Baker's biographical dictionary of musicians, 1919
13 lines. Read by computer on 4 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 865. See the scan on archive.org.
1Lewy. At Dresden, in Oct., 1878, she began a 2 years' engagement with a highly successful interpretation of Lucia. London début (Lucia) on June 12, 1880, and sang there for the next 5 seasons; Amer. début (in the same rôle) in New York (M. O. H.), Oct. 24, 1883. She spent the summer of 1884 in further study with Francesco Lamperti in Milan. Thereafter she sang at the principal opera houses of Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Scandinavia and Russia until 1898, then becoming a regular member of the M. O. H. Until her retirement (1909), she sang during the winter in the U. S. and during the summer in Austria. At her farewell appearance in opera (M. O. H., Feb. 6, 1909), she received an almost unprecedented ovation, and was elected an honorary member of the Metropolitan company. For many years she was regarded as the foremost living exponent of the school of 'Bel Canto.' She never attempted Wagner (nor the later Verdi), save the one rôle admirably suited to her voice, Eva, of which she was an ideal interpreter. When she retired from the stage, she was still at the height of her powers. Her concert-career was concurrent with the operatic (as early as 1880 she appeared as soloist at a Nether-Rhenish music-fest.), and extends beyond it to the present day (1917). The compass of her voice is from c'–f³, with a special brilliance in the upper register. Of her 40 operatic rôles, Violetta was the favorite; as Rosina she has perhaps never been equalled; she was unsurpassable as Zerlina, Susanna, Gilda, Amina, Dinorah, Marguerite, etc. Her concert-répertoire embraces all the masterpieces of the Lied literature. She sings equally well in English, German, Italian, French, Polish and Russian. Soon after the outbreak of the war she and her husband came to New York, where in 1915 she became Pres. of the Amer.-Polish Relief Committee.—Cf. G. Armin, M. S. und Herr Prof. Jul. Hey (Leipzig, 1898).
3Semet [sū-mā'], Théophile (-Aimé-Émile), born Lille, Sept. 6, 1824; d. Corbeil, n. Paris, April 15, 1888. Pupil of Halévy; drummer at the Opéra.—Operas (except the first, at the Th.-Lyrique): La petite Fadette (Variétées, 1850), Les nuits d'Espagne (1857), La Demoiselle d'honneur (1857), Gil Blas (1860), Ondine (1863), generally successful.
5Senesi'no, Francesco [real name Bernardi; called S. after his birthplace], famous male soprano; b. Siena, 1680; d. c. 1750. Sang in 1719 at the court th. in Dresden, where Handel heard him and eng. him for London; his first appearance there in Buononcini's Astarlo (Nov., 1720) caused a sensation, and for 15 consecutive seasons he was the idol of the public, creating the principal parts in all the operas by Handel produced during that period; after a quarrel with H. in 1733 he and the Cuzzoni were eng. by the rival company, the 'Opera of the Nobility' under Porpora. In 1735 he returned to Siena; in 1739 he was living in Florence. In London he was generally regarded as superior even to Farinelli.
7Senff, Bartholf (Wilhelm), the well-known Leipzig editor and music-publisher, was born at Friedrichshall, n. Koburg, Sept. 2, 1815; d. Badenweiler, June 24, 1900 [these dates are correct]. As a young man he entered Kistner's music-publ. house in Leipzig, advancing to be managing clerk; here he already began publishing the 'Signale für die musikalische Welt,' a trial number appearing in Dec., 1842 (publ. regularly from Jan. 1, 1843), Senff being also the editor until his death. He founded his own business Nov. 1, 1847. Early in the '60's he became Anton Rubinstein's publisher. His catalogue shows original publications of works by Liszt, Schumann, Raff, Reinecke, Franz, Jensen, Kirchner, Bruch, von Bülow, Sarasate, and many other celebrities.—His niece, Fräulein Marie Senff, managed the business until 1907, when she sold both the firm and the 'Signale' to N. Simrock in Berlin.
9Senfl (or Senffl, Senfel) [zehnfl], Ludwig, eminent contrapuntist; b. Zurich, c. 1492; d. Munich, c. 1555. Pupil and successor of Heinrich Isaak, the Kapellm. ('symphonista regis') of the Imperial Chapel. In 1530 he became court cond. at Munich, which position he still held about 1540. After that date there are no further data about him. He was Luther's favorite composer.—Publ. works 5 Salutationes Domini nostri Hiesu Christi, motets a 4 (1526); Varia carminum genera, quibus tum Horatius . . . . . . a 4 (1534). 8 Odes are in P. Hofhaimer's 'Harmoniae poeticae' (1539); Magnificat 8 tonorum a 4–5 (1537); single comps. in colls. of the period (cf. Eitner's Bibliographie, also vol. iv of the 'Gesellschaft für Musikforschung'). The Magnificats and a selection of 12 motets were publ. by Th. Kroyer in vol. iii, 2, of 'Dkm. der Tonkunst in Bayern.' Many MSS. in the Munich Library.—See Q.-Lex.
11Senger-Bettaque [zehng'ër bēh-tahk'], Katharina, dramatic soprano; born Berlin, Aug. 2, 1862. At an early age she became a member of the ballet at the R. Opera in Berlin; later vocal pupil of Heinrich Dorn; début at Kroll's Th. (Berlin, 1879), and soon after appeared at the R. Opera as Agathe; 1880–2, at the Stadtth. in Mayence; 1883–4, in Leipzig; 1884–8, in Rotterdam; 1888–92, in Bremen; 1893–5, leading sop. at the Stadtth. in Hamburg; 1895–1906 at the Hofoper and the Prinzregententh. in Munich; since then one of two readings
12Senger-Bettaque [zehng'ër běh-tahk'], Katharina, dramatic soprano; born Berlin, Aug. 2, 1862. At an early age she became a member of the ballet at the R. Opera in Berlin; later vocal pupil of Heinrich Dorn; début at Kroll's Th. (Berlin, 1879), and soon after appeared at the R. Opera as Agathe; 1880–2, at the Stadtth. in Mayence; 1883–4, in Leipzig; 1884–8, in Rotterdam; 1888–92, in Bremen; 1893–5, leading sop. at the Stadtth. in Hamburg; 1895–1906 at the Hofoper and the Prinzregententh. in Munich; since then one of two readings
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