The lieder of Ludwig Senfl.

2 v. facsim., music. 29 cm.-33 cm. Appendix B: "Printed collections containing lieder ... masses, motets, or odes by Senfl", leaves 222-224. Vol. 2: The lieder.This study proposes to investigate the style of Ludwig Senfl as it is exemplified in his Lieder, Although Senfl also wrote Masses, motets, and other liturgical music, this particular segment of his work was chosen because of the fact that the songs are considered by many authorities to be his most significant contribution. Two hundred and nineteen Lieder are published in his Werke; from these, fifty were carefully selected to demonstrate the various aspects of his technique; these songs were then submitted to a minute theoretical analysis. About 99% of the songs are in the polyphonic style, either in whole or in part, the imitation varying from strict canon to imitation of fragmentary nature. Senfl's melodic idiom is characterized by an angular line which frequently changes direction; this, in fact, occurs so consistently that it is sometimes detrimental to the melodic contour. The Lieder exhibit much rhythmic variety; only rarely can one find even two successive measures containing the identical rhythmic pattern in the same voice. All but one of the Lieder are of the cantus firmus type, with the melody almost invariably in the tenor; it is extremely difficult to determine which are borrowed and which are original with Senfl himself. The author's investigation has disclosed that certain Lieder display traits in common, these including an abundant use of sequence and a predilection for angular melodic lines which frequently change direction. The author is inclined to feel that those canti are of Senfl's own composition, and this viewpoint is substantiated by the fact that she has found no data indicating melodies were set by other composers. These songs account nearly half of the total output. The effect of the humanistic movement is found in Senfl's Lieder; this is reflected in the choice of texts and, particularly, in his occasional use of a metrical, homophonic style which results from his study of the Horatian odes and his compositions in Odenstil. It is not surprising to find that Senflts music bears a striking resemblance to that of his teacher, Isaac; it also shows the influence of such composers as Busnois and Josquin. Senfl was, for the most part, a conservative composer, assimilating and perfecting the technical knowledge of the fifteenth century