Ludwig SENFL (1486 - 1542)
Works for Martin Luther and the Reformation
Ludwig SENFL
Nisi Dominus a 5 [06:11]
Veni Sancte Spiritus a 4 [06:57]
Missa super Nisi Dominus a 4 [21:16]
plainchant
In pace in idipsum & Psalm 4 [04:14]
Ludwig SENFL
Non moriar, sed vivam a 4 [03:20]
anon
Gloria a 4 [06:06]
Ludwig SENFL
Omnes gentes a 5 [10:28]
ensemble officium/Wilfried Rombach
rec. 24-25 April 1999, Evangelische Kirche, Hoffenheim, Germany. DDD
CHRISTOPHORUS CHE 0147-2 [58:50]
Martin Luther, the German reformer, was a great lover of music. He also was
quite knowledgeable, had a good singing voice and was able to accompany himself
on the lute. He also composed, and some of his music has been preserved. He
particularly admired Josquin Desprez whom he considered the greatest composer
of his time. This disc sheds light on another composer he rated highly and
whom he knew personally: Ludwig Senfl.
Senfl was born in Basle in Switzerland, but seems to have lived in Zürich
from 1488. As early as 1496 he went to Augsburg to become a choirboy at the
chapel of Emperor Maximilian I. As a composer he was trained by Heinrich Isaac,
one of the main composers in Europe at the time, in reputation and in the dissemination
of his oeuvre second only to Josquin. In 1513 he succeeded Isaac as court composer
to the Emperor in Vienna.
In this capacity he was present at the Diet in Augsburg in 1518. It was there
that Luther was examined. He also attended the Diets of Worms in 1521 and Augsburg
in 1530. Senfl did not convert to Protestantism, but there are strong indications
that he sympathized with Luther. Since 1530 he was in regular correspondence
with him, and also with Duke Albrecht of Prussia, who had adopted Luther's
beliefs, and for whom Senfl composed many songs and motets.
In 1530, when Luther was depressed after the Diet of Augsburg, he wrote a letter
to Senfl, asking him for a polyphonic setting of the text In pace in idipsum (Psalm
4): "I will lay me down in peace and sleep, for thou, Lord, only makest
me dwell in safety." As he didn't know if Senfl knew the melody he sent
it to him with the words. It is not known whether Senfl indeed composed a setting
for Luther. The worklist in New Grove mentions one setting with this title,
but that piece is lost. To compensate for the lack of a motet by Senfl with
this text, the words are performed here as plainchant.
Senfl did send Luther a motet on another text in reply to his letter: Non
moriar, sed vivam. With the choice of this text Senfl may have wanted to
give him courage: "I shall not die, but live, and proclaim the deeds of
the Lord". Interestingly Luther himself had also set this text to music,
probably shortly before Senfl sent him his motet.
The title of this disc may cause some surprise, in particular in regard to
the programme performed here. It consists of a mass setting, and a number of
motets, and all in Latin. Is this music for the Reformation? It is important
to note that Luther wanted the congregation to sing, and to do so in the vernacular.
But his reform of the liturgy took place over a longer period of time, and
was less radical than that of his French counterpart Jean Calvin. Whereas the
latter banned all singing in Latin from the church, Luther kept a number of
elements of the Latin liturgy alive.
Martin Luther and in particular the most prominent Lutheran composer, Johann
Walter, selected music for the choirbooks of the first Lutheran communities.
Composers who had converted to Luther's confession or sympathized with it,
were invited to compose music for these choirbooks. Among the music selected
were pieces by Walter himself, but also by Ludwig Senfl. One of them was the
motet Nisi Dominus, a setting of Psalm 127 (126). The Missa Nisi
Dominus is based upon the musical material of this motet, and there are
reasons to believe that Senfl had dedicated this mass to Luther, because he
had expressed great satisfaction about the motet.
The separate setting of the Gloria is one of the anonymous pieces which
were selected for the Lutheran liturgy. The last item on the programme, Senfl's
setting of Psalm 47 (46), Omnes gentes, plaudite manibus, is also found
in one of the manuscripts with music for the Lutheran liturgy.
In 1999, when this disc was first released, most music on the programme was
being recorded for the first time. It was also the first disc of the ensemble
officium. This has been followed by a number of recordings which have found
wide acclaim. It is noticeable that the ensemble does not perform this music
with one voice per part which today is more the rule than the exception. The
director, Wilfried Rombach, stated in an interview with the German magazine
FonoForum that he prefers a choral performance, because it is more 'objective'
than a performance with one voice per part. I find this reasoning not very
convincing: I fail to see why a soloistic performance should be 'subjective'.
That is all a matter of choice.
I agree that renaissance polyphony doesn't require a personal and emotional
approach. That doesn't mean that it should be given a bland performance. I
am not saying that this disc is bad, but the approach is a bit superficial.
The singing is indifferent, and the voices are too pale. Greater dynamic shading
would not have gone amiss either. The more recent recordings by this ensemble
are much better.
Even so, this is a very interesting programme with music by a composer receives
little attention. If his music is performed at all it is mostly the German
songs that get the attention. This disc is an important contribution to our
knowledge of his sacred music and his ties with the reformer Martin Luther.
Johan van Veen