A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Sennet

by William Barclay Squire

SENNET also written Senet, Sennate, Synnet, Cynet, 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. 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' Glossary.) [App. p.792 "It should be added that 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.'"]

[ W. B. S. ]