The Polyphony Database
polyphonydatabase@gmail.com
About the database❯
PolyphonyDatabase.com is a detailed catalogue of early music sources designed to help musicians perform, academics study, and enthusiasts explore a vast and glorious repertoire quickly and easily. It aims to combine the practicality of CPDL with the academic rigour and ambition of the RISM census, to make use of similar projects where possible, and to directly combat the frustrations performing musicians have with all existing resources.
Its three main goals are:
- To assist performers, directors, and editors by cataloguing the contents of primary sources, source concordances, and basic information about how each piece of music can be performed.
- To provide a reliable starting point for academic research by linking to library catalogues, other existing databases, and facsimile images of early music manuscripts and prints.
- To provide a repository for properly sourced critical editions, performing scores, and recordings of as much of this music as possible, each carefully vetted for typesetting quality and accuracy, and made available for free download, so that this music might be discovered and appreciated by a wider audience.
The database was founded by Francis Bevan in 2014 as an outlet for his editing hobby and is regularly updated by him and a small team of enthusiasts. If you would like to contribute some cataloguing time, recordings or editions, submit corrections, commission an edition or just donate some cash, please get in touch with Francis via email: polyphonydatabase@gmail.com. Read more about the project's history at the 2018 Crowdfunder page.
The best way to help fund the project is to commission performing editions. New editions can be made quickly for as little as £10.
Understanding the clef images
A red clef means the voice is missing from this source. Where there are no concordances to fill in the gaps, this means the piece will require reconstruction.
A green clef means the voice is incomplete in this source. This might denote a fragment of a larger work, or a e.g. canonic voice that isn't written out in full.
A faded clef means much of the piece can be performed without this voice. For example, an extra 6th voice in the Agnus Dei of an otherwise 5vv Mass setting, or a short gimel in a big votive antiphon. Filtering by number of voices will exclude these clefs, while filtering by a specific voice combination will include them.
A blue clef denotes a voice that uses more than one clef in this source - this is particularly prevalent in earlier printed sources. We've estimated the larger clef on the left to be the most used to give an idea of voice distribution at a glance.
An X clef is used as a placeholder for voices we know are necessary, but haven't yet worked out which! This can be because there are no extant sources for a missing voice and no reconstruction has yet been attempted (it will normally become obvious which voice is missing once editing starts), or because we have catalogued a source from an incomplete facsimile that we know to be complete elsewhere.
Title |
Function(s) |
Composer |
# |
Sources |
Ave regina caelorum
|
BVM, Lent |
Anon
|
4 |
|
Ave regina caelorum
|
BVM, Lent |
Weerbeke, Gaspar van
c.1445–after 1516
|
4 |
|
Ave regina caelorum
|
BVM, Lent |
Viola, Alphonsus
|
4 |
(GB-Lcm 2037)
London, 1527-1534
(Partbook, MS)
#54
|
|
Attrib: Alphonsus a violla |
|
|
Ave regina caelorum
|
BVM, Lent |
Sayve, Erasme de
|
6 |
(A-Gu 8)
Graz, c.1550-c.1599
(Choirbook, MS)
#20
|
|
Attrib: Erasm: de Saÿue |
|
|
Ave regina caelorum
|
BVM, Lent |
Clavius, Christophorus
|
5 |
(A-Gu 8)
Graz, c.1550-c.1599
(Choirbook, MS)
#21
|
|
Attrib: Chrophoro Clauio |
|
|
Ave regina caelorum
|
BVM, Lent |
Cartari, Giuliano
1536-1539–1613
|
8 |
|
Ave regina caelorum
|
BVM, Lent |
Donato, Baldassare
1529–1603
|
5 |
|
Ave regina caelorum
|
BVM, Lent |
Anon
|
5 |
|
Ave regina caelorum
|
BVM, Lent |
Trabaci, Giovanni Maria
c.1575–1647
|
4 |
|
Ave regina caelorum
|
BVM, Lent |
Anon
|
4 |
|
Ave Regina caelorum
|
|
Bernabei, Giuseppe Antonio
1649–1732
|
7 |
|
Ave Regina caelorum
|
|
Aichinger, Gregor
1564–1628
|
4 |
Liturgica sive sacra officia, ad omne... (RISM A528)
Liturgica sive sacra officia, ad omnes dies festos Magnae Dei Matris per annum celebrari solitos, quarternis vocibus ad modos musicos facta
Augsburg: Praetorius, Johann, 1603
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#25
|
|
Attrib: Gregorium Aichinger |
|
|
Ave regina caelorum/Alma redemptoris/Inviolata integra est/Regina caeli
|
BVM, Lent |
Maillard, Jean
fl.c.1538–1570
|
4 |
Primus liber septem decim continet qu... (RISM 1551/1)
Primus liber septem decim continet quatuor, & quinque vocum modulos (quae Moteta vulgò dicuntur)...
Paris: Chemin, Nicolas du, 1551
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#18
|
|
Attrib: Maillart |
|
Moteta quatuor, quinque, & sex vocum ... (RISM M179)
Moteta quatuor, quinque, & sex vocum Liber Primus
Paris: Le Roy, Adrian and Ballard, Robert, 1555
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Ioannis Maillard |
|
|
Ave regina caelorum - Funde preces ad filium
|
|
Obrecht, Jacob
1457/1458–1505
|
4 |
|
Ave regina caelorum - Gaude gloriosa
|
BVM, Lent |
Naich, Hubert (Robert)
c.1513–c.1546
|
4 |
|
Ave regina caelorum [I]
|
BVM, Lent |
Canale, Floriano
fl.1579–1603
|
4 |
|
Ave regina caelorum [I]
Pothárn Imre
|
BVM, Lent |
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
6 |
(D-Mbs 2749)
1582
(Choirbook, MS)
#3
|
|
Attrib: Orlando di Lasso |
|
Mottetta, sex vocum, typis nondum usp... (RISM L939)
Mottetta, sex vocum, typis nondum uspiam excusa: singulari authoris industria iampridem composita, et praelo submissa
Munich: Berg, Adam, 1582
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#3
|
|
Attrib: Orlando de Lasso |
|
(GB-Ob Tenbury 341-344)
Oxford, c.1600-c.1650
(Partbook, MS)
#3
|
|
Attrib: Orlando |
Not in MS 341 |
Magnum opus musicum ... Complectens o... (RISM L1019)
Magnum opus musicum ... Complectens omnes cantiones quas motetas vulgo vocant, tam antea editas quam hactenus nondum publicatas II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. IIX. IX. X. XII. vocum a Ferdinando serenissimi bavariae ducis maximiliani musicorum praefecto, & Rudolpho, eidem Principi ab Organis; Authoris filiis summo studio collectum, & impensis eorundem Typis mandatum
Munich: Heinrich, Nikolaus, 1604
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#358
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|
Ave regina caelorum [I]
|
BVM, Lent |
Asola, Giovanni Matteo
c.1532–1609
|
4 |
|
Ave regina caelorum [I]
|
BVM, Lent |
Carpentras (Genet, Elzéar)
c.1470–1548
|
4 |
|
Ave regina caelorum [I]
|
BVM, Lent |
Festa, Costanzo
c.1485-1490–1545
|
3 |
Motetta trium vocum ab pluribus autho... (RISM 1543/6)
Motetta trium vocum ab pluribus authoribus composita
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1543
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#19
|
|
Attrib: Constantius Festa |
|
Elettione de motetti a tre voci libro... (RISM 1549/13)
Elettione de motetti a tre voci libro primo de diversi eccellentissimi musici composti, et non piu stampati, novamente posti in luce, et con gran diligenza coretti
Venice: Scotto, Girolamo, 1549
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#22
|
|
Attrib: Constantinus Festa |
|
Motetta trium vocum ab pluribus autho... (RISM 1551/3)
Motetta trium vocum ab pluribus authoribus composita
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1551
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#19
|
|
Attrib: Constantius Festa |
|
|
Ave regina caelorum [II]
Pothárn Imre
|
BVM, Lent |
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
6 |
(D-Mbs 24)
Munich, c.1555-c.1580
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#12
|
|
Attrib: Orlandus de lasso |
|
(GB-CF D/DP Z6/1)
Chelmsford, c.1590
(Partbook, MS)
RISM
#62
|
|
Attrib: Orlando |
|
Magnum opus musicum ... Complectens o... (RISM L1019)
Magnum opus musicum ... Complectens omnes cantiones quas motetas vulgo vocant, tam antea editas quam hactenus nondum publicatas II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. IIX. IX. X. XII. vocum a Ferdinando serenissimi bavariae ducis maximiliani musicorum praefecto, & Rudolpho, eidem Principi ab Organis; Authoris filiis summo studio collectum, & impensis eorundem Typis mandatum
Munich: Heinrich, Nikolaus, 1604
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#359
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|
Ave regina caelorum [II]
|
BVM, Lent |
Canale, Floriano
fl.1579–1603
|
4 |
|
Ave regina caelorum [II]
Francis Bevan (ATTB)
|
BVM, Lent |
Asola, Giovanni Matteo
c.1532–1609
|
4 |
|
Ave regina caelorum [II]
|
BVM, Lent |
Festa, Costanzo
c.1485-1490–1545
|
3 |
Motetta trium vocum ab pluribus autho... (RISM 1543/6)
Motetta trium vocum ab pluribus authoribus composita
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1543
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#20
|
|
Attrib: Constantius Festa |
|
Motetta trium vocum ab pluribus autho... (RISM 1551/3)
Motetta trium vocum ab pluribus authoribus composita
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1551
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#20
|
|
Attrib: Constantius Festa |
|
Selectissimarum sacrarum cantionum (q... (RISM 1569/6)
Selectissimarum sacrarum cantionum (quas vulgo Moteta vocant) flores, trium vocum: ex optimis ac praestantissimis quibusque divinae Musices authoribus excerptarum. Iam primum summa cura ac diligentia collecti et impressi. Liber terius.
Leuven: Phalèse the Elder, Pierre, 1569
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#10
|
|
Attrib: Constantius Festa |
|
|
Ave regina caelorum [II]
|
BVM, Lent |
Carpentras (Genet, Elzéar)
c.1470–1548
|
4 |
|