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 |
Beati omnes
quarti toni
|
Marriage |
Pinheiro, António
c.1550–1617
|
4 |
(P-VV 2)
(Choirbook, MS)
#15
|
|
Attrib: Anto. Pinero |
|
|
Beati omnes
quarti toni
|
Marriage |
Tornar, Roberto
c.1587–1629
|
4 |
(P-VV 3)
(Choirbook, MS)
#5
|
|
Attrib: Roberto Tornar |
|
|
Beati omnes
quarti toni
(impares)
|
(Alternatim psalm/canticle), Marriage |
Mantua, Jacquet de
1483–1559
|
4 |
di Adriano et di Iachet i salmi apper... (RISM 1550/1)
di Adriano et di Iachet i salmi appertinenti alli Vesperi Per tutte le feste Dell'anno, Parte a versi, & parte spezzadi Accomodati da Cantare a uno & a duoi Chori, Novamente Posti in Luce, & per Antonio Gardane con ogni Diligentia stampati & Correti.
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1550
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#6
|
|
Attrib: Iachet |
impares |
|
Beati omnes
quarti toni
(pares)
|
(Alternatim psalm/canticle), Marriage |
Phinot, Dominique
c.1510–c.1556
|
4 |
di Adriano et di Iachet i salmi apper... (RISM 1550/1)
di Adriano et di Iachet i salmi appertinenti alli Vesperi Per tutte le feste Dell'anno, Parte a versi, & parte spezzadi Accomodati da Cantare a uno & a duoi Chori, Novamente Posti in Luce, & per Antonio Gardane con ogni Diligentia stampati & Correti.
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1550
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#7
|
|
Attrib: Finot |
pares |
|
Beati omnes
|
Marriage |
Kerle, Jacobus de
1531/1532–1591
|
4 |
|
Beati omnes
sexti toni
|
Marriage |
Gastoldi, Giovanni Giacomo
c.1554–1609
|
4 |
|
Beati omnes
quarti toni
|
Marriage |
Anon
|
4 |
|
Beati omnes
primi toni
|
Marriage |
Morales, Cristóbal de
c.1500–1553
|
4 |
(E-Bim 1)
Toledo, 1601-1603
(Partbook, MS)
#8
|
|
Attrib: morales |
|
|
Beati omnes
|
Marriage |
Anon
|
8 |
(I-TVd 24)
Treviso, c.1535-1550
(Multiple_choirbooks, MS)
#4
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
|
Beati omnes
secundi toni
|
Marriage |
Anon
|
5 |
(A-Wn 15942)
Vienna: Moser, Georg, c.1600-c.1699
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#11
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
Fauxbordon |
|
Beati omnes
|
Marriage |
Conseil, Jean
1498/1501–1534
|
5 |
(I-Bc Q.27 Iº)
Bologna, c.1525-c.1550
(Partbook, MS)
#7
|
|
Attrib: Consilium |
|
|
Beati omnes
|
Marriage |
Giacobbi, Girolamo
1567–1628
|
4 |
Vespri per tutto l'anno a quattro voc... (RISM G1822)
Vespri per tutto l'anno a quattro voci con l'organo, e senza
Venice: Magni, Bartolomeo, 1615
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#17
|
|
Attrib: Gieronimo Giacobbi |
|
|
Beati omnes
|
Marriage |
Fogliano, Giacomo
|
4 |
(I-MOd XI)
Modena: Vecchi, Orazio, c.1520-c.1599
(Choirbook, MS)
#15
|
|
Attrib: Jacobus fo. organista |
First page only |
|
Beati omnes
|
Marriage |
Philips, Peter
1560–1628
|
5 |
|
Beati omnes
octavi toni
|
Marriage |
Isnardi, Paolo
1536–1596
|
4 |
|
Beati omnes
quarti toni
(impares)
|
Marriage |
Corona, Agostino
fl.1579–1595
|
5 |
Sacra, omnium solemnitatum psalmodia ... (RISM 1592/3 (A2589))
Sacra, omnium solemnitatum psalmodia vespertina cum cantico B. Virginis. A diversis in arte musica prestantissimis viris notulis Musicis exornata quinque vocibus. Ad Celeberrimum ad Prestantissimum in arte Musica Coryphaeum D. Io: Petrum Aloysium Praenestinum
Venice: Amadino, Ricciardo, 1592
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#16
|
|
Attrib: D. Augustini Corone |
|
|
Beati omnes
septimi toni
|
Marriage |
Massaino, Tiburtio
before 1550–after 1608
|
8 |
|
Beati omnes
quarti toni
|
Marriage |
Trabaci, Giovanni Maria
c.1575–1647
|
4 |
|
Beati omnes
quarti toni
|
Marriage |
Anon
|
4 |
|
Beati omnes - Benedicat tibi Dominus
|
Marriage |
Senfl, Ludwig
c.1486–1542/1543
|
4 |
Novum et insigne opus musicum, sex, q... (RISM 1537/1)
Novum et insigne opus musicum, sex, quinque, et autuor vocum, cuius in Germania hactenus nihil simile usquam est editum
Nuremberg: Formschneider, Hieronymus and Ott, Hans, 1537
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#38
|
|
Attrib: L. Senfl |
|
Beati omnes psalmus CXXVIII. Davidis:... (RISM 1569/1)
Beati omnes psalmus CXXVIII. Davidis: Sex, Quinue et quatuor vocum, a variis, iisdemque praestantissimis musicae artificibus harmonicis numeris adornatus, & modis septendecim concinnatus, hinc inde autem collectus, atque in unum volumen redactus
Nuremberg: Neuber, Ulrich, 1569
(Partbook, Print)
#13
|
|
Attrib: Ludouicus Senffel |
|
|
Beati omnes - Ecce sic benedicetur
|
Marriage |
Cadéac, Pierre
fl.1538–1558
|
4 |
|
Beati omnes - Ecce sic benedicetur
|
Marriage |
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
3 |
Liber mottetarum, trium vocum, quae c... (RISM L903)
Liber mottetarum, trium vocum, quae cum vivae voci, tum omnis generis instrumentis musicis commodissime applicari possunt
Munich: Berg, Adam, 1577
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#14
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
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
#40
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|
Beati omnes - Ecce sic benedicetur
Pothárn Imre (SATTB)
|
Marriage |
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
5 |
Sacrae cantiones (vulgo motecta appel... (RISM L795)
Sacrae cantiones (vulgo motecta appellatae) quinque, et sex vocum, tum viva voce tum omnis generis instrumentis cantatu commodissimae, liber tertius
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1566
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi Lassi |
|
Cantiones quas vulgo motetas vocant, ... (RISM L816)
Cantiones quas vulgo motetas vocant, patrim omnino novae, partim nusquam in Germania excusae, quinque et quatuor vocibus compositae per excellentissimum musicum
Nuremberg: Gerlach, Dietrich, 1568
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Orlandum di Lassus |
|
Beati omnes psalmus CXXVIII. Davidis:... (RISM 1569/1)
Beati omnes psalmus CXXVIII. Davidis: Sex, Quinue et quatuor vocum, a variis, iisdemque praestantissimis musicae artificibus harmonicis numeris adornatus, & modis septendecim concinnatus, hinc inde autem collectus, atque in unum volumen redactus
Nuremberg: Neuber, Ulrich, 1569
(Partbook, Print)
#8
|
|
Attrib: Orlandus |
|
Tertius liber modulorum quinis vocibu... (RISM L859)
Tertius liber modulorum quinis vocibus constantium
Paris: Ballard, Robert (i) and Le Roy, Adrian, 1573
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Orlando Lassvsio |
|
(D-Sl 15)
Stuttgart, 1578
(Choirbook, MS)
#1
|
|
Attrib: Orland |
|
Altera pars selectissimarum cantionum... (RISM L916)
Altera pars selectissimarum cantionum, quas vulgo motetas vocant, quinque et quatuor vocibus compositarum
Nuremberg: Berg, Johann and Gerlach, Katharina, 1579
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Orlandum di Lassus |
|
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
#243
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|
Beati omnes - Ecce sic benedicetur
|
Marriage |
Mel, Rinaldo del
c.1554–c.1598
|
6 |
Liber quintus motectorum ... quae par... (RISM M2197)
Liber quintus motectorum ... quae partim senis, partimquae octonis, ac duodenis vocibus concinuntur
Venice: Gardano, Angelo, 1595
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#3
|
|
Attrib: Raynaldi del Mel |
|
Sacrae symphoniae diversorum excellen... (RISM 1598/2)
Sacrae symphoniae diversorum excellentissimorum authorum quaternis, v. vi. vii. viii. x. xii. & xvi vocibus
Nuremberg: Kauffmann, Paul, 1598
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#28
|
|
Attrib: Rinaldi del Mel |
|
Sacrae symphoniae diversorum excellen... (RISM 1601/2)
Sacrae symphoniae diversorum excellentissimorum authorum quaternis, v. vi. vii. viii. x. xii. & xvi vocibus
Nuremberg: Kauffmann, Paul, 1601
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#28
|
|
Attrib: Rinaldi del Mel |
|
|
Beati omnes - Ecce sic benedicetur
|
Marriage |
Steurlein, Johann
1546–1613
|
4 |
|