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 |
Benedictus qui venit [I]
|
|
Anon
|
3 |
|
Benedictus qui venit [II]
|
|
Anon
|
3 |
|
Benedictus redemptor omnium - Magne pater Sancte Dominice
Pothárn Imre
|
St Dominic |
Willaert, Adrian
c.1490–1562
|
5 |
Cipriani musici eccellentissimi cum q... (RISM 1544/6)
Cipriani musici eccellentissimi cum quibusdam aliis doctis authoribus motectorum : nunc primum maxima diligentia in lucem exeuntium: liber primus, quinque vocum.
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1544
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#9
|
|
Attrib: Adriano |
|
Thematic catalogue. MS destroyed in 1944 (I-TVd 4)
Treviso: d'Alessi, Giovanni, 1559-1569
(Choirbook, MS)
#1
|
|
Attrib: Adrian |
Thematic catalogue, first phrase only |
(I-MOe C.313)
Modena, c.1560
(Partbook, MS)
#45
|
|
Attrib: Adrianus W |
|
|
Benedictus sit Deus
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
|
Benedictus sit Deus pater
Francis Bevan (ATBarBarB)
Pothárn Imre
|
|
Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da
c.1525–1594
|
5 |
Offertoria totius anni, secundum Sanc... (RISM P746)
Offertoria totius anni, secundum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae consuetudinem, quinque vocibus concinenda... pars prima
Rome: Coattino, Francesco, 1593
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#32
|
|
Attrib: Ioan. Petro Aloysio Praenestino |
|
Offertoria totius anni secundum Sanct... (RISM P748)
Offertoria totius anni secundum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae consuetudinem quinque vocibus concinenda ... Pars Prima
Venice: Gardano, Angelo, 1594
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#32
|
|
Attrib: Ioan. Petro Aloysio Praenestino |
|
Offertoria ... et Cantica canticorum ... (I-Bc U.4)
Offertoria ... et Cantica canticorum eiusdem
Bologna, c.1600-c.1699
(Score, MS)
#32
|
|
Attrib: Io. Petri Aloisii Praenestini |
|
|
Benedictus sit Deus pater
|
|
Ratti, Lorenzo
1589/1590–1630
|
8 |
|
Benedictus sit Dominus Deus
|
|
Resinarius, Balthasar
c.1485–1544
|
4 |
Responsoriorum numero octoginta de te... (RISM R1196)
Responsoriorum numero octoginta de tempore et festis iuxta seriem totius anni, Libri duo, Primus de Christo, & reno eius, Doctrina, Vita, Passione, Resurretione & Ascensione. Alter, de sanctis, & illorum in Christum fide & Cruce
Wittenburg: Rhau, Georg, 1543
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#73
|
|
Attrib: Baltasare Resinario |
|
|
Benedictus vir
|
|
Massaino, Tiburtio
before 1550–after 1608
|
2 |
|
Beneditus Dominus Deus Israel
|
|
Turini, Gregorio
c.1560–c.1600
|
5 |
|
Beneditus Dominus Deus Israel
|
|
Ratti, Lorenzo
1589/1590–1630
|
5 |
|
Benedixisti Domine terram tuam
Pothárn Imre
|
Advent III |
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
5 |
Sacrae cantiones quinque
vocum... au... (RISM L938)
Sacrae cantiones quinque
vocum... autore Orlando de Lasso...
Munich: Berg, Adam, 1582
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#15
|
|
Attrib: Orlando de Lasso |
|
Tertium opus musicum, continens Lecti... (RISM 1588/8)
Tertium opus musicum, continens Lectiones Hiobet motectas seu cantiones sacras, quatuor, quinque et sex vocum, antea quidem tribus fasciculis seorsim excusas, nunc vero in volumen unum redactas
Nuremberg: Gerlach, Katharina, 1588
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#34
|
|
Attrib: Orlando 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
#287
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|
Benedixisti Domine terram tuam
Francis Bevan (ATBarB)
|
Advent III |
Balbi, Lodovico
c.1545–1604
|
4 |
Ecclesiasticarum cantionum quatuor vo... (RISM B737)
Ecclesiasticarum cantionum quatuor vocum omnibus adventus dominicis, nec non Septuagesimae, Sexagesimae, Quinquegesimae, simul atque quibuscunque totius anni apportunitatibus deservientium
Venice: Gardano, Angelo, 1578
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#8
|
|
Attrib: Lvdovici Balbi Veneti |
|
|
Benedixisti Domine terram tuam
|
Advent III |
Bendinello, Agostino
c.1550–1598
|
5 |
|
Benedixisti Domine terram tuam
Francis Bevan (ATBarBarB)
|
Advent III |
Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da
c.1525–1594
|
5 |
Offertoria totius anni, secundum Sanc... (RISM P746)
Offertoria totius anni, secundum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae consuetudinem, quinque vocibus concinenda... pars prima
Rome: Coattino, Francesco, 1593
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#3
|
|
Attrib: Ioan. Petro Aloysio Praenestino |
|
Offertoria totius anni secundum Sanct... (RISM P748)
Offertoria totius anni secundum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae consuetudinem quinque vocibus concinenda ... Pars Prima
Venice: Gardano, Angelo, 1594
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#3
|
|
Attrib: Ioan. Petro Aloysio Praenestino |
|
Offertoria ... et Cantica canticorum ... (I-Bc U.4)
Offertoria ... et Cantica canticorum eiusdem
Bologna, c.1600-c.1699
(Score, MS)
#3
|
|
Attrib: Io. Petri Aloisii Praenestini |
|
|
Benedixisti Domine terram tuam
|
Advent III |
Gabrieli, Giovanni
c.1554–1612
|
7 |
|
Benedixisti Domine terram tuam
|
Advent III |
Ratti, Lorenzo
1589/1590–1630
|
8 |
|
Benedixisti Domine terram tuam - Audiam quid loquatur in me Dominus Deus - Misericordia et veritas
|
Advent III |
Carpentras (Genet, Elzéar)
c.1470–1548
|
4 |
(V-CVbav Capp.Sist. 46)
Rome: Gellandi, Claudius, Bouchet, Claudius, and Orceau, Johannes, c.1508-c.1527
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#3
|
|
Attrib: Carpentras |
|
|
Benedixisti Domine terram tuam - Converte nos Deus
|
Advent III |
Meiland, Jacob
1542–1577
|
6 |
|
Benedixit Deus Noe - Ecce ego statuam pactum meum
|
|
Arcadelt, Jacques
1507–1568
|
4 |
Secundus liber cum quatuor vocibus. M... (RISM 1532/11)
Secundus liber cum quatuor vocibus. Motetti del fiore
Lyon: Moderne, Jacques, 1532
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#2
|
|
Attrib: Archadelt |
|
Primus liber cum quatuor vocibus fior... (RISM 1539/12)
Primus liber cum quatuor vocibus fior de mottetti tratti dalli mottetti del fiore
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1539
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#12
|
|
Attrib: Archadelt |
|
Selectissimarum mutetarum partim quin... (RISM 1540/6)
Selectissimarum mutetarum partim quinque partim quatuor vocum tomus primus
Nuremberg: Petreius, Johann, 1540
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#28
|
|
Attrib: Archadelt |
|
Flos florum primus liber cum quatuor ... (RISM 1545/4)
Flos florum primus liber cum quatuor vocibus
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1545
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#12
|
|
Attrib: Archadelt |
|
(P-Cug 48)
Coimbra, c.1556-1559
(Score, MS)
#35
|
|
Attrib: Archadelt |
|
(I-TVd 7)
Treviso, 1558-1571
(Choirbook, MS)
#31
|
|
Attrib: Archadelt |
|
Mottetti del fiore a quattro voci nov... (RISM 1564/6)
Mottetti del fiore a quattro voci novamente ristampati, et con somma diligentia revisti et corretti libro primo
Venice: Rampazetto, Francesco, 1564
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#12
|
|
Attrib: Archadelt |
|
|
Benedixit Deus Noe et filius eius - Ecce ego statuam
|
|
Burck, Joachim a
1546–1610
|
5 |
|
Benedixit te Dominus
|
|
Kraf, Michael
1595–1662
|
8 |
Musae novae octonis vocibus cum dupli... (RISM K1882)
Musae novae octonis vocibus cum duplici basso ad organum. SS. Missae sacrificio, horis vespertinis, et caelitibus festive honorandis accommodae
Dillingen: Haenlin, Gregor, 1616
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#2
|
|
Attrib: Michaele Kraff Francone |
|
|
Bene mio tu m' hai lasciato
|
|
Pallavicino, Benedetto
c.1551–1601
|
6 |
Sambrook book (US-NYp Drexel 4302)
London: Tregian, Francis (ii), 1613-1619
(Score, MS)
RISM
#192
|
|
Attrib: Benedetto Pallavicino |
|
|
Bene omnia fecit
|
Ordinary Time 19 (post Pentecost XIII) |
Paminger, Leonhard
1495–1567
|
4 |
Tertius tomus ecclesiasticarum cantio... (RISM P830)
Tertius tomus ecclesiasticarum cantionum, quatuor, quinque, sex, et plurium vocum, a prima dominica post festum S. Trrinitatis, usque ad primam Dominicam Adventus Domini et Salvatoris nostri Jesu Christi. His commune de Sanctis Ecclesiae Dei, et quaedam Fragmenta ex canticis Canticorum salomonis, accesserunt.
Nuremberg: Gerlach, Dietrich and Gerlach, Katharina, 1576
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#31
|
|
Attrib: Leonarto Pamingero |
|
|
Bene omnia fecit
|
Ordinary Time 19 (post Pentecost XIII) |
Lambardi, Girolamo
fl.1586–1623
|
4 |
Antiphonae omnes iuxta ritum Romani b... (RISM L367b)
Antiphonae omnes iuxta ritum Romani breviarii pro totius anni dominicis diebus in primis, & secundis vesperis nunc primum ... Secunda pars
Venice: Caenobio Sancti Spiritus, 1600
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#66
|
|
Attrib: Hieronymo Lambardo |
|
|
Ben è ragion ch'io t'ami
|
|
Pallavicino, Benedetto
c.1551–1601
|
5 |
|