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 |
Confitemini Domino et invocate
|
|
Amon, Blasius
c.1560–1590
|
8 |
|
Confitemini Domino et invocate
|
|
Banchieri, Adriano
1568–1634
|
8 |
|
Confitemini Domino et invocate
|
|
Gualtieri, Antonio
d.1649/1650
|
8 |
|
Confitemini Domino et invocate
|
|
Belli, Giulio
c.1560–after 1620
|
8 |
Missarum sacrarumq. contionum octo vo... (RISM B1749)
Missarum sacrarumq. contionum octo vocibus Liber Primus
Venice: Amadino, Ricciardo, 1595
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#9
|
|
Attrib: Ivlii Belli |
|
Sacrarum cantionum quaturo, quinque, ... (RISM B1761)
Sacrarum cantionum quaturo, quinque, sex, octo, & duodecim voc. Cum Litaniis Beatae Virginis Mariae. Liber Primus
Venice: Gardano, Angelo, 1600
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#19
|
|
Attrib: Ivlii Belli |
|
Missarum sacrarumq. cantionum octo vo... (RISM B1750 (B1751))
Missarum sacrarumq. cantionum octo vocibus, liber primus
Venice: Amadino, Ricciardo, 1607-1608
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#8
|
|
Attrib: Ivlii Belli |
|
|
Confitemini Domino et invocate - Narrate omnia mirabilia
Pothárn Imre (Down a fourth)
Pothárn Imre
|
|
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
5 |
Sacrae cantiones quinque vocum, tum v... (RISM L768)
Sacrae cantiones quinque vocum, tum viva voce, tum omnis generis instrumentis cantatu commodissimae. Iam primum in lucem editae
Nuremberg: Berg, Johann and Neuber, Ulrich, 1562
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Orlando di Lassus |
|
(D-Sl 1)
Stuttgart: Chamerhueber, Johann, c.1562-1563
(Choirbook, MS)
#4
|
|
Attrib: Orlandus Lassus |
|
Sacrae cantiones quinque vocum, tum v... (RISM L779)
Sacrae cantiones quinque vocum, tum viva voce, tum omnis generis instrumentis cantatu commodissimae iam primum in lucem editae
Nuremberg: Neuber, Ulrich and Berg, Johann, 1564
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Orlando di Lassus |
|
(D-AN VI g 14)
Ansbach, 1565
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Orlandus |
|
Sacrae cantiones (vulgo motecta appal... (RISM L785)
Sacrae cantiones (vulgo motecta appallatae) quinque vocum, tum viva voce, tum omnis generis instrumentis cantatu commodissimae. Liber primus
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1565
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi Lassi |
|
Viginti quinque sacrae cantiones quin... (RISM L832)
Viginti quinque sacrae cantiones quinque vocum, tum viva voce, tum omnis generis instrumentis cantatu commodissimae
Nuremberg: Gerlach, Dietrich, 1570
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Orlando di Lassus |
|
Primus liber modulorum quinis vocibus... (RISM L845)
Primus liber modulorum quinis vocibus constantium
Paris: Ballard, Robert (i) and Le Roy, Adrian, 1571
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Orlando Lassvsio |
|
Theatri musici selectissimas Orlandi ... (RISM 1580/4)
Theatri musici selectissimas Orlandi de Lassus aliorumque praestantissimorum musicorum cantiones sacras, quatuor, quinque & plurimum vocum, repraesentantis Liber secundus
Geneva, 1580
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#13
|
|
Attrib: Orlande |
|
Fasciculi aliquot sacrarum cantionum ... (RISM L937)
Fasciculi aliquot sacrarum cantionum cum quatuor, quinque, sex & octo vocibus, antea quidem separatim excusi, nunc vero auctoris consensu in unum corpus redacti
Nuremberg: Gerlach, Katharina, 1582
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#16
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi Lassi |
|
Sacrae cantiones, vulgo motecta appel... (RISM L961)
Sacrae cantiones, vulgo motecta appellatae, quinque vocum, tum viva voce, tum omnis generis instrumentis cantatu commodissimae
Nuremberg: Gerlach, Katharina, 1586
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi Lassi |
|
Fasciculi aliquot sacrarum cantionum ... (RISM L991)
Fasciculi aliquot sacrarum cantionum cum quatuor, quinque, sex 7 octo vocibus, antea quidem separatim excusi, nunc vero auctoris consensu in unum corpus redacti
Nuremberg: Gerlach, Katharina, 1589
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#16
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi Lassi |
|
Florilegium selectissimarum cantionum... (RISM 1603/1)
Florilegium selectissimarum cantionum, praestantissimorum aetatis nostrae autorum, 4. 5. 6. 7, & 8. vocum
Leipzig: Lamberg, Abraham, 1603
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#44
|
|
Attrib: Orlandus |
|
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
#242
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|
Confitemini Domino et invocate - Narrate omnia mirabilia
|
|
Anon
|
5 |
|
Confitemini Domino et invocate nomen eius
|
|
Dulichius, Philipp
1562–1631
|
8 |
|
Confitemini Domino filii Israel - Ipse castigavit nos
Pothárn Imre
|
|
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
6 |
Cantionum, quas mutetas vocant, opus ... (RISM L857)
Cantionum, quas mutetas vocant, opus novum Prima Pars
Munich: Berg, Adam, 1573
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#17
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
(D-Sl 16)
Stuttgart: Chamerhueber, Johann, 1579
(Choirbook, MS)
#6
|
|
Attrib: Orland 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
#438
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|
Confitemini Domino - Gratias agimus tibi
|
|
Maistre, Matthaeus le
c.1505–1577
|
3 |
Catechesis numeris musicis inclusa, e... (RISM L1842)
Catechesis numeris musicis inclusa, et ad puerorum captum accommodata, tribus vocibus composita
Nuremberg: Neuber, Ulrich and Berg, Johann, 1563
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#7
|
|
Attrib: Matthaeo le Meistre |
Gratiarum actio; Canon in subdiapente |
|
Confitemini Domino - Omnes gentes circumdederunt me - Castigans castigavit me
|
|
Paminger, Leonhard
1495–1567
|
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
#45
|
|
Attrib: Le. Paminger |
|
|
Confitemini Domino - Qui divisit mare rubrum
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
|
Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus
|
Lent II, Easter Vigil |
Ferrari, Giovanni
fl.1627–1628
|
5 |
|
Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus
|
Lent II, Easter Vigil |
Mouton, Jean
before 1459–1522
|
6 |
|
Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus
|
Lent II, Easter Vigil |
Bassano, Giovanni
c.1561–1617
|
5 |
Concerti ecclesiastici a cinque, sei,... (RISM B1234)
Concerti ecclesiastici a cinque, sei, sette, otto, & dodeci voci di Giovanni Bassano musico della Sereniss. Signoria di Venetia, et Maestro di Musica del Seminario di San Marco. Libro Secondo
Venice: Vincenti, Giacomo, 1599
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#2
|
|
Attrib: Giovanni Bassano |
|
|
Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus
|
Lent II, Easter Vigil |
Bonhomme, Pierre
c.1555–1617
|
9 |
Melodiae sacrae, quas vulgo motectas ... (RISM B3469)
Melodiae sacrae, quas vulgo motectas appellant, iam noviter quinis, senis, octonis et novenis suavissimis vocibus concinnatae, et ad usum cum harmonicarum vocalium, tum omnium generum instrumentorum Musicalium convenienter accommodatae
Frankfurt: Stein, Nikolaus, 1603
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#38
|
|
Attrib: D. Petro Bonhomio |
|
|
Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus
|
Lent II, Easter Vigil |
Bagni, Benedetto
fl.1608
|
8 |
|
Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus
|
Lent II, Easter Vigil |
Strata, Giovanni Battista
fl.1609–1651
|
5 |
|
Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus
|
Lent II, Easter Vigil |
Rein, Conrad
|
4 |
|
Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus
|
Lent II, Easter Vigil |
Bonizzi, Vincenzo
d.1630
|
8 |
|
Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus - Bonum est confidere
|
|
Mouton, Jean
before 1459–1522
|
4 |
|
Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus - Haec dies quam fecit Dominus
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
|
Confitemur delicta nostra - Salva nos Domine
|
|
Payen, Nicolas
c.1512–1559
|
4 |
Cantiones Selectissimae. Quatuor vocu... (RISM 1548/2)
Cantiones Selectissimae. Quatuor vocum... Liber primus
Augsburg: Ulhart, Philipp and Salminger, Sigmund, 1548
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#15
|
|
Attrib: Nicolaus Payen |
|
Sextus tomus Evangeliorum, et piarum ... (RISM 1556/9)
Sextus tomus Evangeliorum, et piarum sententiarum. Quatuor, sex, et octo vocum. Continens historias & doctrinam, quae in Ecclesia proponi solet : de Poenitentia.
Nuremberg: Berg, Adam and Neuber, Ulrich, c.1556
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#27
|
|
Attrib: Nicolaus Payen |
|
|
Confiteor Deo patri - Ideo precor filium - Misereatur nostri
|
|
Maistre Jhan
c.1485–1538
|
6 |
|
Conforta me rex - Domine mi rex omnipotens
|
|
Porta, Costanzo
c.1528–1601
|
6 |
|
Confortamini et iam nolite
Pothárn Imre
|
Advent IV |
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
4 |
Sacrae cantiones antehac nunquam nec ... (RISM L955)
Sacrae cantiones antehac nunquam nec visae nec typis uspiam excusae quatuor vocum. Recens singulari industria compositae, & in lucem sine menda editae
Munich: Berg, Adam, 1585
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#18
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi Lassi |
|
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
#135
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|