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 |
Si mon traveil vous puisse donner plaisir
|
|
Havericq, Damien
fl.1538–1556
|
6 |
|
Si mon vouloir me change de desir
|
|
Maillard, Jean
fl.c.1538–1570
|
4 |
|
Si moram fecerit Dominus - Ecce qui incredulus est
|
|
Dressler, Gallus
1533–1580-1589
|
5 |
XIX. Cantiones, quatuor et quinque vocum (RISM D3519)
Magdeburg: Kirchner, Wolfgang, 1569
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#16
|
|
Attrib: Gallo Deslero |
|
XC cantiones quatuor, quinque et plur... (RISM D3520)
XC cantiones quatuor, quinque et plurium vocum
Magdeburg: Kirchner, Wolfgang, 1570
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#31
|
|
Attrib: Galli Dreßleri |
|
Opus sacrarum cantionum, quatuor, qui... (RISM D3522)
Opus sacrarum cantionum, quatuor, quinque et plurium vocum, nunc denuo recognitum, et multo quam antea correctius in gratiam Musicorum editum
Nuremberg: Berg, Johann and Gerlach, Katharina, 1577
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#30
|
|
Attrib: Galli Dressleri Nebraei |
|
|
Si mors dissolvat curas
|
|
Clemens non Papa, Jacobus
c.1510–1555/1556
|
4 |
|
Simus Domine renati omnes
|
|
Kerle, Jacobus de
1531/1532–1591
|
4 |
Preces speciales pro salubri generali... (RISM K445)
Preces speciales pro salubri generalis concilii successu, ac conclusione, populique christiani salute, & unione: atque contra Ecclesiae hostium furorem, ex sacra scriptura, & Ecclesiae usu a Reverendo Patri Petre de Soto Ordinis Praedicatorum collectae
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1562
(Partbook, Print/MS)
RISM
#5
|
|
Attrib: Iacobum de Kerle Flandrum |
|
|
Since I embrace the heavenly grace
|
|
Whythorne, Thomas
1528–1596
|
4 |
Songs, for three, fower, and five voy... (RISM W992)
Songs, for three, fower, and five voyces, composed and made by Thomas Whythorne
London, 1571
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#47
|
|
Attrib: Thomas Whythorne |
|
|
Since just disdaine
|
|
Peerson, Martin
1571-1573–1651
|
4 |
Private Musicke or the First Booke of... (RISM P1135)
Private Musicke or the First Booke of Ayres and Dialogues: Contayning Songs of 4. 5. and 6. parts, of severall sorts, and being Verse and Chorus, is fit for Voyces and Viols.
London: Snodham, Thomas, 1620
(Tablebook, Print)
RISM
#8
|
|
Attrib: Martin Peerson |
|
|
Since my teares and lamenting
|
|
Morley, Thomas
1557/1558–1602
|
4 |
|
Since neither tunes of joy
|
|
Bennet, John
fl.1599–1614
|
4 |
Madrigalls to foure voyces newly publ... (RISM B1952)
Madrigalls to foure voyces newly published by Iohn Bennet his first works
[London]: Barley, William, 1599
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#14
|
|
Attrib: Iohn Bennet |
|
|
Sincerae animulae - Ferox tirannus
|
|
Peetrinus, Jacobus
c.1553–1591
|
5 |
|
Since Robin Hood
|
|
Weelkes, Thomas
1576–1623
|
3 |
|
S'infinita bellezza
|
|
Arcadelt, Jacques
1507–1568
|
5 |
|
Sinfonia a doi violini
|
|
Usper, Gabriele
fl.1609–1632
|
2 |
|
Sinfonia [I]
|
|
Usper, Francesco
c.1560/1561–1641
|
6 |
|
Sinfonia [II]
|
|
Usper, Gabriele
fl.1609–1632
|
6 |
|
Sing joyfully unto God
Francis Bevan (SSAATB)
King's Singers
|
|
Byrd, William
c.1540–1623
|
6 |
Forrest-Heyther Partbooks (GB-Ob 376-381)
Oxford: Baldwin, John and Forrest, William, 1528-1625
(Choirbook, MS)
#19
|
|
Attrib: Mr Birde |
Fragment in #381 only: "Sixt part in the white bookes" |
(US-NYp Drexel 4180-4185)
New York: Merro, John, 1600-1650
(Partbook, MS)
#90
|
|
Attrib: Mr Birde |
|
(GB-Cpc 6.1-6)
c.1625-1644
(Partbook, MS)
#29
|
|
Attrib: Mr Bird |
|
Dunnington-Jefferson Manuscript (GB-Ym M29S)
c.1632
(Partbook, MS)
#10
|
|
Attrib: Mr Bird |
|
The first book of selected church mus... (RISM 1641/5)
The first book of selected church musick, consisting of services and anthems, such as are now used in the cathedrall, and collegiat churches of this kingdome. Never before printed. Whereby such bookes as were heretofore with much difficulty and charges, transcribed for the use of the quire, are now to the saving of much labour and expence, publisht for the generall good of all such as shall desire them either for publick or private exercise. Collected out of divers approved authors, by Iohn Barnard one of the minor cannons of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul, London.
London: Griffin, Edward and Barnard, John, 1641
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#61
|
|
Attrib: Will. Byrd |
|
|
Sing joyfully unto the Lord our strength
|
|
Jones, Robert (ii)
fl.1597–1615
|
5 |
|
Sing love is blinde
|
|
Peerson, Martin
1571-1573–1651
|
5 |
Private Musicke or the First Booke of... (RISM P1135)
Private Musicke or the First Booke of Ayres and Dialogues: Contayning Songs of 4. 5. and 6. parts, of severall sorts, and being Verse and Chorus, is fit for Voyces and Viols.
London: Snodham, Thomas, 1620
(Tablebook, Print)
RISM
#17
|
|
Attrib: Martin Peerson |
|
|
Sing out, ye nymphs
|
|
Bennet, John
fl.1599–1614
|
4 |
Madrigalls to foure voyces newly publ... (RISM B1952)
Madrigalls to foure voyces newly published by Iohn Bennet his first works
[London]: Barley, William, 1599
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#7
|
|
Attrib: Iohn Bennet |
|
|
Sing praises, Israel, to the Lord
|
|
Gibbons, Orlando
1583–1625
|
2 |
|
Sing shepherds all
|
|
Nicholson, Richard
1563–1639
|
5 |
(US-NYp Drexel 4180-4185)
New York: Merro, John, 1600-1650
(Partbook, MS)
#214
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
The Triumphes of Oriana, to 5. and 6.... (RISM 1601/16)
The Triumphes of Oriana, to 5. and 6. voices: composed by divers seuerall aucthors. Newly published by Thomas Morley Batcheler of Musick, and one of the gentlemen of her Maiesties honorable Chappell.
London: East, Thomas and Morley, Thomas, 1601
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#10
|
|
Attrib: Richard Nicolson |
|
|
Sing to the king of kings
|
|
Anon
|
3 |
Chirk Castle Partbooks (US-NYp Mus. Res. *MNZ (Chirk) [1-4])
Wrexham, c.1618-c.1633
(Partbook, MS)
RISM
#81
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
|
Singularis privilegii
|
|
Sheppard, John
c.1515–1558
|
3 |
(GB-Ob Tenbury 341-344)
Oxford, c.1600-c.1650
(Partbook, MS)
#84
|
|
Attrib: Mr Sheparde |
excerpt of unknown antiphon; in MS 342 only, in choirbook format |
(GB-Lcm 2035)
London, c.1600-c.1625
(Partbook, MS)
#3
|
|
Attrib: Mr Shepard |
excerpt of unknown antiphon |
(GB-Lcm 2035)
London, c.1600-c.1625
(Partbook, MS)
#42
|
|
Attrib: Mr Shepard |
excerpt of unknown antiphon |
|
Sing unto god
|
(Verse anthem) |
Badger, John
fl.c.1660–1700
|
4 |
(GB-WO A.3.3)
Worcester, c.1660-c.1700
(Partbook/score, MS)
#102
|
|
Attrib: Mr John Badger |
Ps 68 32 |
|
Sing unto God
|
|
Tomkins, Thomas
1572–1656
|
5 |
Musica Deo Sacra & Ecclesiae Anglican... (RISM T950)
Musica Deo Sacra & Ecclesiae Anglicanae: or, Musick dedicated to the honor and service of God, and to the use of Cathedral and other Churches of England, especially of the Chappel-Royal of King Charles the First.
London: Godbid, William, 1668
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#57
|
|
Attrib: Thomas Tomkins |
Psalm 98:32 |
|