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 |
Sing unto God
|
(Verse anthem) |
Anon
|
4 |
(GB-WO A.3.3)
Worcester, c.1660-c.1700
(Partbook/score, MS)
#62
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
Ps 68. 32.; |
|
Sing unto God, O ye kingdoms
|
(Verse anthem) |
Read, James
|
4 |
|
Sing unto the Lord
|
(Verse anthem) |
Anon
|
4 |
(GB-WO A.3.3)
Worcester, c.1660-c.1700
(Partbook/score, MS)
#82
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
|
Sing unto the Lord
|
(Verse anthem) |
Gibbons, Orlando
1583–1625
|
6 |
Dunnington-Jefferson Manuscript (GB-Ym M29S)
c.1632
(Partbook, MS)
#103
|
|
Attrib: Mr Gibbons |
|
(GB-DRc C1)
Durham, c.1660
(Partbook, MS)
#16
|
|
Attrib: Mr Gibbons |
|
|
Sing we merrily
|
|
Child, William
1606/1607–1697
|
8 |
(GB-Cpc 6.1-6)
c.1625-1644
(Partbook, MS)
#32
|
|
Attrib: Mr Child |
|
|
Sing we merrily
|
(Verse anthem) |
Blow, John
1649–1708
|
4 |
(GB-WO A.3.3)
Worcester, c.1660-c.1700
(Partbook/score, MS)
#198
|
|
Attrib: Dr Blow |
|
|
Sing we merrily
|
|
Taylor, John
d. after 1569
|
5 |
Dunnington-Jefferson Manuscript (GB-Ym M29S)
c.1632
(Partbook, MS)
#9
|
|
Attrib: Mr Taylor |
|
|
Sing we merrily to God - Take the psalm - Blow up the trumpet
|
|
East, Michael
c.1580–1648
|
6 |
(US-NYp Drexel 4180-4185)
New York: Merro, John, 1600-1650
(Partbook, MS)
#83
|
|
Attrib: Mr East |
|
(GB-Och 56-60)
Oxford, c.1620
(Partbook, MS)
#66
|
|
Attrib: Michael Este |
2 Bases |
The Sixt Set of Bookes Wherein are an... (RISM E10)
The Sixt Set of Bookes Wherein are anthems for Versus and Chorus of 5. and 6. Parts Apt for Violls and Voyces
London: Snodham, Thomas, 1624
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#7
|
|
Attrib: Michaell Est |
|
|
Sing we merrily unto God
|
|
Wise, Michael
1648–1687
|
4 |
(GB-WO A.3.3)
Worcester, c.1660-c.1700
(Partbook/score, MS)
#90
|
|
Attrib: Mr Wise |
|
|
Sing we merrily unto God
|
(Verse anthem) |
Anon
|
4 |
(GB-WO A.3.3)
Worcester, c.1660-c.1700
(Partbook/score, MS)
#130
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
|
Sing we merrily unto God
|
|
Jeffries, Matthew
c.1558–c.1615
|
6 |
Dunnington-Jefferson Manuscript (GB-Ym M29S)
c.1632
(Partbook, MS)
#30
|
|
Attrib: Mr Matthew Jefferies |
|
|
Sing we merrily unto God - Blow up the trumpet
David Fraser (SSSAT)
|
|
Byrd, William
c.1540–1623
|
5 |
Psalmes, Songs, and Sonnets: some sol... (RISM B5221)
Psalmes, Songs, and Sonnets: some solemne, others joyfull, framed to the life of the Words: Fit for Voyces or Viols of 3. 4. 5. and 6. Parts
London: Barley, William and Snodham, Thomas, 1611
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#19
|
|
Attrib: William Byrd |
|
|
Sing we merrily unto God our strength
|
|
Jeffries, Matthew
c.1558–c.1615
|
6 |
(GB-Och 56-60)
Oxford, c.1620
(Partbook, MS)
#56
|
|
Attrib: Mathew Jeffrey |
|
|
Sing ye to our Lord a new song
David Fraser (SST)
|
|
Byrd, William
c.1540–1623
|
3 |
Psalmes, Songs, and Sonnets: some sol... (RISM B5221)
Psalmes, Songs, and Sonnets: some solemne, others joyfull, framed to the life of the Words: Fit for Voyces or Viols of 3. 4. 5. and 6. Parts
London: Barley, William and Snodham, Thomas, 1611
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#5
|
|
Attrib: William Byrd |
|
|
Sing ye unto the Lord
|
|
Mundy, John
c.1555–1630
|
4 |
|
Sinite parvulos ad me venire
|
|
Ficinus, Valentinus
|
3 |
|
Si nomen Domini benedictum
|
|
Bianchi, Giulio Cesare
1576/1577–after 1637
|
4 |
Libro primo de motetti in lodi d'Iddi... (RISM 1620/3)
Libro primo de motetti in lodi d'Iddio nostro Signore a una, due, tre, quattro, cinque e a otto voci di Giulio Cesare Bianchi. Con un altro a cinque, e tre a sei del sig. Claudio Monteverdi
Venice: Magni, Bartolomeo, 1620
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#20
|
|
Attrib: Givlio Cesare Bianchi |
|
|
Si non facio opera patris
|
|
Dressler, Gallus
1533–1580-1589
|
4 |
XIX. Cantiones, quatuor et quinque vocum (RISM D3519)
Magdeburg: Kirchner, Wolfgang, 1569
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#19
|
|
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
#78
|
|
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
#68
|
|
Attrib: Galli Dressleri Nebraei |
|
|
Si no os hubiera mirado
|
|
Anon
|
3 |
|
Sint lumbi vestri praecincti
|
|
Wanning, Johannes
1537–1603
|
5 |
|
Sint lumbi vestri praecincti
|
|
Massaino, Tiburtio
before 1550–after 1608
|
5 |
|
Sint lumbi vestri praecincti
|
|
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
Wittenberg: Rhau, Georg, 1543
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#79
|
|
Attrib: Baltasare Resinario |
|
|
Sint lumbi vestri praecincti
|
|
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
#91
|
|
Attrib: Leonarto Pamingero |
|
|
Sint lumbi vestri praecincti
Francis Bevan (SATTBarB)
|
|
Redford, John
d.1547
|
6 |
|
Sint lumbi vestri praecincti
|
|
Dulichius, Philipp
1562–1631
|
5 |
|