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 |
Terribilis hic domus Dei est
|
|
Lambardi, Girolamo
fl.1586–1623
|
4 |
Contrapunta in introitus missarum qua... (RISM L373)
Contrapunta in introitus missarum quae maioribus sanctorum solemnitatibus toto anni tempore in Ecclesia celebrantur, iuxta morem Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae ... Quatuor vocibus decantanda
Venice: Magni, Bartolomeo, 1617
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#40
|
|
Attrib: D. Hieronymi Lambardi |
|
|
Tertius del Fa
|
|
Willaert, Adrian
c.1490–1562
|
3 |
|
Tertius del Mi
|
|
Willaert, Adrian
c.1490–1562
|
3 |
|
Tertius del Re
|
|
Willaert, Adrian
c.1490–1562
|
3 |
|
Tertius del Sol
|
|
Willaert, Adrian
c.1490–1562
|
3 |
|
Tertius tonus
|
|
Anon
|
2 |
|
Te sanctum Dominum
|
|
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
#69
|
|
Attrib: Baltasare Resinario |
|
|
Te sanctum Dominum
|
|
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
#169
|
|
Attrib: Leonarto Pamingero |
|
|
Te sanctum Dominum
|
|
Patta, Serafino
fl.1606–1619
|
2 |
|
Tes jugemens Dieu veritable
|
|
Goudimel, Claude
1514-1520–1572
|
4 |
|
Tes jugemens Dieu veritable
|
|
Bourgeois, Louis
c.1510-1515–1559
|
4 |
|
Te spectant Reginalde Poli
Pothárn Imre
|
|
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
5 |
(D-Mbs 20)
Munich: Mayr, Hanns, c.1550-c.1570
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#11
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
Liber decimus quintus ecclesiasticaru... (RISM L763)
Liber decimus quintus ecclesiasticarum cantionum vulgo moteta vocant... quinque et sex vocum, ex omnibus tonis
Antwerp: Susato, Tylman, 1560
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#10
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi di Lassus |
|
Sacrae cantiones (vulgo motecta appel... (RISM L794)
Sacrae cantiones (vulgo motecta appellatae) quinque, et sex vocum. Tum viva voce tum omnis generis instrumentis cantatu commodissimae. Liber secundus
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1566
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#14
|
|
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
#17
|
|
Attrib: Orlandum di Lassus |
|
Mellange d'Orlande de Lassus, contena... (RISM L834)
Mellange d'Orlande de Lassus, contenant plusieurs chansons, tant en vers latins qu'en ryme francoyses. A quatre, cinc, six, huit, dix, parties
Paris: Ballard, Robert (i) and Le Roy, Adrian, 1570
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#71
|
|
Attrib: Orlande |
|
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
#19
|
|
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
#153
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|
Te splendor et virtus patris
|
|
Vitali, Filippo
c.1599–1653
|
4 |
|
Te splendor et virtus patris
|
|
Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da
c.1525–1594
|
4 |
Hymni sacri in breviario Romano S.D.N... (RISM P741)
Hymni sacri in breviario Romano S.D.N. Urbani papae VIII auctoritate recogniti et cantu musico pro praecipuis anni festivitatibus expressi
Antwerp: Moreti, Balthasar and Plantin, Christophe, 1644
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#23
|
|
Attrib: Io Petri Aloysii Praenestini |
|
|
Te splendor et virtus patris
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
|
Te splendor et virtus patris
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
(Mex-Pc 12)
Puebla
(Choirbook, MS)
#8
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
In festo S. Michaelis |
|
Te splendor et virtus Patris
|
|
García Benayas, Matías
|
4 |
(E-TUY 4)
(Choirbook, MS)
#14
|
|
Attrib: Benayas |
fragment |
|
Te summa Deus Trinitas
|
|
Anon
|
6 |
(I-TVd 5)
Treviso: d'Alessi, Giovanni, 1559-1572
(Choirbook, MS)
#11
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
Thematic catalogue, first phrase only |
|
Te trinum et unum
|
|
Paminger, Leonhard
1495–1567
|
4 |
Secundus tomus ecclesiasticarum canti... (RISM P829)
Secundus tomus ecclesiasticarum cantionum, quatuor, quinque, sex, et plurium vocum, a passionem Domini et salvatoris nostri Jesu Christiu usque ad primam Dominicam post Festum S. Trinitatis
Nuremberg: Gerlach, Dietrich, 1573
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#185
|
|
Attrib: Leonartum Pamingerum |
|
|
Texebat viridem cloris formosa galerum - Ne virgo mala sane tuos
|
|
Contino, Giovanni
c.1513–1574
|
5 |
|
{text} [I]
|
|
Infantas, Fernando de las
1534–c.1610
|
3 |
Plura modulationum genera quae vulgo ... (RISM I40)
Plura modulationum genera quae vulgo contrapuncta appellantur super excelso gregoriano cantu, omnibus musicam prositentibus utilissima
Venice: Scotto, Girolamo, 1579
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#2
|
|
Attrib: Don Ferdinandi de las Infantas |
|
|
{text} [II]
|
|
Infantas, Fernando de las
1534–c.1610
|
3 |
Plura modulationum genera quae vulgo ... (RISM I40)
Plura modulationum genera quae vulgo contrapuncta appellantur super excelso gregoriano cantu, omnibus musicam prositentibus utilissima
Venice: Scotto, Girolamo, 1579
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#3
|
|
Attrib: Don Ferdinandi de las Infantas |
|
|
{text} [III]
|
|
Infantas, Fernando de las
1534–c.1610
|
3 |
Plura modulationum genera quae vulgo ... (RISM I40)
Plura modulationum genera quae vulgo contrapuncta appellantur super excelso gregoriano cantu, omnibus musicam prositentibus utilissima
Venice: Scotto, Girolamo, 1579
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#4
|
|
Attrib: Don Ferdinandi de las Infantas |
|
|
{text} [IV]
|
|
Infantas, Fernando de las
1534–c.1610
|
3 |
Plura modulationum genera quae vulgo ... (RISM I40)
Plura modulationum genera quae vulgo contrapuncta appellantur super excelso gregoriano cantu, omnibus musicam prositentibus utilissima
Venice: Scotto, Girolamo, 1579
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#5
|
|
Attrib: Don Ferdinandi de las Infantas |
|
|
{text} [IX]
|
|
Infantas, Fernando de las
1534–c.1610
|
3 |
Plura modulationum genera quae vulgo ... (RISM I40)
Plura modulationum genera quae vulgo contrapuncta appellantur super excelso gregoriano cantu, omnibus musicam prositentibus utilissima
Venice: Scotto, Girolamo, 1579
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#10
|
|
Attrib: Don Ferdinandi de las Infantas |
|
|