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 |
Tu es Petrus - Quodcumque ligaveris
|
Comm. Pontiffs, Ss Peter & Paul |
Anon
|
4 |
(I-MOd IX)
Vecchi, Orazio, c.1520-1530
(Choirbook, MS)
#23
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
Symphoniae iucundae atque adeo breves... (RISM 1538/8)
Symphoniae iucundae atque adeo breves quatuor vocum, ab optimis quibusque musicis compositae, ac iuxta ordinem Tonorum dispositae, quas vulgo mutetas appellare solemus, numero quinquaginta duo
Wittenberg: Rhau, Georg, 1538
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#31
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
Prima pars only |
|
Tu es Petrus - Quodcumque ligaveris
Nancho Alvarez
Ensemble Plus Ultra
|
Comm. Pontiffs, Ss Peter & Paul |
Victoria, Tomás Luis de
1548–1611
|
6 |
Motecta que partim, quaternis, partim... (RISM V1421)
Motecta que partim, quaternis, partim, quinis, alia, senis, alia, octonis vocibus concinuntur
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1572
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#26
|
|
Attrib: Tomae Lvdovici de Victoria Abulensis |
|
Thomae Ludovici de Victoria Abulenis ... (RISM V1422)
Thomae Ludovici de Victoria Abulenis motecta quae partim quaternis Partim, Quinis, Alia, Senis, Alia, Octonis, Alia,
Duodenis, Vocibus, Concinuntur...
Rome: Gardano, Alessandro, 1583
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#39
|
|
Attrib: Thomae Lvdovici de Victoria |
|
Motecta festorum totius anni cum Comm... (RISM V1433)
Motecta festorum totius anni cum Communi sanctorum, quae partim senis, partim quinis, partim quaternis, alia octonis vocibus concinuntur
Rome: Basa, Domenico and Gardano, Alessandro, 1585
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#9
|
|
Attrib: Thomae Lvdovici a Victoria |
|
Motecta quae partim quaternis, partim... (RISM V1423)
Motecta quae partim quaternis, partim quinis, alia senis, alia octonis, alia duodenis vocibus concinuntur
Milan: Tini, Francesco and Tini, Simone, 1589
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#39
|
|
Attrib: Thomae Lvdovici de Victoria |
|
Cantiones sacrae Thomae Ludovici a Vi... (RISM V1424)
Cantiones sacrae Thomae Ludovici a Victoria abulensis, musici suavissimi, quatuor, quinque, sex, octo, et duodecim vocum, nunquam ante hac Germania excusae.
Dillingen: Mayer, Johann, 1589
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#39
|
|
Attrib: Thomae Lvdovici a Victoria Abulensis |
|
Motecta que partim, quaternis, partim... (RISM V1425)
Motecta que partim, quaternis, partim quinis, alia senis, alia octonis, alia Duodenis vocibus in omnibus solemnitatibus per totum annum, concinuntur, Noviter recognita & impressa
Venice: Gardano, Angelo, 1603
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#37
|
|
Attrib: Tomae Lvdovici de Victoria Aulensis |
|
(V-CVbav Capp.Sist. 298)
Rome: Biondini, Giovanni Domenico de, 1743
(Choirbook, MS)
#6
|
|
Attrib: Vittoria |
|
(V-CVbav Capp.Sist. 299)
Biondini, Giovanni Domenico de, 1743
(Choirbook, MS)
#1
|
|
Attrib: Victorie |
|
|
Tu es qui venturus es
|
|
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
#12
|
|
Attrib: Hieronymo Lambardo |
|
|
Tu es qui venturus est
|
|
Dulichius, Philipp
1562–1631
|
5 |
Novum opus musicum duarum partium, co... (RISM D3686)
Novum opus musicum duarum partium, continens dicta insigniora ex evangeliis dierum cum dominicorum, tum festorum praecipuorum totius anni
Stettin: Myliander, Stephan, 1599
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#3
|
|
Attrib: Philippo Dulichio |
Dominica 3 Adventus |
|
Tu es refugium meum
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
|
Tu es sacerdos [I]
|
|
Kerle, Jacobus de
1531/1532–1591
|
4 |
|
Tu es sacerdos [II]
|
|
Kerle, Jacobus de
1531/1532–1591
|
4 |
|
Tu es vas electionis
|
Conversion of St Paul |
Asola, Giovanni Matteo
c.1532–1609
|
4 |
|
Tu es vas electionis
|
Conversion of St Paul |
Straus, Christoph
c.1575–1631
|
8 |
Nova ac diversi moda sacrarum cantion... (RISM S6935)
Nova ac diversi moda sacrarum cantionum compositio, seu motetae, 5.6.7.8.9. & 10. tam vocibus quam instrumentis varijs (ut ad illas superius ac in indice annotatum est) maxime accommodatae ... liber primus, editio prima.
Vienna: Fidler, Johannes, 1613
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#20
|
|
Attrib: Christophoro Stravs |
|
|
Tu es vas electionis - Intercede pro nobis
|
Conversion of St Paul |
Porta, Costanzo
c.1528–1601
|
6 |
|
Tu es vas electionis - Intercede pro nobis
|
Conversion of St Paul |
Anon
|
7 |
Thematic catalogue. MS destroyed in 1944 (I-TVd 6)
Treviso: d'Alessi, Giovanni, 1560-1568
(Choirbook, MS)
#8
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
Thematic catalogue, first phrase only |
|
Tu es vas electionis - Paulus alter Petrus
|
|
Anon
|
6 |
Thematic catalogue. MS destroyed in 1944 (I-TVd 6)
Treviso: d'Alessi, Giovanni, 1560-1568
(Choirbook, MS)
#10
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
Thematic catalogue, first phrase only |
|
Tu es vas electionis Sancte Paule
|
Conversion of St Paul |
Philips, Peter
1560–1628
|
5 |
|
Tu es vas electionis Sancte Paule
|
Conversion of St Paul |
Asola, Giovanni Matteo
c.1532–1609
|
8 |
|
Tu gloria Jerusalem Maria
|
BVM |
Bassano, Giovanni
c.1561–1617
|
8 |
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
#19
|
|
Attrib: Giovanni Bassano |
|
|
Tu gloria Jerusalem Maria
|
BVM |
Anerio, Giovanni Francesco
c.1567–1630
|
3 |
Motectorum singulis, binis, ternis, q... (RISM A1102)
Motectorum singulis, binis, ternis, quaternis, quinis, senisque vocibus; Una cum litaniis Beatae Virginis quatuor vocibus, cum Basso ad Organum
Rome: Robletti, Giovanni Battista, 1613
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#11
|
|
Attrib: Io. Francisci Anerii |
|
|
Tu gloria Jerusalem Maria
|
BVM |
Osculati, Giulio
d. after 1615
|
8 |
Liber primus motectorum quinque, sex,... (RISM O140)
Liber primus motectorum quinque, sex, septem, octo, novem, decem, & duodecim vocum
Venice: Raverii, Alessandro, 1609
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#17
|
|
Attrib: Ivlio Oscvlato Lavdensi |
|
|
Tu gloria Jerusalem Maria
|
BVM |
Stabile, Annibale
c.1535–1595
|
8 |
|
Tu iovis O robur - Tunc unus pastor
|
|
Porta, Costanzo
c.1528–1601
|
6 |
|
Tui sunt caeli
Pothárn Imre
|
Christmas |
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
8 |
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
#494
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|
Tui sunt caeli
David Fraser (AATB)
The Cardinall's Musick
|
Christmas |
Byrd, William
c.1540–1623
|
4 |
|
Tui sunt caeli
Francis Bevan (ATBarBarB)
Pothárn Imre
|
Christmas |
Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da
c.1525–1594
|
5 |
|
Tui sunt caeli
|
Christmas |
Ratti, Lorenzo
1589/1590–1630
|
8 |
|
Tui sunt caeli
|
Christmas |
Anon
|
4 |
|
Tulerunt autem fratres - Videns Jacob
|
|
Clemens non Papa, Jacobus
c.1510–1555/1556
|
5 |
Liber octavus ecclesiasticarum cantio... (RISM 1553/15)
Liber octavus ecclesiasticarum cantionum quinque vocum vulgo moteta vocant, tam ex Veteri quam ex Novo testamento, ab optimis quibusque huius aetatis Musicis compositarum omnes de uno tono
Antwerp: Susato, Tylman, 1553
(Partbook, Print)
#6
|
|
Attrib: Clemens non Papa |
|
(D-ROu Mus.Saec.XVI-42)
Rostock: Weissenberger, Albert, c.1555-c.1570
(Choirbook, MS)
#10
|
|
Attrib: Clemens non papa |
|
(D-Dl Mus.Pi.Cod.VII)
Dresden: Weissenberger, Albert, 1556
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#4
|
|
Attrib: Clemens non papa |
|
Secunda pars magni operis musici cont... (RISM 1559/1)
Secunda pars magni operis musici continens clarissimorum symphonistarum tam veterum quam recentiorum, praecipe vero Clementis non Papae, Carmina elegantissima quinque vocum
Nuremberg: Berg, Johann and Neuber, Ulrich, 1559
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#45
|
|
Attrib: Ia. Clemens non Papa |
|
|