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 sola es mater purissima
|
|
Mouton, Jean
before 1459–1522
|
5 |
(I-Bc R.142)
Bologna, 1515-1530
(Partbook, MS)
#13
|
|
Attrib: Jo. Mouton |
|
|
Tu solus qui facis mirabilia
Francis Bevan (ATTBarB)
|
|
Werrecore, Hermann Matthias
c.1500–1574
|
5 |
Cantuum quinque vocum (quos motetta v... (RISM M1407)
Cantuum quinque vocum (quos motetta vocant) ... Liber primus
Milan: Moscheni, Francesco, 1555
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#12
|
|
Attrib: Hermanni Matthiae Werrecoren |
|
Thesauri musici tomus quartus contine... (RISM 1564/4)
Thesauri musici tomus quartus continens selectissimas quinque vocum harmonias, quas vulgo motetas vocant
Nuremberg: Berg, Johann and Neuber, Ulrich, 1564
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#5
|
|
Attrib: Matthias Hermannus VVerrecorn |
|
|
Tu solus qui facis mirabilia
|
|
Meiland, Jacob
1542–1577
|
5 |
Sacrae aliquot cantiones Latinae et G... (RISM M2179)
Sacrae aliquot cantiones Latinae et Germanicae, quinque et quatuor vocum, summa diligentia compositae, correctae, et iam primum in lucem editae
Frankfurt: Corvinus, Georg and Feyerabend, Sigmund, 1575
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Iacobo Meilando Germano |
|
|
Tu solus qui facis mirabilia
|
|
Conflicting attributions
|
4 |
(V-CVbav Capp.Sist. 41)
Rome: Orceau, Johannes, c.1482-c.1507
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#14
|
|
Attrib: Josquin |
|
Motetti de passione de cruce de sacra... (RISM 1503/1)
Motetti de passione de cruce de sacramento de Beata Virgine et huius modi. B
Venice: Petrucci, Ottaviano, 1503
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#24
|
|
Attrib: Josquin |
|
(D-Mbs 78)
Munich: Flori, Franz, c.1570
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#2
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
Additional part added to prima pars only of Josquin's motet |
(V-CVbav Capp.Sist. 484-9)
Rome, c.1700-c.1800
(Partbook, MS)
#16
|
|
Attrib: Costanzo Festa |
|
|
Tu te lamenti a torto
|
|
Pesenti, Michele
c.1470–1528
|
4 |
|
Tu traditora m'hai puost'a sto core
|
|
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
4 |
Le quatoirsiesme livre a quatre parti... (RISM 1555/19)
Le quatoirsiesme livre a quatre parties contenant dixhuyct chansons italiennes, six chansons francoises, & six motetz faictz (a la nouvelle composition d'aucuns d'Italie) par Rolando di Lassus nouvellement imprimé...
Antwerp: Susato, Tylman, 1555
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#12
|
|
Attrib: Rolando di Lassus |
|
Second livre des chansons a quatre et... (RISM 1570/6)
Second livre des chansons a quatre et cincq parties, composées par Orlando di Lassus, Cyprian de Rore, & Philippe de Mons, De nouveau corrigées & emendées, Convenables tant aux Instrumens comme à la Voix
Leuven: Phalèse the Elder, Pierre, 1570
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#5
|
|
Attrib: Orlando di Lassus |
|
|
Tutte le bocche belle
|
|
Monteverdi, Claudio
1567–1643
|
5 |
|
Tutt'eri foco amore
|
|
Anon
|
5 |
(US-NYp Drexel 4180-4185)
New York: Merro, John, 1600-1650
(Partbook, MS)
#215
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
|
Tutt'eri foco Amore
|
|
Pallavicino, Benedetto
c.1551–1601
|
5 |
Bourdenay codex (F-Pn 851)
Paris, c.1570-c.1599
(Score, MS)
#341
|
|
Attrib: B. Pno. |
|
Il quarto libro de madrigali a cinque... (RISM P785)
Il quarto libro de madrigali a cinque voci, novamente composto, & dato in luce
Venice: Gardano, Angelo, 1588
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#5
|
|
Attrib: Benedetto Pallavicino |
|
Tertius Gemmae musicalis liber: Selec... (RISM 1590/20)
Tertius Gemmae musicalis liber: Selectissimas diversorum Autorum cantiones, Italis Madrigali & Napolitane dictas, Octo, Septem, Sex, Quinque & Quatuor vocum continens
Nuremberg: Gerlach, Katharina and Lindner, Friedrich, 1590
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#29
|
|
Attrib: Benedetto Pallavicino |
|
|
Tutte sue squadre di miserie e stenti
|
|
Marenzio, Luca
1553/1554–1599
|
6 |
|
Tutti correte ad uno
|
|
Conversi, Girolamo
c.1550–after 1575
|
5 |
|
Tutt'il di piango et poi la notte
|
|
Anon
|
6 |
|
Tutti venite armati
|
|
Gastoldi, Giovanni Giacomo
c.1554–1609
|
5 |
Balletti a cinque voci, con li suoi V... (RISM G509)
Balletti a cinque voci, con li suoi Versi per cantare, sonare, & ballare; con una Mascherata de cacciatori a sei voci, & un concerto de Pastori a otto. Quarta impressione
Venice: Amadino, Ricciardo, 1593
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#10
|
|
Attrib: Gio: Giacomo Gastoldi |
Amor Vittorioso |
|
Tutto eri foco Amore
|
|
Monte, Philippe de
1521–1603
|
5 |
|
Tutto'l di piango e poi lanotte - Lasso che pur da l'un al'altro sole
|
|
Rore, Cipriano de
1515/1516–1565
|
3 |
|
Tutto'l di piango - Lasso che pur da l'uno
Pothárn Imre
|
|
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
5 |
Libro quarto de madrigali a cinque voci (RISM L813)
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1567
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#11
|
|
Attrib: Orlando Lasso |
|
|
Tutto'l di piango - Lasso che pur da l'uno
|
|
Monte, Philippe de
1521–1603
|
6 |
|
Tu tuo laetos famulos
|
|
Anon
|
5 |
(D-Sl 24)
Stuttgart: Peuschel, Nikolaus and Chamerhueber, Johann, 1557
(Choirbook, MS)
#18
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
|
Tu vocasti me Domine
|
|
Ceresini, Giovanni
1584–1659
|
2 |
|
Two comforts hath the unhappy man
|
|
Whythorne, Thomas
1528–1596
|
2 |
|
Tyme
|
(Instrumental) |
Anon
|
5 |
|
Ubi caritas
Francis Bevan (SAATTB)
Francis Bevan (ATTBarBarB)
|
Maundy Thursday |
Merulo, Claudio
1533–1604
|
6 |
|
Ubi caritas
|
Maundy Thursday |
Ferrarese, Paolo
fl.1565
|
4 |
Passiones, Lamentationes, Responsoria... (RISM P868)
Passiones, Lamentationes, Responsoria, Benedictus, Miserere, multaque alia devotissima cantica ad offitium hebdomadae Sanctae pertinentia
Venice: Scotto, Girolamo, 1565
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#42
|
|
Attrib: D. Pauli Ferrariensis |
|
|
Ubi caritas et amor
|
|
Ciciliani, Filippo
|
4 |
|
Ubi cum felice diacone
|
(Responsory) |
Kerle, Jacobus de
1531/1532–1591
|
4 |
|