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 |
Virgam virtutis
|
|
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
#211
|
|
Attrib: Leonarto Pamingero |
|
|
Virga prudentissima
|
|
Isaac, Heinrich
c.1450–1517
|
4 |
Novum et insigne opus musicum, sex, q... (RISM 1537/1)
Novum et insigne opus musicum, sex, quinque, et autuor vocum, cuius in Germania hactenus nihil simile usquam est editum
Nuremberg: Formschneider, Hieronymus and Ott, Hans, 1537
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#37
|
|
Attrib: Isaac |
|
|
Virginalis turma sexus
|
|
Senfl, Ludwig
c.1486–1542/1543
Isaac, Heinrich
c.1450–1517
|
4 |
|
Virgines prudentes
|
|
Handl, Jacob (Gallus)
1550–1591
|
8 |
Quartus tomus musici operis harmoniar... (RISM H1985)
Quartus tomus musici operis harmoniarum quatuor, quinque, sex, octo et plurium vicum, quae ex sancto catholicae ecclesiae usu ita sunt dispositae, ut omni tempore inservire queant
Prague: Nigrinus, Georg, 1590
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#30
|
|
Attrib: Iacobo Hándl |
|
|
Virgines prudentes
Nancho Alvarez
|
|
Guerrero, Francisco
1528–1599
|
4 |
(E-SE 6)
(Choirbook, MS)
#8
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
Mottecta que partim quaternis partim ... (RISM G4875)
Mottecta que partim quaternis partim quinis alia senis alia octonis concinuntur vocibus. Liber secundus.
Venice: Vincenti, Giacomo, 1589
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#9
|
|
Attrib: Francisci Gverreri |
D-Kl copy: Tenor part repeated in Superius book, Superius missing |
Motecta (RISM G4877)
Venice: Vincenti, Giacomo, 1597
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#8
|
|
Attrib: Francisci Gverreri |
|
|
Virgines prudentes - Media autem nocte clamor factus est
|
|
Clemens non Papa, Jacobus
c.1510–1555/1556
|
4 |
Sacrarum cantionum (vulgo hodie motet... (RISM 1556/4)
Sacrarum cantionum (vulgo hodie moteta vocant): quatuor vocum, ab veram harmoniam concentumque ab optimis, quibusque musicis in philomusorum gratiam compositarum. Liber primus
Antwerp: Laet, Jean de and Waelrant, Hubert, 1556
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#2
|
|
Attrib: Clemens non Papa |
|
Liber quintus cantionum sacrarum vulg... (RISM C2702)
Liber quintus cantionum sacrarum vulgo moteta vocant, quatuor vocum, nunc primum in lucem editus
Leuven: Phalèse the Elder, Pierre, 1559
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#11
|
|
Attrib: Clemente non Papa |
|
Tertia pars magni operis musici, cont... (RISM 1559/2)
Tertia pars magni operis musici, continens clarissimorum symphonistarum tam veterum quàm recentiorum, praecipue vero Clementis non Papae, Carmina elegantissima. Quatuor vocum
Nuremberg: Berg, Johann and Neuber, Ulrich, 1559
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#39
|
|
Attrib: Nobilis Clemens non Papa |
|
(A-Wn 19189-GF)
Vienna, c.1560-c.1599
(Choirbook, MS)
#51
|
|
Attrib: Clemens |
|
(D-Sl 2)
Stuttgart: Chamerhueber, Johann, 1564
(Choirbook, MS)
#16
|
|
Attrib: Clemens non Papa |
|
(D-AN VI g 16)
Ansbach, 1565-1566
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Clemens non Papa |
|
|
Virginibus mos est hac nostra aetate puellis - Clara tamen claro
|
|
Cornet, Séverin
c.1520–1582
|
5 |
|
Virginibus sacris - Milibus undenis
|
|
Lupi, Johannes
c.1506–1539
|
5 |
Liber septimus ecclesiasticarum canti... (RISM 1553/14)
Liber septimus ecclesiasticarum cantionum quinque vocum vulgo moteta vocant, tam ex Veteri quam ex Novo Testamento, ab optimis quibusque huius aetatis musicis compositarum antea nunquam excusus omnes de uno tono
Antwerp: Susato, Tylman, 1553
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#7
|
|
Attrib: Ioannes Lupi |
De XI millibus Virginum |
|
Virgini Mariae laudes
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
|
Virginis Mariae visitatione dignissima
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
(P-Cug 70)
Coimbra, after 1570
(Partbook, MS)
#75
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
|
Virginis proles opifexque matris
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
(I-Vsm 14)
Venice
(Choirbook, MS)
#8
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
Haec tua virgo duplici |
|
Virginis summe
|
|
Santiago, Francisco de
c.1578–1644
|
4 |
Himnario para los Santos de Sevilla (E-Sc 16)
(Choirbook, MS)
#11
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
Al Arcangel San Gabriel |
|
Virgo ante partum
|
|
Crecquillon, Thomas
c.1505–1557
|
4 |
|
Virgo ante partum
|
|
Mantua, Jacquet de
1483–1559
|
3 |
Motetta trium vocum ab pluribus autho... (RISM 1543/6)
Motetta trium vocum ab pluribus authoribus composita
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1543
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#6
|
|
Attrib: Iachet |
|
Motetta trium vocum ab pluribus autho... (RISM 1551/3)
Motetta trium vocum ab pluribus authoribus composita
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1551
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#6
|
|
Attrib: Iachet |
|
Selectissimarum sacrarum cantionum (q... (RISM 1569/5)
Selectissimarum sacrarum cantionum (quas vulgo Moteta vocant) flores, trium vocum: ex optimis ac praestantissimis quibusque divinae Musices authoribus excerptarum. Iam primum summa cura ac diligentia collecti et impressi. Liber secundus.
Leuven: Phalèse the Elder, Pierre, 1569
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#9
|
|
Attrib: Iachet |
|
|
Virgo benedicta
|
|
Rota, Andrea
c.1553–1597
|
5 |
Motectorum quae quinque, sex, septem,... (RISM R2783)
Motectorum quae quinque, sex, septem, octo, & decem vocibus concinuntur Liber Secundus
Venice: Gardano, Angelo, 1595
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#7
|
|
Attrib: Andreae Rotae |
|
|
Virgo caelesti
Francis Bevan (ATBarBarB)
|
|
Compère, Loyset
c.1445–1518
|
5 |
|
Virgo caelestum decus et corona - Et ducem Alphonsum tege filiosque
|
|
Maistre Jhan
c.1485–1538
|
4 |
(GB-Lcm 2037)
London, 1527-1534
(Partbook, MS)
#26
|
|
Attrib: Maistre Jan |
|
|
Virgo carens criminibus
|
|
Silva, Andreas de
b.c.1475-1480
|
4 |
|
Virgo Christi egregia
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
(P-Cug 70)
Coimbra, after 1570
(Partbook, MS)
#14
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
|
Virgo Christi egregria
|
|
Lhéritier, Jean
c.1480–after 1551
|
4 |
Liber secundus: quatuor et viginiti m... (RISM 1534/4)
Liber secundus: quatuor et viginiti musicales quatuor vocum Motetos habet
Paris: Attaingnant, Pierre, 1534
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#22
|
|
Attrib: Lheritier |
|
Moteti de la fama, libro primo, a qua... (RISM 1555/15 (L2316))
Moteti de la fama, libro primo, a quattro voci
Venice: Scotto, Girolamo, 1555
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#5
|
|
Attrib: Ioanne Lheritier |
|
|
Virgo clemens et benigna - Felix et beata Deo fecundata
|
|
Lupi, Johannes
c.1506–1539
|
6 |
|
Virgo decus nemorum
|
|
Croce, Giovanni
c.1557–1609
|
8 |
|
Virgo decus nemorum
|
|
Donato, Baldassare
1529–1603
|
8 |
|
Virgo Dei genitrix
|
|
Lombardi, Bartolomeo
fl.1578
|
5 |
|
Virgo Dei genitrix
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
|