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 |
Domine Deus rex magne - Exaudi Domine placare
|
|
Padovano, Annibale
1527–1575
|
6 |
|
Domine Deus Sabaoth omnium dignatum
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
|
Domine Deus salutis
|
|
Patta, Serafino
fl.1606–1619
|
1 |
|
Domine Deus salutis meae
Pothárn Imre
|
Ordinary Time 18 (post Pentecost XII) |
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
4 |
Sacrae cantiones antehac nunquam nec ... (RISM L955)
Sacrae cantiones antehac nunquam nec visae nec typis uspiam excusae quatuor vocum. Recens singulari industria compositae, & in lucem sine menda editae
Munich: Berg, Adam, 1585
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#19
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi Lassi |
|
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
#136
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|
Domine Deus salutis meae
|
Ordinary Time 18 (post Pentecost XII) |
Belli, Girolamo
1552–c.1620
|
6 |
|
Domine Deus salutis meae - Confige ergo
|
Ordinary Time 18 (post Pentecost XII) |
Payen, Nicolas
c.1512–1559
|
4 |
Cantiones Selectissimae. Quatuor vocu... (RISM 1548/2)
Cantiones Selectissimae. Quatuor vocum... Liber primus
Augsburg: Ulhart, Philipp and Salminger, Sigmund, 1548
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#13
|
|
Attrib: Nicolaus Payen |
|
Sextus tomus Evangeliorum, et piarum ... (RISM 1556/9)
Sextus tomus Evangeliorum, et piarum sententiarum. Quatuor, sex, et octo vocum. Continens historias & doctrinam, quae in Ecclesia proponi solet : de Poenitentia.
Nuremberg: Berg, Adam and Neuber, Ulrich, c.1556
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#31
|
|
Attrib: Nicolaus Payen |
|
|
Domine Deus salutis meae - Ubi sunt miserationes
Pothárn Imre
|
Ordinary Time 18 (post Pentecost XII) |
Monte, Philippe de
1521–1603
|
5 |
|
Domine Deus subditione tua - Quis enim tibi dicet - Tu ergo rex omnium
|
|
Rore, Cipriano de
1515/1516–1565
|
5 |
Il terzo libro di motetti a cinque vo... (RISM 1549/8)
Il terzo libro di motetti a cinque voci...
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1549
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#10
|
|
Attrib: Cipriano Rore |
|
(I-MOe C.313)
Modena, c.1560
(Partbook, MS)
#46
|
|
Attrib: Ciprianus. R |
|
Bourdenay codex (F-Pn 851)
Paris, c.1570-c.1599
(Score, MS)
#36
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
|
Domine Deus virtutum
|
|
Stivori, Francesco
c.1550–1605
|
5 |
|
Domine Deus vitae meae
|
|
India, Sigismondo d'
c.1582–1629
|
4 |
|
Domine Deus Zebaoth - Peccavimus cum patribus
|
|
Vulpius, Melchior
c.1570–1615
|
6 |
|
Domine dirige gressus meos - Redime me a calumniis hominum
|
|
Dressler, Gallus
1533–1580-1589
|
5 |
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
#38
|
|
Attrib: Galli Dressleri Nebraei |
|
|
Domine dominator caelorum
|
|
Stivori, Francesco
c.1550–1605
|
5 |
|
Domine Domine
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
|
Domine Dominus noster
|
Ordinary Time 16 (post Pentecost IX) |
Hasenknopf, Sebastian
c.1545–after 1597
|
5 |
|
Domine Dominus noster
Pothárn Imre
|
Ordinary Time 16 (post Pentecost IX) |
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
6 |
MS bound at end of collection of prin... (D-As Tonk.Sch. 273-278)
MS bound at end of collection of prints [L815,L833,L816,L832,L820,L851]
(Partbook, MS)
#18
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
(D-Mbs 15)
Munich: Flori, Franz, 1577
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#3
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
Selectissimae cantiones, quas vulgo m... (RISM L915)
Selectissimae cantiones, quas vulgo motetas vocant, partim omnino novae, partim nusquam in Germania excusa, sex & pluribus vocibus compositae
Nuremberg: Gerlach, Katharina and Berg, Johann, 1579
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#45
|
|
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
#430
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|
Domine Dominus noster
|
Ordinary Time 16 (post Pentecost IX) |
Hassler, Hans Leo
1564–1612
|
12 |
Sacri concentus quatuor, 5, 6, 7, 8, ... (RISM H2328)
Sacri concentus quatuor, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, & 12, Vocum
Augsburg: Schönigk, Valentin, 1601
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#48
|
|
Attrib: Ioanne Leone Haslero |
|
|
Domine Dominus noster
|
Ordinary Time 16 (post Pentecost IX) |
Nucius, Johannes
c.1556–1620
|
6 |
|
Domine Dominus noster
|
Ordinary Time 16 (post Pentecost IX) |
Erbach, Christian
c.1568–1635
|
8 |
Sacrarum symphoniarum continuatio div... (RISM 1600/2)
Sacrarum symphoniarum continuatio diversorum excellentissimorum authorum quaternis, V. VI. VII. VIII. X. & XII. vocibus tam vivis, quam instrumentalibus accommodata
Nuremberg: Kauffmann, Paul, 1600
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#73
|
|
Attrib: Christiani Erbach |
|
Florilegium selectissimarum cantionum... (RISM 1603/1)
Florilegium selectissimarum cantionum, praestantissimorum aetatis nostrae autorum, 4. 5. 6. 7, & 8. vocum
Leipzig: Lamberg, Abraham, 1603
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#31
|
|
Attrib: Christian Erbach |
|
|
Domine Dominus noster
|
Ordinary Time 16 (post Pentecost IX) |
Elsbeth, Thomas
d. after 1624
|
6 |
Selectissimae et novae cantiones sacr... (RISM E656)
Selectissimae et novae cantiones sacrae vulgo motecta appellatae, nec umquam antehac in lucem emissae sex vocum tum ad vivam, tum ad omnis generis
Frankfurt: Hartmann, Friedrich, 1600
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#11
|
|
Attrib: Thomam Elsbethum |
|
|
Domine Dominus noster
|
Ordinary Time 16 (post Pentecost IX) |
Morley, Thomas
1557/1558–1602
|
5 |
|
Domine Dominus noster
|
Ordinary Time 16 (post Pentecost IX) |
Vecchi, Orazio
1550–1605
|
7 |
|
Domine Dominus noster
|
Ordinary Time 16 (post Pentecost IX) |
Gabrieli, Giovanni
c.1554–1612
|
8 |
Sacrae symphoniae Ioannis Gabrielii (RISM G86)
Venice: Gardano, Angelo, 1597
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#17
|
|
Attrib: Ioannis Gabrielii |
|
Sacrae symphoniae diversorum excellen... (RISM 1598/2)
Sacrae symphoniae diversorum excellentissimorum authorum quaternis, v. vi. vii. viii. x. xii. & xvi vocibus
Nuremberg: Kauffmann, Paul, 1598
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#57
|
|
Attrib: Ioann. Gabrielii |
|
Sacrae symphoniae diversorum excellen... (RISM 1601/2)
Sacrae symphoniae diversorum excellentissimorum authorum quaternis, v. vi. vii. viii. x. xii. & xvi vocibus
Nuremberg: Kauffmann, Paul, 1601
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#57
|
|
Attrib: Ioann. Gabrielii |
|
Basso per l'organo Concerti di Andrea... (D-As Tonk.Sch. 200a)
Basso per l'organo Concerti di Andrea et di Gio: Gabrieli organisti della sereniss. sig. di Venetia. Continenti musica DI CHIESA, Madrigali, & altro, per voci, & stromenti Musicali; a 6. 7. 8. 10. 12. & 16. Novamente con ogni diligentia dati in luce Libro primo et Secondo
Augsburg, 1636
(Partbook, MS)
RISM
#61
|
|
Attrib: Ioannis Gabrielii |
|
|
Domine Dominus noster
|
Ordinary Time 16 (post Pentecost IX) |
Nanino, Giovanni Bernardino
c.1560–1618
|
8 |
|
Domine Dominus noster
|
Ordinary Time 16 (post Pentecost IX) |
Ceresini, Giovanni
1584–1659
|
6 |
|