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 |
Ergo sit nulla ratio salutis
|
|
Hammerschmidt, Andreas
1611/1612–1675
|
1 |
|
Erhore die Gerechtigseit
|
|
Meiland, Jacob
1542–1577
|
4 |
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
#29
|
|
Attrib: Iacobo Meilando Germano |
|
|
Erige oculos sursum O homo
|
|
Werlin, Johannes (ii)
d.c.1680
|
3 |
Melismata sacra deo ter opt. max. pub... (RISM W799)
Melismata sacra deo ter opt. max. publicoque bono, musicis modulis, binis, ternis, quaternis & quinis cum basso continuo, Organo applicato adoptata
Nuremberg: Dümler, Jeremias, 1644
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#17
|
|
Attrib: Johannis Werlini |
|
|
Eripe me
octavi toni
|
|
Anon
|
5 |
(A-Wn 15943)
Vienna: Moser, Georg, c.1600-c.1699
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#4
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
fauxbordon |
|
Eripe me de inimicis meis - Deus ne elongaveris a me
|
|
Handl, Jacob (Gallus)
1550–1591
|
5 |
|
Eripe me de inimicis meis - Educes de tribulatione animam meam
|
|
Maillard, Jean
fl.c.1538–1570
|
5 |
Liber primus sexdecim musicales modul... (RISM 1553/7)
Liber primus sexdecim musicales modulos...
Paris: Ballard, Robert (i) and Le Roy, Adrian, 1553
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#4
|
|
Attrib: Maillard |
Secunda pars missing from scan of Superius book (previous page duplicated) |
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
#38
|
|
Attrib: Maillart |
|
|
Eripe me de inimicis meis - Educes de tribulatione animam meam
|
|
Payen, Nicolas
c.1512–1559
|
4 |
|
Eripe me de inimicis meis - Educes de tribulatione animam meam
|
|
Infantas, Fernando de las
1534–c.1610
|
6 |
|
Eripe me de inimicis meis [I]
Pothárn Imre (SATB)
|
|
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
4 |
Sex cantiones latinae quatuor, adiunc... (RISM L860)
Sex cantiones latinae quatuor, adiuncto dialogo octo vocum. Sechs teutsche Lieder mit vier, sampt einem Dialogo mit 8. stimmen. Six chanson françoises nouvelles a quatre voix, avecq un dialogue a huit. Sei madrigali nuovi a quatro, con un dialogo a otto voci. ["Viersprachendruck"]
Munich: Berg, Adam, 1573
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#5
|
|
Attrib: Orlandus di Lassus |
|
Fasciculi aliquot sacrarum cantionum ... (RISM L937)
Fasciculi aliquot sacrarum cantionum cum quatuor, quinque, sex & octo vocibus, antea quidem separatim excusi, nunc vero auctoris consensu in unum corpus redacti
Nuremberg: Gerlach, Katharina, 1582
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#2
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi Lassi |
|
Fasciculi aliquot sacrarum cantionum ... (RISM L991)
Fasciculi aliquot sacrarum cantionum cum quatuor, quinque, sex 7 octo vocibus, antea quidem separatim excusi, nunc vero auctoris consensu in unum corpus redacti
Nuremberg: Gerlach, Katharina, 1589
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#2
|
|
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
#84
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|
Eripe me de inimicis meis [II]
Pothárn Imre
|
|
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
#6
|
|
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
#116
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi de Lasso |
|
|
Eripe me Domine ab homine malo
|
Good Friday |
Ferrari, Giovanni
fl.1627–1628
|
4 |
|
Eripe me Domine ab homine malo
|
Good Friday |
Colin, Pierre
fl.1538–1572
|
5 |
|
Eripe me Domine ab homine malo
primi toni
|
Good Friday |
Anon
|
4 |
(Mex-Pc 6)
Puebla
(Choirbook, MS)
#39
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
feria 6 ad vesperas |
|
Eripe me Domine ab homine malo
|
Good Friday |
Straus, Christoph
c.1575–1631
|
5 |
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
#4
|
|
Attrib: Christophoro Stravs |
|
|
Eripe me Domine ab homine malo
|
Good Friday |
Portinaro, Francesco
c.1520–after 1577
|
7 |
Thematic catalogue. MS destroyed in 1944 (I-TVd 30)
Treviso: d'Alessi, Giovanni, c.1570
(Partbook, MS)
#22
|
|
Attrib: Franc. Portinaro |
Thematic catalogue, first phrase only; Missing 7th voice, 6th voice canonic |
|
Eripe te infelix
|
|
Molinaro, Simone
c.1570–after 1633
|
6 |
|
Erravi sicut ovis quae periit
|
|
Molinaro, Simone
c.1570–after 1633
|
5 |
Motectorum quinis et missae denis voc... (RISM M2930)
Motectorum quinis et missae denis vocibus Liber Primus
Venice: Vincenti, Giacomo, 1597
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#2
|
|
Attrib: Simonis Molinarii |
|
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
#16
|
|
Attrib: Simonis Molinarii |
|
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
#16
|
|
Attrib: Simonis Molinarii |
|
|
Erravi sicut ovis quae periit
|
|
Dulichius, Philipp
1562–1631
|
7 |
|
Erravi sicut ovis quae periit
|
|
Reiner, Jacob
before 1560–1606
|
6 |
|
Erravi sicut ovis quae periit - Delicta iuventutis meae
|
|
Clemens non Papa, Jacobus
c.1510–1555/1556
|
4 |
Liber primus ecclesiasticarum cantion... (RISM 1553/8)
Liber primus ecclesiasticarum cantionum quatuor vocum
Antwerp: Susato, Tylman, 1553
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#7
|
|
Attrib: Ia. Clemens non Papa |
|
Motetti del Laberinto a quatro voci l... (RISM 1554/14)
Motetti del Laberinto a quatro voci libro secondo. Sacrarum Cantionum sive motettorum
Venice: Scotto, Girolamo, 1554
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#7
|
|
Attrib: Clemens |
|
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
#6
|
|
Attrib: Clemens non Papa |
|
Secundus liber modulorum quatuor et q... (RISM C2684)
Secundus liber modulorum quatuor et quinque vocum, (quos vulgus motteta vocat)
[Geneva]: Arbilius, Jakob, c.1558-1560
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#7
|
|
Attrib: Clemente non Papa |
|
Liber secundus cantionum sacrarum vul... (RISM C2690)
Liber secundus cantionum sacrarum vulgo moteta vocant, quatuor vocum, nunc primum in lucem editus
Leuven: Phalèse the Elder, Pierre, 1559
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#3
|
|
Attrib: Clemente non Papa |
|
Choirbook B (NL-Lml 1439)
Leiden: Blauwe, Anthonius de, 1559
(Choirbook, MS)
#3
|
|
Attrib: Clemens non papa |
|
|
Erravi sicut ovis quae periit - Delicta iuventutis meae
|
|
Gallet, François
c.1555–after 1585
|
5 |
|
Erravi sicut ovis quae periit - Delicta iuventutis meae
|
|
Cleve, Johannes de
1528–1582
|
8 |
Novi Atque Catholici Thesauri Musici ... (RISM 1568/3)
Novi Atque Catholici Thesauri Musici Liber Secundus
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1568
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#42
|
|
Attrib: Ioannes de Cleue |
|
Cantiones seu harmoniae sacrae (quas ... (RISM C3205)
Cantiones seu harmoniae sacrae (quas vulgo Moteta vocant) Quatuor, Quinque, Sex, Septem, Octo, & Decem vocum, iam primum in publicum emissae
Augsburg: Ulhart, Philipp, 1579
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#18
|
|
Attrib: Ioanne de Cleve |
|
|
Erravi sicut ovis quae periit - Delicta iuventutis meae
|
|
Crecquillon, Thomas
c.1505–1557
|
4 |
Liber primus sacrarum cantionum quinq... (RISM 1546/6)
Liber primus sacrarum cantionum quinque vocum vulgo moteta vocant, ex optimis quibusque huius aetatis musicis selecta
Antwerp: Susato, Tylman, 1546
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#8
|
|
Attrib: Thomas. Crecquillon |
G-Lbl copy: Pages from 1547/6 bound into tenor book. |
Liber quartus sacrarum cantionum quat... (RISM 1547/6)
Liber quartus sacrarum cantionum quatuor vocum
Antwerp: Susato, Tylman, 1547
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#10
|
|
Attrib: Tho. Crecquillon |
|
Choirbook A (NL-Lml 1438)
Leiden: Blauwe, Anthonius de, 1549
(Choirbook, MS)
#2
|
|
Attrib: Thomas Cricquillon |
|
Tomus quartus psalmorum selectorum qu... (RISM 1554/11)
Tomus quartus psalmorum selectorum quatuor et plurium vocum
Nuremberg: Berg, Adam and Neuber, Ulrich, 1554
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#15
|
|
Attrib: Thomas Crequillon |
|
Quartus liber modulorum (RISM 1559/5)
[Geneva]: Sylvius, Michael, c.1559
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#4
|
|
Attrib: Crequillon |
|
(D-AN VI g 16)
Ansbach, 1565-1566
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#17
|
|
Attrib: Thomas Crequilon |
|
|
Erravi sicut ovis quae periit - Delicta iuventutis meae
|
|
Handl, Jacob (Gallus)
1550–1591
|
6 |
|
Erravi sicut ovis quae periit - Propter bonitatem tuam Domine
|
|
Clemens non Papa, Jacobus
c.1510–1555/1556
|
5 |
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
#44
|
|
Attrib: Ia. Clemens non Papa |
|
|