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 |
In Teutscher Nation kein Stadt
|
|
Vento, Ivo de
1543-1545–1575
|
8 |
Quinque motetae, duo madrigalia, Gall... (RISM V1118)
Quinque motetae, duo madrigalia, Gallicae cantiones duae, et quatuor Germanicae: quarum prior moteta novem, posteriores duae Germanicae cantiones octo, reliquot vero omnes quinque sunt vocum
Munich: Berg, Adam, 1575-1576
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#13
|
|
Attrib: Ivonem de Vento |
|
|
In the departure of the Lord
|
|
Bull, John
1562–1628
|
4 |
The tears or lamentacions of a sorrow... (RISM 1614/7)
The tears or lamentacions of a sorrowfull soul: composed with musicall ayres and songs, both for voyces and divers instruments
London: Stansby, William, 1614
(Tablebook, Print)
RISM
#30
|
|
Attrib: D. Bull |
Not included in index |
|
In thee O Lord
|
(Verse anthem) |
Hall, Henry
|
4 |
(GB-WO A.3.3)
Worcester, c.1660-c.1700
(Partbook/score, MS)
#200
|
|
Attrib: Mr H Hall |
|
|
In thee O Lord
|
(Verse anthem) |
Bull, John
1562–1628
|
6 |
Dunnington-Jefferson Manuscript (GB-Ym M29S)
c.1632
(Partbook, MS)
#117
|
|
Attrib: Doctor Bull |
|
|
In thee O Lord have I put my trust
|
(Verse anthem) |
Weelkes, Thomas
1576–1623
|
5 |
Dunnington-Jefferson Manuscript (GB-Ym M29S)
c.1632
(Partbook, MS)
#109
|
|
Attrib: Mr Weelks |
|
|
In Thee, O Lord, have I put my trust
|
|
Ravenscroft, Thomas
|
5 |
(GB-Och 56-60)
Oxford, c.1620
(Partbook, MS)
#18
|
|
Attrib: Thomas Ravenscrofte |
|
|
In Thee, O Lord, have I put my trust
|
(Verse anthem) |
Ravenscroft, Thomas
|
5 |
Dunnington-Jefferson Manuscript (GB-Ym M29S)
c.1632
(Partbook, MS)
#133
|
|
Attrib: Mr Ravenscroft |
|
|
In thee O Lord I put my trust
|
|
Leighton, William
c.1565–1622
|
4 |
The tears or lamentacions of a sorrow... (RISM 1614/7)
The tears or lamentacions of a sorrowfull soul: composed with musicall ayres and songs, both for voyces and divers instruments
London: Stansby, William, 1614
(Tablebook, Print)
RISM
#4
|
|
Attrib: Sir W. Leighton |
|
|
In thee O Lord I put my trust
|
|
Ferrabosco, Alfonso (ii)
c.1575–1628
|
4 |
The tears or lamentacions of a sorrow... (RISM 1614/7)
The tears or lamentacions of a sorrowfull soul: composed with musicall ayres and songs, both for voyces and divers instruments
London: Stansby, William, 1614
(Tablebook, Print)
RISM
#28
|
|
Attrib: Alfonso Ferrabosco |
|
|
In thee O Lord I put my trust
|
(Verse anthem) |
Bull, John
1562–1628
|
6 |
(GB-DRc C1)
Durham, c.1660
(Partbook, MS)
#37
|
|
Attrib: Doctor Bull |
|
|
In the former treatise
|
|
Tye, Christopher
c.1505–1573
|
4 |
|
In the merry month of May - Coridon would kiss her then
|
|
Baldwin, John
before 1560–1615
|
3 |
|
In the subtraction of my years
|
|
Anon
|
3 |
Chirk Castle Partbooks (US-NYp Mus. Res. *MNZ (Chirk) [1-4])
Wrexham, c.1618-c.1633
(Partbook, MS)
RISM
#84
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
|
In this trembling shadow
|
|
Dowland, John
1563–1626
|
4 |
|
In those days as the number plain
|
|
Tye, Christopher
c.1505–1573
|
4 |
|
Intonuit de caelo Dominus
Francis Bevan (SATTB)
|
|
Baccusi, Ippolito
c.1550–1609
|
5 |
|
Intonuit de caelo Dominus
|
|
Aichinger, Gregor
1564–1628
|
6 |
|
Intonuit de caelo Dominus
|
|
Silva, Andreas de
b.c.1475-1480
|
4 |
|
Intonuit de caelo Dominus
|
|
Usper, Francesco
c.1560/1561–1641
|
6 |
|
Intonuit de caelo Dominus
|
|
Boschetti, Giovanni
d.1622
|
3 |
Sacrae cantiones, binis, ternis, quat... (RISM B3788)
Sacrae cantiones, binis, ternis, quaternis, quinis, octonisquae vocibus concinendae. Liber Tertius cum basso ad organum opus quintum
Rome: Soldi, Luca Antonio, 1620
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#15
|
|
Attrib: Ioannis Boschetti |
|
|
Intorno a due vermiglie e vaghe labra
|
|
Monteverdi, Claudio
1567–1643
|
5 |
|
In toto corde meo
|
|
Resinarius, Balthasar
c.1485–1544
|
4 |
Responsoriorum numero octoginta de te... (RISM R1196)
Responsoriorum numero octoginta de tempore et festis iuxta seriem totius anni, Libri duo, Primus de Christo, & reno eius, Doctrina, Vita, Passione, Resurretione & Ascensione. Alter, de sanctis, & illorum in Christum fide & Cruce
Wittenberg: Rhau, Georg, 1543
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#8
|
|
Attrib: Baltasare Resinario |
|
|
In toto corde meo - Laetetur cor quaerentium Dominum
|
|
Kerle, Jacobus de
1531/1532–1591
|
4 |
|
Intravit autem rex
|
|
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
#74
|
|
Attrib: Hieronymo Lambardo |
|
|
Intravit Jesus in quoddam castellum - Domine non est tibi curae - Martha Martha solicita es
Pothárn Imre
|
|
Wert, Giaches de
1535–1596
|
5 |
|