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 |
Missa dominicalis [III]
|
(Mass) |
Senfl, Ludwig
c.1486–1542/1543
|
4 |
|
Missa Dominicalis maius
|
(Mass) |
Rener, Adam
c.1485–c.1520
|
4 |
|
Missa Dominicarum Adventus e Quadragesimae
|
(Mass) |
Anon
|
4 |
(P-VV 4)
Vila Viçosa
(Choirbook, MS)
#3
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
No Gloria |
|
Missa Dominicorum Adventus et Quadragesimae
|
(Mass) |
Cardoso, Manuel
1566–1650
|
4 |
Livro de varios motetes, officio da s... (RISM C1042)
Livro de varios motetes, officio da semana santa e outras cousas
Lisbon: Craesbeeck, Laurenco, 1648
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#3
|
|
Attrib: Fr. Manoel Cardoso |
|
|
Missa Domini est terra
|
(Mass) |
Sermisy, Claudin de
c.1490–1562
|
4 |
(I-Bc Q.25)
Bologna, c.1525-c.1550
(Partbook, MS)
#13
|
|
Attrib: Claudino |
no Pleni sunt caeli, Hosanna or Benedictus |
Septimus liber tres missas habet (RISM 1532/7)
Paris: Attaingnant, Pierre, 1532
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Claudin |
|
Capp. Sist. 155 (V-CVbav Capp.Sist. 155)
Rome: Parvus, Johannes, c.1538-c.1560
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#2
|
|
Attrib: Claudin |
|
Missae tres Claudio de Sermisi, Regii... (RISM S2824)
Missae tres Claudio de Sermisi, Regii Sacelli Magistro, praestantissimo musico auctore: nunc primum in lucem aedite, cum quatuor vocibus, ad imitationem modularum: ut sequens tabula indicabit
Paris: Ballard, Robert and Le Roy, Adrian, 1558
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#3
|
|
Attrib: Claudio de Sermisi |
|
Missa cum quatuor vocibus, ad imitati... (RISM S2825)
Missa cum quatuor vocibus, ad imitationem moduli Domini est terra
Paris: Du Chemin, Nicolas, 1568
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Clavdio de Sermisy |
|
Liber secundus sacrarum missarum quat... (D-As Tonk.Sch. 19)
Liber secundus sacrarum missarum quatuor vocum diversorum divine musices authorum
Dreer, Johannes, 1580
(Choirbook, MS)
#12
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
= Missa brevis super Domini est terra |
|
Missa Domini est terra
|
(Mass) |
Crivelli, Archangelo
1546–1617
|
5 |
(V-CVbav Capp.Sist. 25)
Rome: Biondini, Giovanni Domenico de and Brancadorus, Dominicus, 1617
(Choirbook, MS)
#5
|
|
Attrib: Archangelus Cribellius |
|
|
Missa Dominus regnavit
|
(Mass) |
Sayve, Lambert de
1548/1549–1614
|
16 |
|
Missa Donna la pura luce
|
(Mass) |
Stadlmayr, Johann
c.1580–1648
|
8 |
|
Missa Don vien cela
|
(Mass) |
Gatto, Simone
c.1540-1550–1595
|
6 |
|
Missa Dorium
|
(Mass) |
Handl, Jacob (Gallus)
1550–1591
|
6 |
|
Missa Dormendo un giorno
Nancho Alvarez
|
(Mass) |
Guerrero, Francisco
1528–1599
|
4 |
|
Missa Dormend'un giorno abaia
|
(Mass) |
Alberti, Gasparo
c.1489–c.1560
|
5 |
|
Missa Doulce memoire
|
(Mass) |
Crecquillon, Thomas
c.1505–1557
|
4 |
Praestantissimorum divinae musices au... (RISM 1570/1)
Praestantissimorum divinae musices auctorum missae decem, quatuor, quinque & sex vocum, antehac nunquam excusae
Leuven: Bellère, Jean and Phalèse the Elder, Pierre, 1570
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#2
|
|
Attrib: Tho. Cricquillon |
IV: Kyrie in f3 clef in error |
|
Missa Doulce memoire
Pothárn Imre (Up a tone)
Pothárn Imre
|
(Mass) |
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
4 |
(D-Mbs 68)
c.1565-c.1585
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#2
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
(D-As Tonk.Sch. 49)
Dreer, Johannes, 1568
(Choirbook, MS)
#2
|
|
Attrib: Orlandi di Lassus |
|
Liber primus missarum quatuor vocum (D-As Tonk.Sch. 9)
1572
(Choirbook, MS)
#9
|
|
Attrib: Orlando di Lasso |
|
Missae variis concentibus ornatae ab ... (RISM L900)
Missae variis concentibus ornatae ab Orlando de Lassus…
Paris: Ballard, Robert (i) and Le Roy, Adrian, 1577-1578
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Orlando de Lassus |
|
Misse Decem variis concentibus ornate... (RISM L983)
Misse Decem variis concentibus ornate ... cum quatuor vocibus concinendae
Venice: Gardano, Angelo, 1588
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#5
|
|
Attrib: Orlando Lasso |
|
|
Missa Doulce memoire
|
(Mass) |
Rore, Cipriano de
1515/1516–1565
|
5 |
|
Missa Du bon du coeur
|
|
Anon
|
5 |
(D-Mbs 6)
1500-1524
(Choirbook, MS)
#4
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
(D-Mbs 5)
1515-1535
(Choirbook, MS)
#4
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
|
Missa Ductus est Jesus
|
(Mass) |
Esquivel Barahona, Juan
c.1562–c.1625
|
4 |
|
Missa Ductus est Jesus
|
(Mass) |
Lobo, Duarte
?1594–1646
|
4 |
Liber II. missarum IIII. V. et VI. vo... (RISM L2592)
Liber II. missarum IIII. V. et VI. vocibus
Antwerp: Plantin, Christophe and Moreti, Balthasar, 1639
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#6
|
|
Attrib: Edvardi Lvpi |
|
|
Missa Dulce me mori
|
(Mass) |
Chamaterò, Ippolito
c.1535–after 1592
|
7 |
(SI-Lnr 339)
Ljubljana: Kuglmann, Georg, c.1600
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#22
|
|
Attrib: Hippolitus Cammaterus |
Textless. Upon the chanson 'Doulce memoire' by Sandrin |
|
Missa Dulcis amica Dei
|
(Mass) |
Certon, Pierre
d.1572
|
4 |
|
Missa Dum aurora
|
(Mass) |
Lobo, Duarte
?1594–1646
|
4 |
Liber II. missarum IIII. V. et VI. vo... (RISM L2592)
Liber II. missarum IIII. V. et VI. vocibus
Antwerp: Plantin, Christophe and Moreti, Balthasar, 1639
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#7
|
|
Attrib: Edvardi Lvpi |
|
|
Missa Dum complerentur
Nancho Alvarez
Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
|
(Mass) |
Victoria, Tomás Luis de
1548–1611
|
6 |
Liber primus qui missas, psalmos, Mag... (RISM V1427)
Liber primus qui missas, psalmos, Magnificat ad Virginem Dei Matrem salutationes, aliaque complectitur
Venice: Gardano, Angelo, 1576
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#5
|
|
Attrib: Thomae Ludovici de Victoria |
|
Missarum libri duo quae partim quater... (RISM V1431)
Missarum libri duo quae partim quaternis, partim quinis, partim senis concinuntur vocibus
Rome: Basae, Dominici, 1583
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#7
|
|
Attrib: Thomae Ludouici de victoria |
|
(GB-Lcm 2035)
London, c.1600-c.1625
(Partbook, MS)
#58
|
|
Attrib: Ludo: Victoria |
Crucifixus section only |
|
Missa Dum complerentur
Pothárn Imre (chiavette)
Pothárn Imre (down a minor third)
Pothárn Imre (down a fourth)
Regensburger Domspatzen
|
(Mass) |
Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da
c.1525–1594
|
6 |
Ioannis Petraloysii Praenestin Missar... (RISM P681)
Ioannis Petraloysii Praenestin Missarum cum quatuor, quinque & sex vocibus, liber octavus
Venice: Scotto, Girolamo, 1599
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#5
|
|
Attrib: Ioannis Petraloysii Praenestin |
|
Mißarum cum quatuor, quinque, & sex v... (RISM P682)
Mißarum cum quatuor, quinque, & sex vocibus. Liber octavus
Venice: Scotto, Girolamo, 1609
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#5
|
|
Attrib: Ioannis Petraloysii Praenestin |
|
|
Missa Dum complerentur
Francis Bevan (SATTB)
|
(Mass) |
Asola, Giovanni Matteo
c.1532–1609
|
5 |
Missae tres ad voces quinque quarum n... (RISM A2505)
Missae tres ad voces quinque quarum nomina sunt
Venice: Gardano, Antonio, 1570
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: D. Ioanne Mattaeho Asula |
Upon the motet by Arcadelt? |
Missae quatuor ad voces quinque (RISM A2572)
Venice: Vincenti, Giacomo, 1588
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#2
|
|
Attrib: Io: Matthaeo Asula |
|
|
Missa Dum deambularet
|
(Mass) |
Clereau, Pierre
fl.1539–1567
|
4 |
|