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 |
Surrexit pastor bonus
|
|
Vulpius, Melchior
c.1570–1615
|
9 |
|
Surrexit pastor bonus
|
|
Massaino, Tiburtio
before 1550–after 1608
|
1 |
|
Surrexit pastor bonus
|
|
Pesciolini, Biagio
|
8 |
|
Surrexit pastor bonus
|
|
Baglioni, Girolamo
c.1575–1608
|
6 |
Sacrarum cantionum qua una, binis, te... (RISM B644)
Sacrarum cantionum qua una, binis, ternis, quatuor, quinque, & sex vocibus concinuntur, Liber primus, & opus secundum
Milan: Lomazzo, Filippo and Tini, Simone, 1608
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#29
|
|
Attrib: Hieronymi Ballioni |
|
|
Surrexit pastor bonus
|
|
Ingegneri, Marco Antonio
c.1535–1592
|
6 |
|
Surrexit pastor bonus - Ecce crucem Domini
Francis Bevan (SATBarB)
|
|
Prenner, Georg
d.1590
|
5 |
|
Surrexit pastor bonus - Ecce crucem Domini
|
|
Conflicting attributions
|
5 |
(I-MOd IX)
Vecchi, Orazio, c.1520-1530
(Choirbook, MS)
#13
|
|
Attrib: Silva |
|
(I-Bc Q.27 Iº)
Bologna, c.1525-c.1550
(Partbook, MS)
#35
|
|
Attrib: A. de silva |
|
(V-CVbav Capp.Sist. 24)
Rome: Parvus, Johannes, c.1538-c.1550
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#7
|
|
Attrib: And. de silva |
|
Secundus tomus novi operis musici, se... (RISM 1538/3)
Secundus tomus novi operis musici, sex, quinque et quatuor vocum, nunc recens in lucem editus
Nuremberg: Formschneider, Hieronymus, 1538
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#17
|
|
Attrib: Hermannus |
|
(D-Sl 43)
Stuttgart, c.1540
(Choirbook, MS)
#6
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
|
Surrexit pastor bonus - Et enim pascha nostrum
|
|
Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da
c.1525–1594
|
8 |
|
Surrexit pastor bonus - Et enim pascha nostrum
|
|
Regnart, Jacob
1540-1545–1599
|
4 |
|
Surrexi ut aperirem dilecto
|
|
Leoni, Leone
c.1560–1627
|
4 |
|
Sur tous amans le moins heureulx suis
|
|
Berchem, Jacquet de
c.1505–1567
|
4 |
|
Sur tous regretz
Pothárn Imre
Pothárn Imre (Down a fourth)
|
|
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
5 |
Tiers livre des chansons a quatre cin... (RISM L764)
Tiers livre des chansons a quatre cincq et six parties novellement composez par Orlando di Lassus. Convenables tant aux instrumentez comme à la Voix
Leuven: Phalèse the Elder, Pierre, 1560
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#15
|
|
Attrib: Orlando di Lassus |
|
Bourdenay codex (F-Pn 851)
Paris, c.1570-c.1599
(Score, MS)
#385
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
Mellange d'Orlande de Lassus, contena... (RISM L834)
Mellange d'Orlande de Lassus, contenant plusieurs chansons, tant en vers latins qu'en ryme francoyses. A quatre, cinc, six, huit, dix, parties
Paris: Ballard, Robert (i) and Le Roy, Adrian, 1570
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#47
|
|
Attrib: Orlande |
|
|
Sur tous regretz
|
|
Pevernage, Andreas
1542/1543–1591
|
5 |
|
Sur tous regretz les miens plus piteulx pleure
|
|
Richafort, Jean
c.1480–c.1550
|
4 |
|
Sur tous regretz les miens plus piteulx pleure
|
|
Nicolas, ?Guillaume
fl.1533–1578
|
5 |
|
Susanna ab improbis senibus - Postquam autem falso eorum
Pothárn Imre (chiavette)
Pothárn Imre (down a fourth)
|
|
Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da
c.1525–1594
|
6 |
Motettorum quae partim quinis, partim... (RISM P711)
Motettorum quae partim quinis, partim senis, partim octonis vocibus concinantur, Liber Tertius nunc primum in lucem aeditus
Venice: Scotto, Girolamo, 1575
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#19
|
|
Attrib: Iohannis Petraloysii Praenestini |
|
Motettorum quae partim quinis partim ... (RISM P712)
Motettorum quae partim quinis partim senis, partim octonis vocibus concinantur, liber tertius
Venice: Scotto, Girolamo, 1581
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#19
|
|
Attrib: Iohannis Petraloysii Praenestini |
|
Harmoniae miscellae cantionum sacraru... (RISM 1583/2)
Harmoniae miscellae cantionum sacrarum, ab exquisitissimis aetatis nostrae musicis cum quinque & sex vocibus concinnatae, pleraeque omnes novae, necdum in Germania typis scriptae: nunc autem editae studio Leonardi Lechneri Athesini
Nuremberg: Gerlach, Katharina, 1583
(Partbook, Print)
#30
|
|
Attrib: Iohannes Petraloysius Praenestinus |
|
Liber tertius ... Motectorum quae par... (RISM P715)
Liber tertius ... Motectorum quae partim quinis, partim senis, partim octonis vocibus concinuntur
Venice: Gardano, Angelo, 1594
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#19
|
|
Attrib: Ioan: Petri Aloysii Praenestini |
|
|
Susanna fair
David Fraser (SABar)
|
|
Byrd, William
c.1540–1623
|
3 |
Songs of sundrie natures, some of gra... (RISM B5212)
Songs of sundrie natures, some of gravitie, and others of myrth, fit for all companies and voyces. Lately made and composed into Musicke of 3.4.5. and 6. parts: and published for the delight of all such as take pleasure in the exercise of that art
London: East, Thomas, 1589
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#8
|
|
Attrib: VVilliam Byrd |
|
|
Susanna fair
David Fraser (SATBarB)
Alamire
|
|
Byrd, William
c.1540–1623
|
5 |
(GB-Ob Mus.Sch.e.423)
Oxford, c.1575-1586
(Partbook, MS)
#14
|
|
Attrib: Mr Birde |
|
Dow partbooks (GB-Och 984-988)
Oxford: Baldwin, John and Dow, Robert, c.1581-c.1588
(Partbook, MS)
#62
|
|
Attrib: Birde |
Solo + 4 instruments |
Psalmes, Sonets, & songs of sadness a... (RISM B5209)
Psalmes, Sonets, & songs of sadness and pietie, made into Musicke of five parts: whereof, some of them going abroad among divers, in untrue coppies, are heere truely corrected, and th'other being Songs very rare and newly composed, are heere published, for the recreation of all such as delight in Musicke
London: East, Thomas, 1588
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#29
|
|
Attrib: William Byrd |
|
|
Susanna se videns rapi stuprandam fraude
|
|
Anon
|
6 |
|
Susanne ung jour
|
|
Anon
|
3 |
|
Susanne un jour
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
Tiers livre, ou sont contenues plusie... (RISM 1555/17)
Tiers livre, ou sont contenues plusieurs chansons tirées du recueil: des meileures tant anciennes que modernes, composées de divers excellents musiciens: desquelles avons changé la verbe lubrique en lettre spirituelle et chrestienne. Le tout à quatre parties & en quatre livres.
[Geneva]: Du Bosc, Simon and Guéroult, Guillaume, 1555
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#38
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
|
Susanne un jour
|
|
Ferrabosco, Alfonso (i)
1543–1588
|
5 |
|
Susanne un jour
|
|
Jeune, Claude le
c.1528–1600
|
5 |
|
Susanne un jour
|
|
Lassus, Orlande de
c.1532–1594
|
5 |
Tiers livre des chansons a quatre cin... (RISM L764)
Tiers livre des chansons a quatre cincq et six parties novellement composez par Orlando di Lassus. Convenables tant aux instrumentez comme à la Voix
Leuven: Phalèse the Elder, Pierre, 1560
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#21
|
|
Attrib: Orlando di Lassus |
= Susanne ung jour |
Bourdenay codex (F-Pn 851)
Paris, c.1570-c.1599
(Score, MS)
#379
|
|
Attrib: Orlando |
|
Mellange d'Orlande de Lassus, contena... (RISM L834)
Mellange d'Orlande de Lassus, contenant plusieurs chansons, tant en vers latins qu'en ryme francoyses. A quatre, cinc, six, huit, dix, parties
Paris: Ballard, Robert (i) and Le Roy, Adrian, 1570
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#51
|
|
Attrib: Orlande |
|
(GB-Ob Tenbury 389)
Oxford, c.1580-1610
(Partbook, MS)
#61
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
Dow partbooks (GB-Och 984-988)
Oxford: Baldwin, John and Dow, Robert, c.1581-c.1588
(Partbook, MS)
#75
|
|
Attrib: Orlando |
Instrumental |
Musica Transalpina. Madrigales transl... (RISM 1588/29)
Musica Transalpina. Madrigales translated of foure, fiue and sixe parts, chosen out of diuers excellent Authors...
London: East, Thomas and Yonge, Nicholas, 1588
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#16
|
|
Attrib: Orlando di Lasso |
as Susanna fair |
McGhie MS (GB-DORmcghie)
Wimborne, c.1595-c.1613
(Partbook, MS)
#64
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
|
(US-NYp Drexel 4180-4185)
New York: Merro, John, 1600-1650
(Partbook, MS)
#70
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
as Susanna fair |
Motetes a 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (E-VAcp 20)
Valencia, 1641
(Partbook, MS)
#25
|
|
Attrib: Anon |
as Siendo de amor Susana requerida |
|
Susanne un jour
|
|
Pevernage, Andreas
1542/1543–1591
|
5 |
|