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 |
Susanne un jour
Pothárn Imre
|
|
Monte, Philippe de
1521–1603
|
5 |
Second livre des chansons a quatre et... (RISM 1570/6)
Second livre des chansons a quatre et cincq parties, composées par Orlando di Lassus, Cyprian de Rore, & Philippe de Mons, De nouveau corrigées & emendées, Convenables tant aux Instrumens comme à la Voix
Leuven: Phalèse the Elder, Pierre, 1570
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#17
|
|
Attrib: Philippus de monte |
|
|
Susanne un jour
Pothárn Imre (Down a fourth)
Pothárn Imre
|
|
Rore, Cipriano de
1515/1516–1565
|
5 |
Premier livre des chansons a quatre e... (RISM 1570/5)
Premier livre des chansons a quatre et cincq parties, composées par Orlando di Lassus, Cyprian de Rore, Et de nouveau plus correctement que cy devant imprimées & emendées, Convenables tant aux Instruments comme à la voix
Leuven: Phalèse the Elder, Pierre, 1570
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#22
|
|
Attrib: Cyprianus de Rore |
= Susann' ung iour |
Mellange de Chansons tant des vieux a... (RISM 1572/2)
Mellange de Chansons tant des vieux autheurs ques des modernes...
Paris: Ballard, Robert (i) and Le Roy, Adrian, 1572
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#18
|
|
Attrib: Ciprian Rore |
|
|
Susanne un jour
|
|
Nicolas, ?Guillaume
fl.1533–1578
|
5 |
|
Susanne un jour
|
|
Millot, Nicolas
after1589
|
5 |
|
Susanne un jour
|
|
Jeune, Claude le
c.1528–1600
|
7 |
|
Suscepimus Deus
David Fraser [Gradual] (SATTB)
David Fraser [Introit] (SATTB)
The Cardinall's Musick
|
|
Byrd, William
c.1540–1623
|
5 |
(GB-Lcm 2035)
London, c.1600-c.1625
(Partbook, MS)
#60
|
|
Attrib: Mr Bird |
Verse Magnus Dominus only |
Gradualia ac cantiones sacrae, quinis... (RISM B5218)
Gradualia ac cantiones sacrae, quinis, quaternis, trinisque vocibus concinnate Lib. Primus authoe Gulielmo Byrde, Organista Regio, Anglo Editio secunda, priore emendatior
London: Redmer, Richard, 1610
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#1
|
|
Attrib: Gulielmo Byrde |
Used for Introit (with verse: Iustitia - Magnus Dominus) and Gradual (with verse: Sicut audivimus) |
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Rota, Andrea
c.1553–1597
|
6 |
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Aichinger, Gregor
1564–1628
|
6 |
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Lambardi, Girolamo
fl.1586–1623
|
4 |
Contrapunta in introitus missarum qua... (RISM L373)
Contrapunta in introitus missarum quae maioribus sanctorum solemnitatibus toto anni tempore in Ecclesia celebrantur, iuxta morem Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae ... Quatuor vocibus decantanda
Venice: Magni, Bartolomeo, 1617
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#9
|
|
Attrib: D. Hieronymi Lambardi |
|
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Amon, Blasius
c.1560–1590
|
4 |
Introitus dominicales per totum annum... (RISM A945)
Introitus dominicales per totum annum, secundum ritum ecclesiae catholicae, suavitate et brevitate quatuor vocibus exculti, tam utiles quam necessarii
Vienna: Formica, Leonhard, 1601
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#45
|
|
Attrib: F. Blasio Amon Tyrolensi |
|
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Michael, Rogier
c.1552–1619
|
5 |
Introitus dominicorum dierum ac praec... (RISM 1603/5 (M2629))
Introitus dominicorum dierum ac praecipuorum festorum in Electoratus Saxonici Ecclesiis usitarissimorum, iuxta feriem totius anni, ad Modum Sacrarum Cantionem, quas vulgo motetas vocant, quinque vocibus musicis numeris
Leipzig: Lamberg, Abraham, 1603
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#36
|
|
Attrib: Rogerio Michaele |
|
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Serrano, Pedro
|
4 |
Libro de Introitos (E-GU 1)
(Choirbook, MS)
#3
|
|
Attrib: Serrano |
|
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Senfl, Ludwig
c.1486–1542/1543
|
4 |
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Isaac, Heinrich
c.1450–1517
|
4 |
Primus Tomus Coralis Constantini ut v... (RISM I89)
Primus Tomus Coralis Constantini ut vulgo vocant, opus insigne & præclarum, vereque coelestis harmoniæ
Nuremberg: Formschneider, Hieronymus, 1550
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#27
|
|
Attrib: Henrico Isaac |
Introit for eighth Sunday after Pentecost |
Tomus Secundus Choralis Constantini (... (RISM I90)
Tomus Secundus Choralis Constantini (ut vulgo vocant) continens partem primam Historiarum de sanctis, quae diebus festis in templis canuntur
Nuremberg: Formschneider, Hieronymus, 1555
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#13
|
|
Attrib: Henrici Isaac |
Introit for Purification |
Pars hiemalis officiorum divinorum fe... (D-As Tonk.Sch. 23)
Pars hiemalis officiorum divinorum festo natalis christi usque ad eucharistie solennitatem
1575
(Choirbook, MS)
#12
|
|
Attrib: henrico Isaac |
|
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Porta, Costanzo
c.1528–1601
|
5 |
Quinque vocum musica in introitus mis... (RISM P5174)
Quinque vocum musica in introitus missarum, quae in diebus dominicis toto anno celebrantur, iuxta morem Sancte Romanae Ecclesiae; Nunc ab auctore diligentissime emendata
Venice: Bufalini, Fausto and Merulo, Claudio, 1566
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#38
|
|
Attrib: Constantii Portae |
|
Quinque vocum musica in introitus mis... (RISM P5175)
Quinque vocum musica in introitus missarum, quae in diebus dominicis toto anno celebrantur, iuxta morem Sancte Romanae Ecclesiae; Nunc ab auctore diligentissime emendata
Venice: Gardano, Angelo, 1588
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#38
|
|
Attrib: Constantii Portae |
|
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Asola, Giovanni Matteo
c.1532–1609
|
4 |
Introitus missarum omnium maiorum sol... (RISM A2546)
Introitus missarum omnium maiorum solemnitatum totius anni, & alleluia, ac musica super canto plano ... Quattuor Vocum
Brescia: Bozzola, Tomaso, 1583
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#22
|
|
Attrib: Ioannem Matthaeum Asulam |
|
Introitus in dominicus diebus totius ... (RISM A2598)
Introitus in dominicus diebus totius anni et ad aspersionem aque benedicte. Videlicet, Asperges me, & Vidi aquam egredientem. Musica suer cantu plano restituto quatuor vocibus
Venice: Amadino, Ricciardo, 1598
(Choirbook, Print)
RISM
#33
|
|
Attrib: Io: Matthaeo Asula Veronensi |
|
In omnibus totius anni solemnitatibus... (RISM A2600)
In omnibus totius anni solemnitatibus, Introitus et Alleluia, ad missalis Romani formam ordinati. Musica super cantu plano restituto. Quatuor vocibus.
Venice: Amadino, Ricciardo, 1598
(Partbook, Print)
RISM
#12
|
|
Attrib: Io: Matthaeo Asula Veronensi |
|
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Isaac, Heinrich
c.1450–1517
|
6 |
(D-Mbs 31)
Munich: Weissenberger, Albert and Senfl, Ludwig, c.1510
(Choirbook, MS)
RISM
#7
|
|
Attrib: Yzac |
Introit for Purification |
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Giacobbi, Girolamo
1567–1628
|
8 |
|
Suscepimus Deus
|
|
Otto, Georg
1550–1618
|
5 |
|
Suscepimus Deus misericordiam
|
|
Aichinger, Gregor
1564–1628
|
6 |
|
Suscepimus Deus misericordiam [I]
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
|
Suscepimus Deus misericordiam [II]
|
|
Anon
|
4 |
|
Suscepimus Deus misericordiam tuam
|
Ordinary Time 14 (post Pentecost VIII) |
Lechner, Leonhard
c.1553–1606
|
5 |
|