Most of the polychoral repertoire can now be located through the RISM database, for example by using the "Coro (2)" or "Coro (3)" filters (shown here with the results limited to sources dated up to 1750).
Because scoring information is not entered consistently in the “Scoring summary” field, it is difficult to retrieve all relevant sources using the filters. It is therefore also useful to use similar filtering in the IMSLP online music library, although it has its own shortcomings: for example, it is not possible to retrieve all eight-part compositions, but only eight-part compositions for a particular scoring, such as choir alone, choir with continuo, choir with strings, etc. (for illustration, see the filters for souble choir and triple choir compositions, although these are limited to mixed choirs).
For this reason, I have been gradually compiling the most interesting polychoral compositions and will be presenting them here.
Below you can find my working lists covering various areas of polychoral repertoire, supplemented with detailed information not readily available in RISM (links to editions, recordings, catalogues, etc.):
Databases:
- Mass ordinaries for 3 or more choirs (up to c. 1800)
- Marian polychoral antiphons (up to c. 1650) (in preparation)
- Music for St John of Nepomuk (in preparation)