Catalogue of Variants
The Catalogue of variants is accessible at this link.
Variants in the linked table may be selected by any column and sorted by any combination of source, piece, type, and subtype.
To select variants:
Open the catalogue through the link, then click the funnel next to the box under a column heading and check categories to include.
To sort and group variants:
The default sort order is: Source (prints, with Choralis II first, then manuscripts), Piece (liturgical order), Voice (D, A, T, B), Location (verse, if applicable, then measures). Useful modifications to the default display include:
- To retain the default order, but display the sources and pieces as groups, drag the column headings for source, then piece, to the "set row groups" box. This provides visual clarity and shows the number of items in each category and subcategory.
- To sort by piece, then source, drag the same column headings to the "set row groups" box in the opposite order.
- To collate the variants in multiple sources, so that their corresponding variants are adjacent, group the variants by piece, then location, by dragging the column headings as above.
- To group results by type, and optionally by subtype, drag those column names to the “set row groups” box. This analysis is useful for determining the number of variants of each type in a given source and for observing the nature of the specific variants within each category. It provides the clearest results if only one source is selected at a time. The order of the variant types will be determined by the content of the search; it will not be alphabetical.
If only one source or piece is selected in any search, there is no need to apply group-level sorting to that parameter.
Further information on specific variants impacting database queries:
Each individual variant in this database is assigned a unique alphanumeric identifier [a primary key] which is essentially an abbreviation for all the variant types in default sort order listed above.
- Source – Query results are listed starting with the Choralis book number, and then the print or manuscript in which the variant is found.
For example, unchecking every print and manuscript besides H-Bn Bartfa 02 will yield a search result only shows Choralis II print variants found in the H-Bn Bartfa 02 manuscript.
Upon later installments of this website, when Choralis I and Choralis III are added to the variant database, the same above query will yield the same variants found in the same manuscript, but will not include variants found in Choralis I, Choralis II, and Choralis III unless the user were to unselect results from Choralis I and Choralis III.
- Piece – Query results list the sections of the Choralis Constantinus. Each section is identified by an alphanumeric marker alluding to a given musical section’s order placement in the Choralis [01b] followed by the type of piece [Alleluia]
- The voice query results are returned in part book order:
D – Discantus – Soprano
A – Altus – Alto
T – Tenor
B – Bassus – Bass
- Location – The location identifier denotes the verse [V:], followed by the measure number [m. or mm.], followed by the note number [n.]
Common Search Methods:
- Users can search the database for that variant by piece, voice part, location, type, and subtype, if they are looking at the New Isaac Edition Score hoping to gain more information about how the editorial team came to its decisions on a specific notational or textual point.
The database will show all relevant variants and the source prints and manuscripts in which they were found. Using the links to the online repositories hosting these prints and manuscripts, the user can then locate the variant in the manuscripts that the editors used to justify their decisions and then draw their own conclusions about the validity of these decisions.
- Users looking at one or multiple prints and manuscripts of Isaac’s works hosted on online repositories can gain more information about how the editorial team chose to resolve certain problems or discrepancies by searching the database for source, piece, and voice part.
The database will show all relevant variants accounted for in the New Issac Edition and, in the location column, they can be found. Future iterations may include an image of the variant resolution in the New Isaac score. Such queries may assist individuals attempting to perform from the score with suggestions on how to resolve certain issues in their own performance.