Ancient and modern from one source

Using tags to produce mensural and modern music from the same source

Using tags, it is possible to produce both mensural and modern notation from the same music. In this snippet, a function \menrest is introduced, allowing mensural rests to be pitched as in the original, but with modern rests in the standard staff position.

Tags can also be used where other differences are needed: for example using “whole measure rests” (R1, R\breve, etc.) in modern music, but normal rests (r1, r\breve, etc.) in the mensural version. Converting mensural music to its modern equivalent is usually referred to as transcription.

\header { tagline = ##f }

menrest =
#(define-music-function (note)
  (ly:music?)
    #{
      \tag #'mens $(make-music 'RestEvent note)
      \tag #'mod $(make-music 'RestEvent note 'pitch '())
    #})

MenStyle = {
  \autoBeamOff
  \override NoteHead.style = #'petrucci
  \override Score.BarNumber.transparent = ##t
  \override Stem.neutral-direction = #up
}

finalis = \section

Music = \relative c'' {
  \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t
  \key f \major
  \time 4/4
  g1 d'2 \menrest bes4 bes2 a2 r4 g4 fis2.
  \finalis
}

MenLyr = \lyricmode { So farre, deere life, deare life }
ModLyr = \lyricmode { So far, dear life, dear life }

\score {
  \keepWithTag #'mens {
    <<
      \new MensuralStaff
      {
        \new MensuralVoice = Cantus
          \clef "mensural-c1" \MenStyle \Music
      }
      \new Lyrics \lyricsto Cantus \MenLyr
    >>
  }
}

\score {
  \keepWithTag #'mod {
    \new ChoirStaff <<
      \new Staff
      {
        \new Voice = Sop \with {
          \remove "Note_heads_engraver"
          \consists "Completion_heads_engraver"
          \remove "Rest_engraver"
          \consists "Completion_rest_engraver" }
        {
          \shiftDurations 1 0 { \autoBeamOff \Music }
        }
      }
      \new Lyrics \lyricsto Sop \ModLyr
    >>
  }
}

[image of music]


LilyPond Notation Reference v2.25.14 (development-branch).