Incipits
It is customary when transcribing mensural music into modern notation to place
an indication of how the initial rests and note or notes of the original version
appeared – including the original clefs. This is called an incipit. The
\incipit command uses the indent of the main staff to set the
width occupied by the incipit, and incipit-width to set the width of the
incipit staff.
\score { \new Staff << \new Voice = Tenor { \set Staff.instrumentName = "Tenor" \override Staff.InstrumentName.self-alignment-X = #RIGHT \incipit { \clef "mensural-c4" \key f \major r\breve r1 c'1 } \clef "treble_8" \key f \major R1 r2 c'2 | a4. c'8 } \new Lyrics \lyricsto Tenor { Cyn -- thia your } >> \layout { indent = 5\cm incipit-width = 3\cm } }
![[image of music]](../5f/lily-96b48955.png)
Known issues and warnings
Note that instrumentName must be set in the music for the incipit to be
produced. If no instrument name is required then use
\set Staff.instrumentName = "".