Typesetting Gregorian chant in various styles of ancient notation
is described in @ref{Ancient notation}.
+@seealso
+Notation reference:
+@ref{Ancient notation}.
+
+
+@node Setting a chant
+@unnumberedsubsubsec Setting a chant
+
Modern chant settings use modern notation with varying numbers of
elements taken from ancient notation. Some of the elements and
-methods to consider are these:
-
-@itemize
+methods to consider are shown here.
-@item
Chants often use quarter notes without stems to indicate the pitch,
-with the rhythm being taken from the spoken rhythm of the words. To
-remove the stem set the @code{transparent} property of the
-@code{Stem} grob to @code{#t}. See
-@rlearning{Visibility and color of objects} and
-@ref{Visibility of objects}. An alternative is set the
-@code{length} property to @code{0}.
+with the rhythm being taken from the spoken rhythm of the words.
-@item
-Chants usually omit the bar lines or use shortened or dotted bar
-lines to indicate pauses in the music. To omit bar lines
-completely use @code{\cadenzaOn} or remove the @code{Bar_engraver}.
-See @ref{Unmetered music} and @ref{Modifying context plug-ins}.
+@lilypond[verbatim,quote]
+stemOff = { \override Staff.Stem #'transparent = ##t }
-@item
-To use modified bar lines see the @emph{Bar lines} section in
-@ref{Bars}. Alternatively, the correct Gregorian chant notation
-for pauses or rests in the music are described in @emph{Divisiones}
-in @ref{Typesetting Gregorian chant}.
+\relative c' {
+ \stemOff
+ a'4 b c2 |
+}
-@item
-Chants usually omit the time signature and often omit the clef too.
-To omit these remove the @code{Time_signature_engraver} and
-@code{Clef_engraver} from the @code{Staff} context respectively.
-For details, see @ref{Modifying context plug-ins}.
+@end lilypond
-@end itemize
+Chants often omit the bar lines or use shortened or dotted bar
+lines to indicate pauses in the music. To omit all bar lines from
+all staves remove the bar line engraver completely:
-@seealso
-Learning Manual:
-@rlearning{Visibility and color of objects}.
+@lilypond[verbatim,quote]
+\score {
+ \new StaffGroup <<
+ \new Staff {
+ \relative c'' {
+ a4 b c2 |
+ a4 b c2 |
+ a4 b c2 |
+ }
+ }
+ \new Staff {
+ \relative c'' {
+ a4 b c2 |
+ a4 b c2 |
+ a4 b c2 |
+ }
+ }
+ >>
+ \layout {
+ \context {
+ \Staff
+ \remove Bar_engraver
+ }
+ }
+}
+@end lilypond
-Notation reference:
-@ref{Ancient notation},
-@ref{Visibility of objects},
-@ref{Bars},
-@ref{Unmetered music},
-@ref{Modifying context plug-ins},
-@ref{Typesetting Gregorian chant}.
+Bar lines can also be removed on a staff-by-staff basis:
-@node Setting a chant
-@unnumberedsubsubsec Setting a chant
+@lilypond[verbatim, quote]
+\score {
+ \new ChoirStaff <<
+ \new Staff
+ \with { \remove Bar_engraver } {
+ \relative c'' {
+ a4 b c2 |
+ a4 b c2 |
+ a4 b c2 |
+ }
+ }
+ \new Staff {
+ \relative c'' {
+ a4 b c2 |
+ a4 b c2 |
+ a4 b c2 |
+ }
+ }
+ >>
+}
+@end lilypond
+
+To remove bar lines from just a section of music treat it as a
+cadenza. If the section is long you may need to insert dummy
+barlines with @code{\bar ""} to show where the line should break.
+
+@lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
+a4 b c2 |
+\cadenzaOn
+a4 b c2
+a4 b c2
+\bar ""
+a4 b c2
+a4 b c2
+\cadenzaOff
+a4 b c2 |
+a4 b c2 |
+@end lilypond
+
+Rests or pauses in chants can be indicated by modified bar lines.
+
+@lilypond[verbatim, quote,relative=2]
+a4
+\cadenzaOn
+b c2
+a4 b c2
+\bar "'"
+a4 b c2
+a4 b c2
+\bar ":"
+a4 b c2
+\bar "dashed"
+a4 b c2
+\bar "||"
+@end lilypond
+
+Alternatively, the notation used in Gregorian chant for pauses or
+rests is sometimes used even though the rest of the notation is
+modern. This uses a modified @code{\breathe} mark:
+
+@lilypond[verbatim,quote]
+divisioMinima = {
+ \once \override BreathingSign #'stencil = #ly:breathing-sign::divisio-minima
+ \once \override BreathingSign #'Y-offset = #0
+ \breathe
+}
+divisioMaior = {
+ \once \override BreathingSign #'stencil = #ly:breathing-sign::divisio-maior
+ \once \override BreathingSign #'Y-offset = #0
+ \breathe
+}
+divisioMaxima = {
+ \once \override BreathingSign #'stencil = #ly:breathing-sign::divisio-maxima
+ \once \override BreathingSign #'Y-offset = #0
+ \breathe
+}
+finalis = {
+ \once \override BreathingSign #'stencil = #ly:breathing-sign::finalis
+ \once \override BreathingSign #'Y-offset = #0
+ \breathe
+}
+
+\score {
+ \relative c'' {
+ g2 a4 g
+ \divisioMinima
+ g2 a4 g
+ \divisioMaior
+ g2 a4 g
+ \divisioMaxima
+ g2 a4 g
+ \finalis
+ }
+ \layout {
+ \context {
+ \Staff
+ \remove Bar_engraver
+ }
+ }
+}
+@end lilypond
-Chants in the Anglican tradition are usually either single, with 7
-bars of music, or double, with two lots of 7 bars. Each group of 7
-bars is divided into two halves, corresponding to the two halves of
-each verse, usually separated by a double bar line. Only whole and
-half notes are used. The 1st bar in each half always contains a
-single chord of whole notes. This is the @qq{reciting note}.
+Chants usually omit the time signature and often omit the clef too.
-Some approaches to setting a chant are shown in the following
-snippets.
+@lilypond[verbatim,quote]
+\score {
+ \new Staff {
+ \relative c'' {
+ a4 b c2 |
+ a4 b c2 |
+ a4 b c2 |
+ }
+ }
+ \layout {
+ \context {
+ \Staff
+ \remove Bar_engraver
+ \remove Time_signature_engraver
+ \remove Clef_engraver
+ }
+ }
+}
+@end lilypond
+
+Chants for psalms in the Anglican tradition are usually either
+@emph{single}, with 7 bars of music, or @emph{double}, with two lots
+of 7 bars. Each group of 7 bars is divided into two halves,
+corresponding to the two halves of each verse, usually separated by
+a double bar line. Only whole and half notes are used. The 1st bar
+in each half always contains a single chord of whole notes. This is
+the @qq{reciting note}.
+
+Some approaches to setting such a chant are shown in the first of
+the following snippets, and another example can be seen in the
+templates, see @qq{Psalms} in @rlearning{Vocal ensembles}.
@snippets
Canticles and other liturgical texts may be set more freely, and
may use notational elements from ancient music. Often the words
-are shown underneath and aligned with the notes.
+are shown underneath and aligned with the notes. If so, the notes
+are spaced in accordance with the syllables rather than the notes'
+durations.
@lilypondfile[verbatim,lilyquote,ragged-right,texidoc,doctitle]
{ancient-notation-template----modern-transcription-of-gregorian-music.ly}
@seealso
+Learning Manual:
+@rlearning{Visibility and color of objects}.
+
Notation Reference:
-@ref{Typesetting Gregorian chant}.
+@ref{Ancient notation},
+@ref{Bar lines},
+@ref{Modifying context plug-ins},
+@ref{Typesetting Gregorian chant},
+@ref{Unmetered music},
+@ref{Visibility of objects}.
@node Pointing a psalm
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