New features in 1.8 since 1.6
=============================

** There chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
cleaner and more flexible.

** A new syntax has been added for  text entry.

This syntax is more friendly than the old mechanism, and it is
implemented in a more robust and modular way.

** Deeper integration of the input language and Scheme. You can now use
LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme expressions instead of
LilyPond identifiers.

** The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
converted to Scheme data structure.  The representation can optionally
be exported as XML.

** A new syntax has been added for chords:

	<< PITCHES >>

In version 2.0, this syntax will be changed to

   < PITCHES >  for chords

and

   \simultaneous { .. } for simultaneous music.

** A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.

A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as

	c8-[-( d8-]-) 

In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
available, and the dashes will become optional.

** User code may now be executed during interpreting.

The syntax for this code is 

	\applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION


** New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. This
algorithm can be tuned and has an ergonomic syntax for entering
exceptions.

** Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, eg.

	R1*20^\markup { "GP" }

** Ancient notation ... ?? ...  (Jurgen?)

** Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.

** Clusters may now be printed. The syntax is:

	NOTE-\startCluster

	..
	NOTE-\stopCluster

** For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
syntax for this is

	#(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))

** Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed.

	NOTE-\startGroup
		..
	NOTE-\stopGroup

** Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature.
The syntax is

	#(set-octavation 1)

** Metronome markings are printed when a
\tempo command is processed. 

** Fingerings can be horizontally on chords.

** The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned 

** Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested

** The emacs support has been extended.

** The manual has been completely revised and extended manual.



New features in 1.6 since 1.4
=============================

* Support for figured bass and tablature.

* Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
now.

* Completely revised and improved music font.

* Completely rewritten MIDI import support.

* Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.

* Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
chord are handled much better.

* Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
details like optical stem spacing.

* More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
(pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.

* More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
arpeggio brackets.

* Easier music polyphonic music entry.

* More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes

* The manual has been thoroughly revised.

* Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.

* Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
which comes with a user-friendly installer.