+New features in 1.8 since 1.6
+=============================
-New features in 1.5
+** The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
+cleaner and more flexible.
-* Development hosted at savannah.gnu.org
+** 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. For more information, refer to the section on
+"Text markup" in the notation manual.
-* Tablature support.
+** Deeper integration of the input language and Scheme. You can now use
+LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme expressions instead of
+LilyPond identifiers.
-* Many speedups, many slowdowns.
+** The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
+and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
+exported as XML.
-* More extensibility.
+** A new syntax has been added for chords:
-* Figured bass support.
+ << PITCHES >>
+
+It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
+using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
+changed to
+
+ < PITCHES > for chords
+
+and
+
+ \simultaneous { .. } for simultaneous music.
+
+To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
+included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
+
+** 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
+
+
+** User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
+The syntax for this feature is
+
+ \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
+
+SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
+that is created in the current context.
+
+** New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
+can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
+
+** Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, eg.
+
+ R1*20^\markup { "GP" }
+
+** Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
+notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
+hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
+without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
+
+** Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
+
+** Clusters may now be printed. The syntax is:
+
+ \apply #clusters-to-notes { NOTE NOTE .. }
+
+** 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 put on chords horizontally.
+
+** 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.
+
+
+
+New features in 1.6 since 1.4
+=============================
+
+* Support for figured bass and tablature.
* Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
now.
-* Improved grace notes.
+* Completely revised and improved music font.
+
+* Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
-* Improved accidental handling and formatting.
+* Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
+means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
-* Better spacing: both globally and locally. It includes subtle
+* 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 ancient notation support: mensural ligatures, porrectuses,
-ambituses, more shapes.
+* 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.
-* Piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios, arpeggio
-brackets.
+* Easier music polyphonic music entry.
-* Some music entry optimizations.
+* More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
-* Font completely revised and improved.
+* The manual has been thoroughly revised.
-* Completely rewritten midi input support.
+* Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
+can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
-* Manual thoroughly revised.
+* Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
+which comes with a user-friendly installer.
-* Many bugfixes.