Each @code{\book} block in a single input file produces a separate
output file, see @ref{File structure}. Within each output file
-two types of titling areas are provided: @emph{Bookpart Titles} at
-the beginning of each bookpart and @emph{Score Titles} at the
-beginning of each score.
+three types of titling areas are provided: @emph{Book Titles} at the
+beginning of each book, @emph{Bookpart Titles} at the beginning of
+each bookpart and @emph{Score Titles} at the beginning of each score.
Values of titling fields such as @code{title} and @code{composer}
are set in @code{\header} blocks. (For the syntax of @code{\header}
blocks and a complete list of the fields available by default see
-@ref{Default layout of bookpart and score titles}). Both Bookpart
-Titles and Score Titles can contain the same fields, although by
-default the fields in Score Titles are limited to @code{piece} and
-@code{opus}.
+@ref{Default layout of bookpart and score titles}). Book Titles,
+Bookpart Titles and Score Titles can all contain the same fields,
+although by default the fields in Score Titles are limited to
+@code{piece} and @code{opus}.
@code{\header} blocks may be placed in four different places to form
a descending hierarchy of @code{\header} blocks:
@itemize
@item
- A Bookpart Title is derived from fields set at the top of the input
+A Book Title is derived from fields set at the top of the input file,
+modified by fields set in the @code{\book} block. The resulting
+fields are used to print the Book Title for that book, providing that
+there is other material which generates a page at the start of the
+book, before the first bookpart. A single @code{\pageBreak} will
+suffice.
+
+@item
+A Bookpart Title is derived from fields set at the top of the input
file, modified by fields set in the @code{\book} block, and further
modified by fields set in the @code{\bookpart} block. The resulting
values are used to print the Bookpart Title for that bookpart.
@cindex breakbefore
+If a @code{\book} block starts immediately with a @code{\bookpart}
+block, no Book Title will be printed, as there is no page on which
+to print it. If a Book Title is required, begin the @code{\book}
+block with some markup material or a @code{\pageBreak} command.
+
Use the @code{breakbefore} variable inside a @code{\header} block
-that is itself in a @code{\score} block, to make the top-level
+that is itself in a @code{\score} block, to make the higher-level
@code{\header} block titles appear on the first page on their own, with
the music (defined in the @code{\score} block) starting on the next.