--- /dev/null
+
+
+This is the toplevel README to LilyPond
+***************************************
+
+ LilyPond is a music typesetter. It produces beautiful sheet music
+using a high level description file as input. LilyPond is part of the
+GNU Project.
+
+Versioning
+==========
+
+ LilyPond uses a versioning scheme similar to the Linux kernel. In a
+version "x.y.z", an even second number 'y' denotes a stable version.
+For development versions 'y' is odd. For using straightforward score
+production, please use the latest stable version. Development versions
+may not produce good or nice scores.
+
+Requirements
+============
+
+ For the compilation and running of LilyPond you need some additional
+packages. Please refer to the installation instructions.
+
+ NOTE: If you downloaded a binary (.rpm or a W95/NT .zip file), you
+don't have to compile LilyPond.
+
+Installation
+============
+
+ For your convenience, a formatted copy of the INSTALL instructions
+are in the toplevel directory, as INSTALL.txt
+
+Documentation
+=============
+
+ The real documentation is the directory Documentation/
+
+ If you want to read the documentation online, these are options:
+ * use `.html'. Refer to INSTALL.txt for info on how to make the
+ .html documentation.
+
+ * use `.html'. Point your browser to
+ `http://www.cs.uu.nl/~hanwen/lilypond/index.html'.
+
+ * use `.dvi', for the tutorial and reference manual. Do
+
+ make -C Documentation/user/ dvi
+
+ * use ASCII. Do using
+ make -C doc
+
+
+Comments
+========
+
+ LilyPond is a long way from finished and polished. We do appreciate
+criticism, comments, bugreports, patches, etc.
+
+ Please send your e-mail to one of the MAILING LISTS
+
+ and _not_ to us personally. See `Documentation/mail.texi' for more
+info.
+
+Windows 32
+==========
+
+ If you have received this file as part of a DOS/Window32 distribution
+(`LilyPond-*.zip'), it is advisable to also download the source
+package, since it might contain more documentation
+`ftp://ftp.cs.uu.nl/pub/GNU/LilyPond/'
+
+ If you decide to build LilyPond from source, please read the
+INSTALL.txt document first, especially the Windows NT/95 section.
+
+Caveats
+=======
+
+ If you have installed a previous version, be sure to remove old font
+files, eg.,
+ rm `find /var/lib/texmf/fonts -name 'feta*'`
+
+ a script to do this for you is in `buildscripts/clean-fonts.sh'
+
+Bugs
+====
+
+ Send bug reports to <bug-gnu-music@gnu.org>. For help and questions
+use <help-gnu-music@gnu.org> and <gnu-music-discuss@gnu.org>. Please
+consult the FAQ and installation instructions before mailing your
+problems.
+
+CDROM distributions
+===================
+
+ If you have received LilyPond on a cdrom, chances are that
+development has moved some patchlevels up. Please check the latest
+version of LilyPond before reporting bugs.
+