Re: piano 4-hand scores on facing sheets?

[Johann Petrak]

David Raleigh Arnold wrote:
> It seems to me that this format has the disadvantages of both score and
> parts and the advantages of neither.  Has this been done before?  isn't
> it better to get used to a four stave system?  I'm not trying to give
> you a hard time, I'm really curious.  daveA

I think the facing-page layout is the more traditional one and it is
better suited for teacher/student settings, since it makes it easier for
the (beginning) student to read her own score.
But of course it is no problem to use the four stave system - I was just
curious if the facing page layout is possible.

Laura Conrad wrote:
> I'm not a very good piano player, but I think what he was talking
> about is the standard way to notate 4-hand piano music.  I don't think
> I own any that uses four staves.  Suppose you were playing the top
> part and were way up at the top of the keyboard, and the notes you
> needed to read were way at the left edge of the left page?  At least
> with your own part, the worst you can be is at the left edge of the
> right page.  The same problem of course would hit the bottom
> part player who was at the bottom of the keyboard with notes all the
> way over on the right edge of the right hand page.  Soloists don't
> have their duet partner in the way of the contortions they need to do
> this.

I own a couple that use the four-stave system too and actually
prefer it for more advanced peaces, since it makes it easier
to read the other score and find out where we are ...

I was trying to figure this out just because I wanted to typeset a piece
for teacher and student.

But of course the world does not end if lilypond cannot do this :)

Thank you both for the help!

Johann