setting up a very complex choral layout

[Kieren MacMillan]

[ v2.9.14 ]

Hello, all!

I'm currently finishing up a big choral commission, and starting the  
engraving process.

I've never Lily-d any choral piece bigger than a hymn setting, and  
I'm running into some difficulties -- I was hoping someone might be  
able to point me in the right direction(s).

The choral parts will be, "at worst", spread across four staves (S+A+T 
+B) each of which will display two voices (e.g., S1 + S2) with  
potentially independent lyrics. However, at certain points (systems)  
in the piece, a two-stave (SA + TB) or even one staff (unison) layout  
will be possible/preferable.

I would like to have the most reusable possible situation (e.g., I  
might eventually want to have different editions of the same piece),  
but I'm running into difficulties developing the setup and applying  
the correct combination(s) of \partcombine, \lyricsto, etc.

Has anyone done such a big choral setup? If so, what guidelines can  
you recommend?
The relevant manual sections have been, unfortunately, of no help  
past a certain point.

Thanks!
Kieren.

p.s. I'm also creating a piano reduction, so if anything could be  
done (i.e., in the code) to make \partcombine work more smoothly (re:  
8 voice polyphony), I'd appreciate those hints as well...  =)