Re: doc work

[Kieren MacMillan]

Hi Reinhold,

> all new editions of classical music published by the big German
> publishers like Bärenreiter, Carus, Edition Peters, etc. still use
> that "obsolete practice"...

True… but they also use obsolete practices of treating composers, so  
I'm not sure that they're the best example to follow!  ;-)

All kidding aside, it has often been demonstrated that singers can  
more easily read the modern notation (standard beamed) than the  
traditional one (only melismas beamed), for the same reason that the  
old Novello "backwards eighth-note quarter-note rest" thing is harder  
to read, as is any notation which does not clearly highlight the  
basic metrical structure (e.g., in 4/4 time, the incorrect sequence  
4. 2 8 is not as easy to read as the correct 4. 8~4. 8). In the sense  
that music notation is *supposed* to be always evolving towards  
*more* (not *less*) clarity, the modern melisma notation practice  
makes far more sense.

I, for one, think Lilypond should strive to make the most beautiful  
and useful music possible, not just replicate less-effective  
historical engraving practices — users always have the option to turn  
\autoBeamOff, if they want the obsolete engraving style.

Best wishes,
Kieren.

p.s. I don't have any *new* classical music by the Big Boys — out of  
curiosity, do they use the obsolete practice in new music engraving,  
or is it only new editions of old music?