How to encapsulate TextSpanner?

[H. S. Teoh]

In my piece, I have several passages where I'd like to use a TextSpanner
to indicate "rall. - - - ". Currently, I have to do this:

        \override TextSpanner.bound-details.left.text = "rall."
        \override TextSpanner.direction = #DOWN
        | a b c\startTextSpanner d | d c b a\stopTextSpanner |

I'd like to encapsulate the \override's and \startTextSpanner in a
single command, and abbreviate the \stopTextSpanner command, so that I
can write something like this:

        | a4 b c\rall d | d c b a\endRall |

Is this possible?

I've tried various ways of doing this -- putting the commands in a
variable, using various Scheme make-script / make-music constructs,
etc., but lilypond keeps coming back with error messages. What's the
correct syntax for doing this?

Thanks!!


T

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