Re: digital music editions - is Lilypond a suitable tool for it?

[musicus]

Dear Urs,

 

I recently learned about MEI and "Beethovens Werkstatt" (and as an example http://zolaemil.github.io/meiView/#pg=1), but I must say that this direction has IMO too many drawbacks/ misleadings.
I didn't know http://beethovens-werkstatt.de/demo, so many thanks for it.

IMO coloring and recognizing an autograph is very laborious and more like a game than really helpful for musicians. Of course it could help to find a specific part of the music sometimes, but at what prize?

A well made, high dpi scan of the original presented as image is fully sufficient for work.

(For better handling, measure synchronisation would be gread, but llittle more work)

 

However, to be able to switch immediately between functional typesetting and various original sources would be a real game changer.

Add to this an enhanced typesetting with the possibility to toggle between all variants and you could provide a real URTEXT edition.

I value well made print editions as HENLE or BAERENREITER very highly, but in most cases I begin to struggle with them at some point and search for the original autograph and/ or first edition.

I think, at this point there is a lot of demand for professionally scientific digital editions, because until today no publisher can present all the information in one place.

Maybe HENLE has made a beginning with its "library", but you won't have direct access to original sources etc.

Verovio (and any other real time engraver?) is no option - nearly perfect output is must have.

 

So, the question is, if such an "enhanced typesetting" (mainly all relevant variants in various layers = svg groups with toggle-visibility-function) possible with Lilypond?

With my (limited) knowledge, I could imagine such an use case...

 

Best

musicus