[MEI-L] Encoding Square Notation

[Roland, Perry (pdr4h)]

Hi, Andrew,

For the episema, I think it would be most appropriate to add an attribute to the ineume and uneume elements for episema (which are a species of articulation, no?) and an episema/artic subelement within ineume and uneme.  This is similar to how note articulations are handled in CMN -- the attribute supports simple, hand-entered data, while the element is mostly for those situations where one might want to record more specific info about the articulation symbol, as you probably do in OMR. :)

One question might be, however, whether we want to draw attention to the fact that episema are a kind of articulation (and therefore use the name "artic" for the element and attribute) or use the terminology appropriate for the neume repertoire and add an "episema" element and attribute.  

"Bar lines" raise similar issues.  The <barline> element is already permitted within and between <syllable> elements, so one approach might be to just call these lines of division "barlines".  While they're not barlines in the modern sense, i.e., they don't mark off measures, they look like barlines and they function somewhat like barlines, i.e., they mark off something.  If this path is taken, the small division "barline" can use the taktplace attribute to mark the position of the line, the major division is a single barline, the final division is a double barline, but the minor division's visual rendition would need extra values in barrend or taktplace or perhaps some new attributes to describe them.  Adding new attributes might end up being best because they could in fact be applied to any barline.

But .....

Since we're about to announce the 2010-05 release of MEI, I don't think it's a good time to add new features.  Instead, I suggest that we think about temporary additions in the form of extensions to the relaxNG schema.  This would give us some "breathing room" to try out the extensions and add them to the official schema later.  (This is how the neumes module was developed.)  After the NEH/DFG report is done at the end of July, I'd be happy to work with you on these extensions.

Best wishes,

--
p.

__________________________
Perry Roland
Digital Curation Services
University of Virginia Library
P. O. Box 400155
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4155
434-982-2702 (w)
pdr4h at virginia.edu
________________________________________
From: mei-l-bounces at lists.uni-paderborn.de [mei-l-bounces at lists.uni-paderborn.de] On Behalf Of Andrew Hankinson, Mr [andrew.hankinson at mail.mcgill.ca]
Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 11:33 AM
To: Music Encoding Initiative
Subject: [MEI-L] Encoding Square Notation

Hi all,

We had a couple questions about how to encode some features of square note notation. See [1] (below) for an example from a chant in the Liber Usualis that shows some of the material we're working with.

Is there a way to encode the horizontal and vertical episema in MEI? They're the lines on, e.g. the second neueme in the "Sunday at Vespers" chant that I've attached below.

As far as I can tell, these are articulation marks added by the monks at Solemnes in the 19th C., so they're not strictly "traditional" square note notation. They serve to guide the rhythmic interpretation of the note. I've attached a couple PDF pages [2] from the introduction to the Liber that explain how they are to be interpreted.

The second feature that we're looking at encoding are the divisiones - the "bar lines" of a type, featured in this chant. They're used, more or less, as breathing marks. Is there currently an accepted way to encode these? I've also attached a PDF [3] from the Liber with a few pages explaining how they are used and interpreted.

Many thanks for any assistance,

Andrew Hankinson

[1] http://coltrane.music.mcgill.ca/square_notation/sunday_vespers.png
[2] http://coltrane.music.mcgill.ca/square_notation/episema_interpretation.pdf
[3] http://coltrane.music.mcgill.ca/square_notation/divisiones_interpretation.pdf



_______________________________________________
mei-l mailing list
mei-l at lists.uni-paderborn.de
https://lists.uni-paderborn.de/mailman/listinfo/mei-l