Re: Song: multiple verses and refrain

[David Wright]

On Mon 08 Jul 2024 at 22:48:00 (+0100), Raphael Mankin wrote:
> That is great, thanks. I have not yet got my head around context
> naming. Clearly I shall have to do  some more reading.

I didn't find the context method any clearer than Christopher's
method, which should actually work. (Personally, placing lyrics
in the MIDI file is not something I ever do.)

But you need to revisit how you've structured the lyrics in your
example. You've written it as though the three verses should be
sung simultaneously (within << >>) each time the music is repeated.

With real music, as opposed to MWEs, your "extra line" problem
usually goes away by arranging that the verse/chorus interface
occurs across a linebreak. For example, if you were setting the
Satie on four pages rather than the published six, pages 1 & 2
would have one line of lyrics, and pages 3/5 & 4/6 would have
two lines of lyrics — no problem.

But taking a counterexample, like Deck the Hall, where the refrains
are in the same system as the verse, and the music is SATB rather
than solo, I would by default set the refrain lyrics on the middle
verse's line (or the one above the middle when an even number). As
you can see in the cut-down attachment, I also use the flexibility
of writing the lyrics where I want them to appear to suit the
music that they're set to.

Cheers,
David.

\version "2.24.0"
\language english
\header { tagline = ##f }
#(set-global-staff-size 18)
\paper {
  #(set-paper-size "a5")
}

global = {
  \key f \major
  \time 4/4
  s1 * 3 \break
  s1 * 3 \break
  s1 * 3 \break
  s1 * 3
  \bar "|."
}

align = \relative {
  c1
  g8 a bf g a4. g8
  f4 e f2
  c'1
  g8 a bf g a4. g8
  f4 e f2
  g1
  a8 b c4 d8 e f4
  e4 d c2
  c1
  d'8 d d d \set melismaBusyProperties = #'() c~c~c bf8
  a4 g f2
}

soprano = \relative {
  c''1
  g8 a bf g a4. g8
  f4 e f2
  c'1
  g8 a bf g a4. g8
  f4 e f2
  g1
  a8 b c4 d8 e f4
  e4 d c2
  c1
  d8 d d d c4. bf8
  a4 g f2
}

alto = \relative {
  a'1
  e8 f g e f4. d8
  c4 c c2
  a'1
  e8 f g e f4. d8
  c4 c c2
  e1
  f4 g a a
  g4 f e2
  a1
  f8 f f f a4. g8
  f4 e f2
}

tenor = \relative {
  c'1
  c8 c c c c4. bf8
  a4 g a2
  c1
  c8 c c c c4. bf8
  a4 g a2
  c1
  c4 c c c
  c4 b c2
  c1
  bf8 bf bf bf a bf c d
  c4 bf a2
}

bass = \relative {
  f1
  c8 c c c f4. bf,8
  c4 c f2
  f1
  c8 c c c f4. bf,8
  c4 c f2
  c1
  f4 e f d
  g4 g c,2
  f1
  bf,8 c d e f g a bf
  c4 c, f2
}

texti = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = "1. "
  Deck… "" \repeat unfold 8 _
  ’Tis… "" \repeat unfold 8 _
  Don… Fa la la la la la la la la.
  Troll… Fa la la la la "" "" la la la la.
}

textii = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = "2. "
  See… Fa la la la la la la la la.
  Strike… Fa la la la la la la la la.
  Fol- "" \repeat unfold 8 _
  While… ""
}

textiii = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = "3. "
  Fast… "" \repeat unfold 8 _
  Hail… "" \repeat unfold 8 _
  Sing… Fa "" la la "" la la la la.
  Heed- Fa la la la la la la la la la la.
}

\score {
  \new ChoirStaff <<
    \new Staff <<
      \clef treble \global
      \new NullVoice = valign { \voiceOne \align }
      \new Lyrics \lyricsto valign { \texti }
      \new Lyrics \lyricsto valign { \textii }
      \new Lyrics \lyricsto valign { \textiii }
      \new Voice { \voiceOne \soprano }
      \new Voice { \voiceTwo \alto }
    >>
    \new Staff <<
      \clef bass \global
      \new Voice { \voiceOne \tenor }
      \new Voice { \voiceTwo \bass }
    >>
  >>
  \layout {
    indent = 0
    \context {
      \Score
      \omit BarNumber
      \autoBeamOff
    }
    \context {
      \Staff
      \omit TimeSignature
    }
  }
}