You can pull the ictus definition out of the gregorian.ly file and add it
directly into your file:
ictus = #(make-articulation 'ictus)
Unfortunately, the code I gave you hacks the note appearance by hiding the
stems instead of removing them. You'll either need to add a \stemUp command
so the ictus marks stay close to the notehead, or remove the stem engraver
altogether.
\layout {
\context {
\Voice
\remove Stem_engraver
}
}
(And if you do that, you can also remove the \hide Stem command.)
As for what it is in the gregorian.ly file that makes the
lyrics-with-durations fail: someone else with a better understanding of the
definitions in that file will have to explain, because I didn't see what
the cause is!
-David
On Tue, 4 Nov 2025 at 05:03, Gabriel Ellsworth <[email protected]>
wrote:
> Thank you, David.
>
> Your method is working well until I try to add an ictus with the \ictus
> command.
>
> Per LilyPond Notation Reference: 2.9.4 Typesetting Gregorian chant
> <https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.24/Documentation/notation/typesetting-gregorian-chant#gregorian-articulation-signs>,
> I believe I need to include gregorian.ly to typeset an ictus.
>
> But as soon as I add
>
> \include "gregorian.ly"
>
> at the beginning of my code, manual syllable durations
> <https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.24/Documentation/notation/common-notation-for-vocal-music#manual-syllable-durations>
> for the English words stop working: the entirety of the phrase “Hail, Holy
> Queen,” is printed under the first Latin syllable “Sal,” before “ve” and
> its corresponding note (e). Screenshot:
>
>
> [image: image.png]
>
> Is there a way that I can use the \ictus command with no other changes to
> the output that your code generated?
>
> On Mon, 3 Nov 2025 at 19:19, David Poon <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I don't know why it doesn't appear to work with the
>> GregorianTranscriptionStaff, but using durations with lyrics works with a
>> regular Staff, and I think it still provides the appearance you desire.
>> More info at
>> https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.25/Documentation/notation/opera-and-stage-musicals#dialogue-over-music
>>
>> \version "2.24.0"
>>
>> chant = \relative c' {
>> \cadenzaOn
>> \hide Stem
>> c4 e g a g2
>> a4 c b a g a g g2 \bar ","
>> c4 g a f~f d2 \bar ","
>> e4 f g e e( d) c2 \bar "||"
>> }
>>
>> verba = \lyricmode {
>> Sál -- ve, Re -- gí -- na, má -- ter mi -- se -- ri -- cór -- di -- ae:
>> Ví -- ta, dul -- cé -- do, et spes nó -- stra, sál -- ve.
>> }
>>
>> words = \lyricmode {
>> \override LyricText.self-alignment-X = #-1
>> \override LyricText.font-shape = #'italic
>> "Hail, holy Queen,"4*6
>> "mother of mercy,"4*9
>> "our life, our sweetness,"4*7
>> "and our hope, hail."4*8
>> }
>>
>> \score {
>> \new Staff \with { \remove Time_signature_engraver } <<
>> \new Voice = "melody" \chant
>> \new Lyrics = "one" \lyricsto melody \verba
>> \new Lyrics = "two" \words
>> >>
>> }
>>
>> On Mon, 3 Nov 2025 at 15:14, Gabriel Ellsworth <
>> [email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> Dear all,
>>>
>>> I am trying to engrave some plainchant in Latin with the English
>>> translation of the words immediately below the Latin lyrics.
>>>
>>> For now, I am using text marks for the English translation, but this has
>>> issues. Screenshot:
>>> [image: image.png]
>>>
>>> As you can see, when the English text takes up more horizontal space
>>> than does its corresponding Latin phrase, the next English phrase
>>> automatically gets knocked down to a “line” below it.
>>>
>>> In theory, I think, entering the English translation as lyrics
>>> (something like a “verse two”) would be better. But I’d want a single
>>> English lyric item to stretch across multiple pitches. For example, "our
>>> life, our sweetness," [in quotes!] should stretch across six notes: {
>>> c4 g a f~f d2 }. And I can’t figure out how to make that happen in
>>> LilyPond lyrics.
>>>
>>> Does anyone have good ideas?
>>>
>>> Below is my code.
>>>
>>> All the best,
>>>
>>> Gabriel
>>>
>>>
>>> \version "2.24.0"
>>>
>>> \include "gregorian.ly"
>>>
>>> chant = \relative c' {
>>> \set Score.timing = ##f
>>> \tweak direction #DOWN \textMark \markup \italic { "Hail, holy Queen,"
>>> }
>>> c4 e g a g2
>>> \tweak direction #DOWN \textMark \markup \italic { "mother of mercy,"
>>> }
>>> a4 c b a g a g g2 \divisioMaior
>>> \tweak direction #DOWN \textMark \markup \italic { "our life, our
>>> sweetness," }
>>> c4 g a f~f d2 \divisioMaior
>>> \tweak direction #DOWN \textMark \markup \italic { "and our hope,
>>> hail." }
>>> e4 f g e e( d) c2 \bar "||"
>>> }
>>>
>>> verba = \lyricmode {
>>> Sál -- ve, Re -- gí -- na, má -- ter mi -- se -- ri -- cór -- di -- ae:
>>> Ví -- ta, dul -- cé -- do, et spes nó -- stra, sál -- ve.
>>> }
>>>
>>> \score {
>>> \new GregorianTranscriptionStaff <<
>>> \new GregorianTranscriptionVoice = "melody" \chant
>>> \new GregorianTranscriptionLyrics = "one" \lyricsto melody \verba
>>> >>
>>> }
>>>
>>
