I would simply write your first option. In my experience the word is thought of as two syllables (check out settings of the Te Deum "...glorious company of the apostles...") for examples.
Paul From: Gabriel Ellsworth <[email protected]> To: Lilypond-User Mailing List <[email protected]> Sent: 03/03/2026 15:02 Subject: Elision within a Word in English I am typesetting the word “glorious” in my lyrics, and I need to underlay “-rious” to only one note.* I’d like to request input from this group of expert engravers. Which option is best? One of these seven, or another option not listed here? Gabriel *P.S. I am never sure whether to writelay “word” under [note] orunderlay “word” to [note] or something else! What’s the best style to use in writing about text underlay, in your view? %%% SNIPPET BEGINS \version "2.25.34" music = { \override Score.BarNumber.break-visibility = ##(#f #t #t) \set Score.barNumberVisibility = #all-bar-numbers-visible \repeat unfold 7 { a'2 2 } } words = \lyricmode { % Measure 1: glo -- rious, % 2: glo -- \markup \concat { r \undertie io u s, } % 3: glo -- \markup \concat { r \undertie iou s, } % 4: glo -- \markup \concat { r \undertie ious , } % 5: glo -- \markup \concat { r i \undertie o u s, } % 6: glo -- \markup \concat { r i \undertie ou s, } % 7: glo -- ri~ous } << \new Voice = "melody" \music \new Lyrics \lyricsto melody \words >> \layout { \context { \Lyrics % Cause all lyric hyphens to display: \override LyricHyphen.minimum-distance = #0.8 \consists Bar_engraver \hide BarLine } } %%% SNIPPET ENDS
