Re: Multiple sections in ChoirStaff

[Joseph Haig]

Thanks to all who replied with suggestions.  Below is my attempt
(which may have errors in it and certainly doesn't have all the
verses, so be warned if you use it) and as you see I have got the
refrain aligned with the first verse where ideally it would be
centred.

As an aside, I have used "\override Score . LyricText #'font-size =
#'-2" in each block of text to reduce the size of the font, but I'm
sure that it must be possible to do this globally.

Thanks,

Joe

----------------------------

\header {
 title = "The First Nowell"
 composer = "Traditional"
}

\version "2.10.0"

#(set-global-staff-size 18)

global = {
 \key d \major
 \time 3/4
}

sopVerseMusic = \relative c' {
 \partial 4*1 fis8( e) d4.( e8) fis8([ g)] a2
 b8( cis) \slurDashed d4( cis) b a2
 b8( cis) d4( cis) b a( b) cis d( a) g fis2
 \slurSolid fis8( e) d4.( e8) \slurDashed fis8([ g)] a2
 \slurSolid b8( cis) \slurDashed d4( cis) b a2
 b8( cis) d4 cis b a( b) cis d( a) g fis2
 \slurSolid
 \bar "||"
}

sopRefrainMusic = \relative c' {
 fis8( e) d4.( e8) fis([ g)] a2
 d8( cis) b2 b4 a2.
 d4 cis b a( b) cis d( a) g fis2
 \bar "|."
}

altVerseMusic = \relative c' {
 \partial 4*1 a4 d2 d4 e2
 fis8( g) \slurDashed a4( a) g fis2
 fis8( e) d4( fis) g cis,( d) g fis( d) cis d2
 cis4 d2 d8( d) e2 fis4 fis( a) gis e2
 g!8( g) a4 g fis e( e) fis d4( d) e4 a,2
 \slurSolid
}

altRefrainMusic = \relative c' {
 fis8( e) d4.( e8) fis([ g)] a2
 d,4 g2 g4 a2.
 d,4 fis g d2 e4 fis2 e4 a,2
}

tenVerseMusic = \relative c {
 \partial 4*1 d8( e) fis4.( g8) a([ b]) cis2
 d8( e) \slurDashed fis4( fis) d d2
 d8( e) fis4( cis) d e( d) g, a( a) a a2
 \slurSolid a8( g) fis4.( e8) \slurDashed d8[( d]) a'2
 fis4 b( a) b cis2
 d8( e) d4 g, b e( d) cis b( a) cis d2
 \slurSolid
}

tenRefrainMusic = \relative c {
 fis8( e) d4.( e8) fis([ g)] a2
 a4 d2 d8( e) fis2.
 fis4 cis d a2 g4 fis( a) cis d2
}

basVerseMusic = \relative c {
 \partial 4*1 d4 d2 d4 a'2
 a8( a) \slurDashed d4( fis,) g d2
 d8( cis) b4( a) g g'( fis) e d( fis) a d,2
 a4 d2 d8( d) cis2
 \slurSolid d8( cis) \slurDashed b4( cis) e a2
 g8( g) fis4 e d cis( b) a g'( fis) e d2
 \slurSolid
}

basRefrainMusic = \relative c {
 fis8( e) d4.( e8) fis([ g)] a2
 fis4 g4.( a8) b[( cis]) d2.
 b4 a g fis2 e4 d2 a4 d2
}

refrain = \lyricmode {
 \override Score . LyricText #'font-size = #'-2
 \override Score . LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
 No -- well, No -- well, No -- well, No -- well,
 Born is the King of Is -- ra -- el!
}

verseone = \lyricmode {
 \override Score . LyricText #'font-size = #'-2
 \set stanza = "1. "
 The first No -- well
 the
 \set ignoreMelismata = ##t
 an -- gel did say
 Was to cer -- tain poor shep -- hers in fields as they lay;
 \unset ignoreMelismata
 In fields where they lay,
 \set ignoreMelismata = ##t
 keep -- ing their sheep,
 In a
 \unset ignoreMelismata
 cold win -- ter's night that was so deep:
}

versetwo = \lyricmode {
 \override Score . LyricText #'font-size = #'-2
 \set stanza = "2. "
 They look -- ed up and saw a star,
 \set ignoreMelismata = ##t
 Shin -- ing
 \unset ignoreMelismata
 in the east, be -- yond them far;
 And to the earth it gave great light,
 And so it
 \set ignoreMelismata = ##t
 con -- tin -- ued both
 \unset ignoreMelismata
 day and night:
}
versethree = \lyricmode {
 \override Score . LyricText #'font-size = #'-2
 \set stanza = "3. "
 And by the light of that same star,
 Three wise men came from coun -- try far;
 To seek
 \set ignoreMelismata = ##t
 for a
 \unset ignoreMelismata
 king was their in -- tent,
 \set ignoreMelismata = ##t
 And to fol -- low the star where -- so -- ev -- er it went:
 \unset ignoreMelismata
}

versefour = \lyricmode {
 \override Score . LyricText #'font-size = #'-2
 \set stanza = "4. "
 This star drew night to the north -- west;
 O'er Beth -- le -- hem it took its rest.
 And there it did both stop and stay
 Right ov -- er the place where Je -- sus lay:
}

\score {
 \new ChoirStaff
   <<
     \new Staff = women
         <<
           \new Voice = "sopVerse" { \voiceOne \global \sopVerseMusic
\sopRefrainMusic }
           \new Voice = "altVerse" { \voiceTwo \global \altVerseMusic
\altRefrainMusic }
         >>
     \new Lyrics = "verseone" \lyricsto sopVerse { \verseone \refrain }
     \new Lyrics = "versetwo" \lyricsto sopVerse { \versetwo }
     \new Lyrics = "versethree" \lyricsto sopVerse { \versethree }
     \new Lyrics = "versefour" \lyricsto sopVerse { \versefour }
     \new Staff = men << \clef "bass"
       \new Voice = "tenors" { \voiceOne \global \tenVerseMusic
\tenRefrainMusic }
       \new Voice = "basses" { \voiceTwo \global \basVerseMusic
\basRefrainMusic }
     >>

   >>
 \layout {
   \context {
     \Staff
     \override VerticalAxisGroup #'minimum-Y-extent =#'(-3 . 3)
   }
 }
}