Multilingual Lyric Modeling and Management

Abstract

This chapter presents a new way to model multilingual lyrics within symbolic music scores. This new model allows one to “plug” onto the symbolic score different lyrics depending on the language. This is done by keeping separate the music notation model and the lyrics model. An object-oriented model of music notation and for lyrics representation are presented with many examples. These models have been implemented in the music editor produced within the WEDELMUSIC IST project. A specific language has been developed to associate the lyrics with the score; the language is able to represent syllables, melismas (extended syllables), refrains, etc. Moreover, the most important music notation formats are reviewed focusing on their representation of multilingual lyrics.