A Minimal Publishing Model for Text and Music Notation

Abstract

This paper introduces a minimal publishing model tailored for digital editions that incorporate both text and music notation. While established encoding standards like TEI and MEI are well-suited for text or music individually, their integration poses significant challenges for interdisciplinary projects such as music theory treatises, composers' correspondence, and sheet music editions with peritexts. To address these issues, we propose a sustainable approach using Verovio and CeTEIcean for dynamic rendering, emphasizing direct data generation without intermediate formats. The proposed model simplifies data organization, synchronizes rendering processes, and ensures low-cost deployment through platforms like GitHub Pages and Zenodo. This method not only supports resource-constrained projects but also serves as a blueprint for the TEI Music SIG to harmonize text and music encoding. The approach will be implemented in the Digitizing the Dualism Debate project, aiming to enrich the presentation of dense text-music relationships and lay the groundwork for future digital editions of hybrid materials.

Fabian C. Moss

Digital Music Philology and Music Theory

Fabian C. Moss is an assistant professor for Digital Music Philology and Music Theory at Julius-Maximilians University Würzburg (JMU), Germany.