How do they do this? Do languages like Arabic and Hebrew, for example, show the lyrics below the line of music, with the notes proceeding right to left? And what about Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai, which presumably can go in directions other than left to right or right to left down the page? It would be interesting to see how the sheet music layout is prepared in those scripts…
Non European music doesn’t have the same notes either or not as many and “harmonies” that are aren’t to western ears. I just looked up and found out that the five lne stave didn’t even come along till the 13th century.And the tempo and regular bars didn’t come along till the 18th. I couldn’t find any thing about non Indo European music. In Japan they hold the flute vertical ,which is a real drag cause they hold the oboe horizontal and when they really get swinging it keeps breaking the picolos. Flautists are always calling reed players “You stupid bassoon”. Where are you guys who knew all about shofurs?
“Pardon me while I have a strange interlude.”-Marx
Arabic music isn’t written down - it’s taught by example.
This allows for a lot more subtlety(sp?) and complexity in rhythm and tone, but it is harder to document.
While all this is true, it doesn’t address the question of, say, hymnals in Protestant churches in R-L countries.
I gather that both R-L and L-R have been tried. L-R has several technical advantages (reusing existing plates, mixed English…).
John W. Kennedy
“Compact is becoming contract; man only earns and pays.”
– Charles Williams