Switching Between Standard and Original Score Order: Encoding, Transforming and Rendering Alternative Score Definitions in Digital Music Editions

Printed music editions face a critical dilemma in the definition of the score order. On the one hand, the standard score order established in the 20th century offers several practical advantages: it allows for a more compact score by grouping individual parts on a single staff, and it provides a convention that is broadly accepted and used for editions of works from all historical periods. On the other hand, the standard score order often differs significantly from the original parts arrangement chosen by the composer. As a result, it may overlook important aspects of the compositional process and the composer's intention in structuring the score in a particular way. Furthermore, the standard score order may no longer reflect the historical ensemble configuration originally intended by the composer, which could affect the performance interpretation of the work. For these reasons, some printed music editions have restored the original order of the scores. Using Mozart's Exsultate, jubilate KV 165 as a case study, the paper discusses a solution to the editorial dilemma in a digital edition by offering the option to choose between alternative score configurations. By encoding each part of a score in MEI as a semantically independent layer, each part can be relocated into alternative score configurations using a dedicated transformation tool. As a result, the MEI file, originally encoded in one score order, can potentially be displayed in any other score order. This finally enables switching between the standard and the original score order in a web application.