But as you say "most applications". Partial or incomplete measures
are not always anacruses. Hymns nearly always cut the final measure
short so it logically joins with the partial measure at the start of
the tune. You might also find incomplete measures in volta sections
when the starting repeat mark is mid-measure.
Yes, of course you're right, but as far as I can see, I do not need to
use \partial for these applications:
\relative {
\repeat volta 2 {
\partial 4
c'4
e e f f
g4 e8 f g4
}
a8 f
g4 f8 e d4 e
c2. \bar "|."
}
To me, upbeat (opposite the term downbeat) describes
articulation/emphasis more than it does timing. \anacrusis or \pickup
are better options though still too strongly linked to the beginning
of a piece.
That's a point where my English music terminology skills a lacking: In
German, we say "Auftakt" which most often happens at the beginning of a
piece (a partial measure etc.), but may also refer to actual music in
mid-piece: In
\relative {
\partial 8
g8
c4 c c r8 d
e4 e e
}
the piece starts with an "Auftakt", but there's also a (musical)
"Auftakt" to bar 2. (Common in orchestra rehearsals: "Let's start in bar
X 'mit Auftakt'".)
I do not know what the precise meanings of the English terms
upbeat/pickup/anacrusis actually are.
Lukas
