because I have hard disk space problems and this is a very active list
Don't forget the archives (searchable!) and digest mode... =)
Finale:
User interface seems awkward and difficult, not sufficiently keyboard-based.
Oh, I got pretty good with the keyboard (even did a fair bit of productive work on a laptop!), but Finale still had (has) way too many problems for me to use any more.
Sibelius:
Sibelius 3 is a big improvement -- you might want to take a look at it!
Score:
I've had no experience with Score, but I understand it's fairly well-regarded and -supported by the "professional houses".
Graphire Music Press: I believe that, like Score, it is not suitable for composing in,
Agreed, and it was still awfully pricey the last time I looked...
Igor Engraver:
You probably know my Igor issues! ;-)
Still my choice as best commercial package, but there are way too many code and corporate issues for me to recommend it to anyone as a serious tool.
[Lilypond] at least seems worth considering for my own use.
I couldn't agree more!
1. Does LilyPond compare well in features with professional-level programs
such as those I named above?
Absolutely -- in fact, in almost every way, I have found Lilypond to be superior to any other engraving software I've owned, used, or tried.
I definitely need to be able to notate the sort of complexity one might find
in late-19th or early-20th century piano music.
Shouldn't be a problem. In fact, cross-staff stuff is usually handled much more deftly by Lilypond than the others.
polytonal key signatures in different staves
Not a problem.
non-standard key signatures
Not a problem.
different metres in different staves
Not a problem (and this is an issue that most of the others have SERIOUS problems with). In fact, in Lilypond you can have both [my terms here!] bar-constant (e.g., 10/8 against 4/4 in the same horizontal/temporal distance) and duration-constant (e.g., one bar of 10/8 in the same time as 1 bar plus a beat of 4/4) -- the only thing to worry about is that in the latter case, the spacing engine doesn't treat things exactly as you'd hope it would (but give J&HW some time, and I'm sure Lilypond will "do the right thing" eventually!).
2. I am a touch-typist and pianist, and thus efficient keyboard use of software is an important consideration to me.
Everything can be done in a text editor: how much better can that be? ;-)
3. If I adopt any music notation program, it will be used on a laptop computer, with its lack of a separate numeric keypad.
Again, "text editor" says it all.
In general, how configurable is LilyPond for different methods of usage?
Pretty flexible, depending on your editor. You could have auto-fill/type-ahead, you can cut and paste, you can automate (AppleScript, batch/shell script, whatever), etc. -- it's up to your imagination (and the limitations of your editing application).
4. Playback of a score on the computer is of secondary importance to me, but I
might as well know about this: so does LilyPond play back music?
I haven't used (or even attempted to use) this aspect, but I do know you can fairly easily output a MIDI file from a Lilypond score/source, which could then be used for playback. Hopefully others on the list have a more complete and accurate answer for you...
Welcome, and good luck! Kieren.
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