Staff Ruling
The vast majority of our scores was lined with ‘compound rastra’ of 10 and 12 staves, rarely even of 8 staves.
We based our method of measuring and describing the rastra largely on Edge 2001, 364–76.
Each rastrum is defined by the number of staves, the total span (TS) in mm and the distances between the staves (DS), also in mm.
TS is the distance between the highest and the lowest line of the rastrum. DS are represented by a series of numbers.
Our codes for each rastrum comprise the number of staves, the TS and a capital letter to distinguish the rastra that share the same TS.
The following list shows the paper on which we identified the rastra and the time span,
in which this paper with the specific rastrum was used in Viennese opera scores.
The distances were measured with a clear metric ruler on the original source, from the top down and at a distance of 150 mm from the outer edge of the page. All measurements are made from the center of the line. As more precision is required for the distances between the staves (DS), the measurement in mm is further subdivided based on the position of the hairline of the metric ruler: The hairline of the “0” is placed on the lowest line of the upper stave. If the upper line of the stave below falls exactly on the hairline of the ruler, it is given a round number (e.g. 10); if the line falls in between two hairlines, it is given as e.g. 10.5. If the line is just below or just above the hairline, it is given a e.g. 10+ or 10-.
| ID | distances between staves (DS) | in use | paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/183B | 10-_9.5_10.5_10+_10_10-_10.5_10_10 | 1771-73 | P3, P26, P35 |
| 10/184M | 9+_11-_10-_10+_10+_10_11-_11-_10.5 | 1770-72 | P2 |
| 10/184N | 10+_10.5_10+_10_11_10.5_10+_11-_10.5 | 1770-74 | P1, P3, P9, P21, P26, P38, P40, P43, P44 |
| 10/185D | 11_10+_10.5_10+_11_11_10.5_11_10.5 | 1760-73 | P3, P26, P60, P63 |
| 10/187A | 9_9-_10-_10-_10-_9+_9_9+_9+ | 1763-65 | P68 |
| 10/189B | 11+_11_11.5_11+_11+_11_11.5_11.5_11 | 1770-75 | P2, P3, P07, P26, P31, P38, P40, P51, P52, P53 |
| 10/189F | 10_10-_9+_10-_9.5_10_10-_9_10 | 1772-73 | P3, P31 |
| 10/189G | 11+_11.5_12_11.5_11+_11+_11_11_11+ | 1770-73 | P1, P3, P20, P38 |
| 10/190A | 10_10+_11-_11_11-_10+_10+_10_10.5 | 1765-66 | P84, P87, P88, P89 |
| 12/182A | 9_8_8+_8.5_8_9_8+_9-_9+_9+ | 1767-72 | P2, P10, P12, P42, P69, P92 |
| 12/187C | 9-_8_9-_9-_8.5_8+_9_9+_9_8.5_9 | 1767 | P89 |
| 12/187D | 8+_9-_8+_8_8.5_8.5_8+_8_8.5_8_8.5 | 1760 | P60 |
| 12/189B | 8.5_9-_8.5_9-_8.5_8+_9-_8-_9-_8.5_8.5 | 1771-73 | P3 |
| 12/189C | 9_8.5_9-_9_9-_8+_9_9+_8.5_8.5_9 | 1760 | P63 |
| 12/190A | 9_9-_8.5_9_9_8.5_9-_9_9_8.5_9+ | 1760 | P63 |