Encoding non-Western Music Notation and Tonal Correspondences: A Case Study for Ottoman Music Sources

<p dir="ltr">Historically, numerous cultures and music traditions worldwide have developed their own notation systems, before Western staff notation became the de facto standard in notating music. There is evidence as ancient as Sumerian cuneiform to be used (Wulstan, 1971), and often, pitch signs were derived from a culture-specific writing system. The pitches themselves likewise depend on specific theories on harmony that led to the use of different scales. When working with historic, discontinued, or non-European notational systems, the emic concept of pitches and their corresponding signs must be correlated to Western staff notation in a critical edition. There is currently only native support of eurogenetic notations in MEI. The present paper showcases a solution of mapping emic pitch signs, pitch names, and Western staff notation, discussing Hampartsum notation used in the context of Ottoman music sources.</p>