Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term
Unterlegen
I'm translating a text about a classical composer and the word "unterlegen" is stumping me. Am I right in thinking that it is to do with having the lyrics written on the sheet music?
"In der Quelle ist lediglich die erste Hälfte der ersten Liedzeile unterlegt."
"Die als Einzelstück überlieferte Aria existiert lediglich im autographen Notensatz, ohne unterlegten Text
und ohne eine Namensangabe des Textdichters und des Komponisten."
Thanks for any help you can give me!
| 5 | underlay |
Joel Schaefer
|
| 3 +1 | 1. with musical notation, 2. without lyrics/libretto |
Ramey Rieger (X)
|
| 1 | background |
gangels (X)
|
Mar 1, 2013 15:46: Lancashireman changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"
Mar 2, 2013 20:27: Joel Schaefer Created KOG entry
PRO (3): Erik Freitag, Kim Metzger, Lancashireman
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Proposed translations
United States
natural English for all purposes
Native in: English 
Works in: German to English, Italian to English, Spanish to English
underlay
1) In the source, the text underlay only extends through half of the first line.
2) Only the autograph score survives, without text underlay.
My authority: the univ. seminar where I transcribed Renaissance polyphony from microfilm copies and had to make the text fit the notes :)
1. with musical notation, 2. without lyrics/libretto
and now it's off to rehearsal
background
But normally, it's the other way round, i.e. accompanying instruments provide the background to lyrics/libretto.
perhaps 'accompaniment' is just as good
Discussion
Let me just clarify this: I believe that in both cases Leah quotes, "unterlegt" means "with lyrics written underneath". In both cases, there are (or used to be, in the second case) lyrics, they're only partially written down in the first case, and not at all in the second.
YIKES! I just translated your posting efreitag!
Just an aria, lyrics (libretto) uncredited.