Is there an easier way to notate this excerpt in LilyPond?

Question

<< <des f aes c g' bes>1 \arpeggio { <<c''1 {f4. (c8 c2)} >> } >>

It seems too difficult to do this in LilyPond. How do I do it?

Answer 1

I'm not exactly sure what your question is, but I would personally do it this way:

\version "2.19.81"
\language "english"

global = {
  \key c \minor
  \numericTimeSignature \time 4/4
}

right = \relative c'' {
  \global

  <<
    {
      f'4.\(\arpeggio c8 c2\)~ |
      c1 |
      ef4.\arpeggio bf8 bf2~ |
      bf1 |
      s |
      s |
    }
    \\
    {
      <df,,~ f~ af~ c~ g'~ bf~ c>1\arpeggio |
      <df f af c g' bf> |
      <c~ ef~ g~ bf~ f'~ af~ bf>\arpeggio |
      <c ef g bf f' af> |
      <c~ f~ bf~ ef~ af~ df>\arpeggio |
      <c f bf ef af ef'>
    }
  >>
}

left = \relative c, {
  \global

  s1 |
  s |
  s |
  s |
  s |
  s |
}

\score {
  \new PianoStaff <<
    \set PianoStaff.connectArpeggios = ##t
    \new Staff = "right" \right
    \new Staff = "left" { \clef bass \left }
  >>
  \layout { }
}

A few notes:

1. I've separated the treble staff into two voices: the whole notes and the uppermost line. It looks like you were doing something like this, but in a slightly different way.
2. In order to connect both of these with an \arpeggio, I inserted \set PianoStaff.connectArpeggios = ##t in the \score block.
3. My ties in the last two measures look different than yours do. This is for a couple of reasons, one of which being that I tied the two bf1s together. (You didn't, but you may not want this, so feel free to change it.)

Sometimes dealing with multiple voices can be a tricky thing in LilyPond. But the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Keep working at it!