Repeat with Alternative on First Time

[Michael Hartl]

Dear Lilypond Experts,

this is my first time posting to this list. I am trying my hand at 
engraving a song with a perhaps unusual, but very simple repeat pattern
and I couldn't find out how to come to the correct result from the manuel.

The melody goes like this:

<common part verse> <verse ending first time>               <chorus>
<common part verse> <verse ending second-third time> <chorus>
<common part verse> <verse ending second-third time> <chorus>

It should be set like:

<common part verse> [1. <verse ending first time> ] [2.-3. <verse ending 
second-third-time>] <chorus>

Right now, I do:
\repeat volta 3 {<common part verse>} \alternative {{<verse ending first 
time>} {<verse ending second-third time>}} <chorus>

But, this gives me "1.-2." and "3." instead of "1." and "2.-3." for the 
alternative endings. This looks like it ought to be easy to correct, but 
I can't figure it out.

How can it be done?

Also, \repeat itself is actually wrong, because the verse is not 
repeated before the chorus. Is there any way to use \alternative
without \repeat? A \repeat over the entire song would be acceptable, but 
then again I can't use \alternative in the middle of
\repeat, but only at the end.

Thank you
Mike