Tom, Dick or Harry: Piano/Vocal/Chords

This collection captures one of Broadway's most enduring comedies in its musical entirety, giving pianists and singers direct access to Porter's most quotable melodies and witty lyrics. The 120-page package combines performance material with genuine theatrical history, including insights from an original cast member, making it as much a document of Broadway's mid-century excellence as a working score. The range of tempos, styles, and vocal demands across these 19 songs makes it invaluable for recital planning and ensemble programming.

These songs move between sparkling comedy and genuine sentiment with Porter's characteristic grace. The music feels both of its 1948 moment and timeless, full of syncopated sophistication, unexpected harmonic turns, and a lyrical wit that makes performers smile even as they're working through complex rhythms and intervallic jumps.

This book serves pianists accompanying singers in lessons or recitals, vocalists preparing audition material from Broadway's repertoire, and music theater ensembles building a production score. It works equally well for classically trained singers exploring American musical theater and for music students studying the craft of songwriting and harmonic language.

• Pay close attention to Porter's specific articulation and phrasing markings; his sophistication lives in the details, not just the melody line.
• The harmonies shift quickly and often contain chromatic movement. Lock in the chord progressions before focusing on interpretation.
• Treat the comedic numbers like "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" and "Too Darn Hot" as rhythmic vehicles first; the humor emerges from precise timing and delivery.
• Explore the ballads ("So in Love," "Were Thine That Special Face") for their emotional restraint; Porter's elegance comes from understatement, not oversinging.

Feature individual songs in voice recitals or piano duo concerts, grouping them by mood (romantic ballads in one set, comic numbers in another) for programmatic flow. A music theater ensemble or high school musical performance will find the complete score here, with the essay and memorabilia serving as rehearsal context that deepens student understanding of the show's legacy.

• Reading jazz-inflected harmony and chromatic voice leading
• Coordinating rhythmically complex melodies with flowing accompaniment patterns
• Interpreting comic and romantic character through phrasing and tempo nuance
• Navigating syncopation and syncopated rhythms against straight accompaniment
• Understanding theatrical song form and how songs advance narrative and character