When you’re preparing concert programs, what information should you include? There are four tiers of detail you can consider including.
Tier One – Title Only
The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
Tier Two – Title and Composer
The Surrey With The Fringe On Top…………..Richard Rodgers
(this is incredibly common)
Tier Three – Title, Composer and Lyricist
The Surrey With The Fringe On Top……………Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein
Maybe it’s that musicians tend to put music first and lyrics second. Maybe it’s that instrumental pieces do not have separate lyricists, for obvious reasons. Whatever the case, leaving a lyricist off is an egregious oversight of 50% of the creative force behind the piece.
Tier Four – Title, Composer, Lyricist, and Arranger
The Surrey With The Fringe On Top……………Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein, Arr. Gene Puerling
Arrangers also often get short shrift in program notes – probably equal to lyricists in their omission from a program; in other words, you’re equally likely to see Composer, Arranger (no Lyricist) or Composer, Lyricist (no Arranger).
The arranger is responsible for the precise version of the piece being performed, and as such is a coequal creative voice with the composer and arranger, particularly if the piece is arranged in a highly individual way.
It is considerably more work to ensure that all of the individuals who went into creating the music you’re performing are acknowledged in the program. However, it’s necessary work because of the work they did in creating the music.