Becoming A Redwood

Song Cycle: The Song (after Rilke); Pentecost; Curriculum Vitae; Becoming A Redwood

2003 | high voice and piano

Poems by Dana Gioia, cycle runs about 14 minutes.

The newly orchestrated version for chamber orchestra will be available after  February 5, 2023, when the Sonoma County Philharmonic under conductor Norman Gamboa will premiere the work with tenor Chad Somers.

Orchestration is comprised of 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 1 Trumpet, 1 Horn, Soprano, and a string section comprised of the usual Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello and Bass.

ERRATA - some of these mistakes are only in the new editions

SONG 1: 

m. 28 — the poco rit from m. 27 should begin in this measure instead

m. 53 - the correct word is "interrupted" not "terterrupted"

SONG 3:

added "sprightly" at the start to indicate character for this song

SONG 4: 

m. 43 piano part: the 8va should be over beats 2 and 3 of m. 43 and beat 1 of m. 44 NOT over 2 and 3 of 44 and beat 1 of m. 45

m. 77 - the relax should start on beat 2

In Song 4, at m. 61, the quarter note should equal 100 (not 108)

Also the word on the downbeat of m. 61 should be "old"

To purchase the CD featuring these songs, performed by Barbara Quintiliani and Lori Laitman, please click here

Being Happy

_2004 | baritone/piano

Poem by Dana Gioia, 2 minutes long.

To purchase Lee Poulis and Lori Laitman performing this song, please click here.

Beneath the Whiteness of Your Stars

2004 | baritone or mezzo-soprano/cello/piano

Poem by Vilna Ghetto survivor Abraham Sutzkever,translated by Leonard Wolf

Song 4 of The Seed of Dream

Commissioned by Music of Remembrance, Seattle, WA.

To purchase the mp3 with Erich Parce, Amos Yang and Mina Miller, please click here

Click here to see a YouTube video from a live performance at St. Katerine Catheral in Vilnius, Lithuania on Jan 27, 2009. It features baritone Stein Skjervold (Norway), cellist Tom Collingwood (UK) and pianist Sonata Zuboviene (Lithuania).

Errata

Some newer editions may already have these corrections.

• m.2 should be identical to m. 1. The G on beat 2 should be a G sharp.

Between the Bliss and Me

Song cycle: I gained it so, The Book, I could not prove

1997 | soprano/piano

Poems by Emily Dickinson, 5 minutes long.

Commissioned by Dr. Adelaide Whitaker.

To purchase the CD with Jennifer Check and Warren Jones performing these songs, please click here

Beyond All Price — Hester’s Lullaby

2008, rev. 2016, final aria revisions 2018 | soprano/piano

There also is an arrangement for soprano and guitar, and the PDF will be sold on my site at MusicaNeo.com

 Libretto by David Mason

From The Scarlet Letter  

At the end of Act One, Scene Two of The Scarlet Letter, Hester is alone in her jail cell with her sleeping baby, having just been confronted by her estranged husband, whom she had until that day assumed was dead. This is the moment when her love for her daughter, Pearl, overwhelms her, and she vows to do everything in her power, despite the morality of her community and her husband’s desire for revenge, to protect and nurture her child.

— David Mason

This aria is for sale with the following options:

Hard copy available through Glendower Jones and classicalvocalrep.com. Click here to purchase.

PDF copy available through MusicaNeo. Click here to purchase.

If you purchased this aria prior to 5.4.18, please amend Hester's line as follows:

m. 15 — add mp at end of diminuendo

m. 36  — add diminuendo to Hester’s line

m. 46 — add forte to beat 2

m. 57 — erase dim

m. 58  — erase mf

m. 59 — erase f

And here are some additional corrections, made to the score on 8.21.19

m. 10-11 Piano: the crescendo should lead into the downbeat in m. 11

m. 14 Piano: the downbeat should be relatively loud, and diminuendo to the mp. Then the crescendo should lead to the downbeat of m. 15.

m. 18 Piano: the downbeat should lead to the downbeat of m. 19.

m. 24: add poco rit to this measure

m. 37 Voice and Piano: dynamic should be mf

m. 51-52 piano: erase the descrescendo and put it into m. 53 instead

m. 60 piano - the last note should be mp and in m. 61 the mf should be erased. 

m. 66 voice - extend the descrescendo back to beat 2 of m. 65

m. 67: add poco rit to this measure

Additional corrections to the aria posted on March 23, 2023

in m. 58 of Hester's part, there should be no mf (but the hairpin stays)

in m. 62, please erase the vocal dynamic

Additional changes: Oct. 5, 2023

The first 3 measures of the piano should be pedaled. My preference is to use one pedal for each measure.

If you have purchased this score previously from Glendower Jones or from MusicaNeo and would like a free updated PDF, please contact me at lori@artsongs.com

Birdsong

1996, rev. 2018 | soprano/alto saxophone; soprano/clarinet or soprano/bassoon

Poem by an anonymous child killed in the Holocaust.

• Song 3 of I Never Saw Another Butterfly
• Song 5 of Come To Me In Dreams

In 2018, I bought back my copyright for this work, and came out with a new edition.

To purchase the PDF of I Never Saw Another Butterfly for soprano with saxophone, please click here.

To purchase the PDF of I Never Saw Another Butterfly for soprano with clarinet, please click here.

To purchase the PDF of I Never Saw Another Butterfly for soprano with bassoon, please click here.

Hard copies are available for purchase at www.classicalvocalrep.com.

For soprano with saxophone, click here.

For soprano with clarinet, click here.

For soprano with bassoon, click here. 

For recording licenses, please email me at lori@artsongs.com.

To purchase soprano Lauren Wagner and saxophonist Gary Louie performing this song, please click here

To purchase soprano Maureen McKay and clarinetist Laura DeLuca performing this song, please click here

To purchase soprano Hila Plitmann and clarinetist Julian Bliss performing this song, please click here

To purchase soprano Elisabeth Halliday and saxophonist Zach Herchen's CD including this song, please click here.

To purchase soprano Eileen Mager and bassoonist John Friedeman performing this song, please click here

Blue Iris

2003 | soprano/piano

Poems by Mary Oliver, approximately 9 minutes in length.

Song 2 of Early Snow

Commissioned by Dr. Adelaide Whitaker.

Click here to purchase Jennifer Check and Warren Jones performing this song

Books

2002, revised in 2004, 2007 and 2008 | soprano/trumpet Poem by Toi Derricotte Song 2 of Captivity (originally song 3 of 5)

Both your Mothers

1996, rev. 1998| baritone/doublebass or baritone/cello

Poem by Jerzy Ficowski, translated by Keith Bosley

• Song 3 of cycle Holocaust 1944
• Song 14 of chamber opera Come to Me In Dreams

To purchase William Sharp and Gary Karr performing this song, click here. 

To purchase Dashon Burton and Logan Coale performing this song, click here.

Some newer editions may already have these corrections.

• m. 150 -- the second note in the bass part is a concert E flat, not an E natural

Bring on the Rain

2001, rev. 2017 | soprano or mezzo-soprano/alto saxophone — also available with clarinet accompaniment

Poem by Joyce Sutphen

Song 5 of Living in the Body

To watch mezzo-soprano Karyn Friedman and saxophonist Gary Louie performing this song, please click here.