A Letter to my Daughter

1998 | mezzo-soprano and piano trio.

Song 3 of Daughters. Poem by Anne Ranasinghe (1925-2016), used by permission of the poet.

Commissioned by Kirsten Taylor.

Premiere recording on Albany Records’ Becoming a Redwood — Songs of Lori Laitman, with mezzo-soprano Patricia Green, violinist Juliette Kang, cellist Thomas Kraines and pianist Kirsten Taylor.

PDF score available to purchase below.

Click here to purchase an mp3 from Amazon.

Errata:

Some newer editions may already have these corrections. If you have an older copy, please contact me for a complimentary updated score.

  • in the score, the tremolo marking was not correct — there were 2 lines instead of 3 going across the stem of the note, which was confusing in the cello part in measures 21, 22 and 30, and similarly for all the violin measures with tremolo indication. It is now corrected.
  • piano part, measures 1, 2, 3, and 4 should have an F natural in the right hand chord, not an F sharp.
  • in measures 140, 141, 142, 143, 145, 146 the right hand piano chord should also contain an F natural, not an F sharp.
  • in 147 – the chord should be the same as the previous chord in the right hand, namely, a C sharp, F natural, G sharp and another C sharp on top.
  • in 148, this chord is actually correct – the F sharp here really is an F sharp.

INSTRUCTIONS for converting this vocal line to a soprano line (although tessitura will still remain low)

  • The low Bb in 23 could be taken up an octave.
  • the B in 104 and first quarter D in 105 could be taken up an octave.
  • in 120 last note and 121 and first two beats of 122 can be sung an octave up.
  • in 138-139: take up an octave.