Our Eden Here is Love — Hester and Arthur Dimmesdale’s love duet

2008 , revised 2016, final aria revisions 2018 | soprano/tenor/piano

From The Scarlet Letter

Libretto by David Mason

In Act Two, Scene One of The Scarlet Letter, Hester wanders into the forest outside Boston, knowing she might run into her lover, Arthur Dimmesdale. For years the two have kept their love secret, allowing Arthur to remain a Minister in their community, and Hester has borne the guilt for their adultery alone. Now that their guilt secret is in danger of being revealed, neither of them seems willing to live any more with the lie. Meeting in the forest, far from the laws and strictures of their society, they feel a sudden release, as if freedom from guilt were possible and they might actually live as they choose. This is the soaring climax of all hope in the opera, later to be crushed and realities and doubts come crashing down on them both. — 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.

Our Nights — Dimmesdale’s aria

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

From The Scarlet Letter

Libretto by David Mason

Arthur Dimmesdale has, by Act One, Scene Four of The Scarlet Letter, been utterly overwhelmed by his guilt. For years Hester Prynne has borne all responsibility for the fact of their adultery, allowing Dimmesdale to maintain a pious image in the community. But now he is suspected of criminal behavior by his friend, Roger Chillingworth, and has been taunted in the streets by the witch, Mistress Hibbons. Alone, ailing both physically and emotionally, Arthur remembers with painful tenderness his love of Hester, which has made him doubt even his religious belief. — 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.

Swimmers on the Shore

2004 | baritone/piano and mezzo/piano

Poem by David Mason, 4:15 minutes in length.

Commissioned by The West Chester University Poetry Conference, 2004.

Errata

Some newer editions may already have these corrections.

• m. 34, last note in the RH of the piano should be a D natural.

The Prison Scene — Act I, Scene 2: an extended duet between Hester and Chillingworth

2008 | soprano/baritone/piano

From The Scarlet Letter

Libretto by David Mason

Later the same day, Hester is found in her cell, tending to her baby, Pearl, who is ill. Chillingworth enters, a doctor come to offer medicine, and the two recognize each other at once. “You know me,” he sings, and Hester acknowledges she had thought him dead for the past two years. As the two powerful figures relate the past, we learn that Chillingworth, much older than Hester, had convinced her to marry him when she was a young and innocent girl in England. He was a student of dark knowledge, alchemy and science, a man who felt cut off from life and hoped this young beauty might give him vitality. She was looking for a father figure. Chillingworth’s aria is at the center of the scene, his sense of physical deformity and age, his desire for love. Hester responds with the pain of mistaken youth, how lonely she had been arriving in the New World without her husband. The old man now turns angry that she remains so defiant, refusing to name her child’s father, and vows that he will discover who has sinned against him. When he has left, Hester sings her haunting lullaby to her daughter, Pearl, at the close of the scene. — David Mason

To hear this scene, click here.

The Scarlet Letter — Opera in 2 Acts

2008, rev. 2016 | 3 lead roles for soprano, tenor and baritone; 3 minor roles for mezzo-soprano, tenor and baritone, small chorus (at least 8), non speaking child’s role and chamber orchestra)

Full length opera in 2 Acts, to libretto by poet David Mason. Approximately 2 hours long, in 2 Acts (6 scenes). For more information please visit www.scarletletteropera.com. To purchase the Naxos recording please click here.

There are several stand-alone arias, which are published and available for PDF download on my site at MusicaNeo (available through the home page on this site). Glendower Jones of Classical Vocal Reprints also sells the hard copies.

• “Beyond All Price” — Hester’s Lullaby (soprano)
• “This Canopy of Trees” — another aria for Hester (soprano)
• “Now Truly Know Me” — Chillingworth’s lament (baritone)
• “Our Nights” — Dimmesdale's aria (tenor)
• “Ye People of New England” — Dimmesdale's confession (tenor)
• “Come To The Devil’s Fire” – the Witch’s aria (mezzo-soprano) — The orchestral version is also available. Contact me directly.
• “Our Eden Here is Love” — Hester and Arthur Dimmesdale's love duet (soprano and tenor duet)

Act I, Scene 2 from the opera (aka "The Prison Scene") is also available excerpted as a duet for baritone and soprano.

You can purchase the Piano Vocal score from MusicaNeo or Glendower Jones — please see my home page for the link.

Errata for the Piano Vocal Score prior to March 2022:

Please note that some sections in the PV score which are notated in 2/4 whereas the corresponding spots in the orchestral score are notated in 6/8. The aural result is the same, but I am in the process of updating the piano vocal score to match. You can email me for an updated copy.

Act I Scene 1:

m. 1 and opening: piano should be marked f with a più f at m. 10

opening dynamics for Sailor and Farmer should be f, not mf

m. 74 Bellingham's dynamics should be f, not mf

m. 271 and m. 277 — dynamics should be f

Act I Scene 2:

m. 285 — RH piano should have Dbs and Gbs and LH should have an Eb in the chord

Act I Scene 3:

m. 314-321: Wilson and Bellingham's dynamics should be raised to f

ALSO PLEASE NOTE: The language used to describe Native Americans is taken from the Hawthorne and is not meant to be viewed through today's lens. It is used to portray the way the Puritans thought of the native population and does not reflect the views that David Mason or I have.

Nevertheless, here are some substitute lyrics:

Act I Scene 1 m. 268-9: Alternate words for Chillingworth:

Long was my journey

by land and by sea,

my bondage far off

among the natives.

Today this fellow here

has kindly  brought me

out of captivity.

Act I Scene 2: m. 43

Instead of "Above a year I've sojourned with the savages" — the word savages can be changed to "natives here"

The notes would remain the same but the rhythms would change to 2 8th notes followed by a quarter note on beat 2 for the word "here" (which would remain tied over...)

ALSO AVAILABLE:

An Abridged version for 5 voices and piano. Please contact me directly if interested.

They Are Gone

2010 | boychoir/tenor/clarinet/violin/cello and piano

From the Vedem oratorio

Libretto by David Mason

This Canopy of Trees — Hester’s aria from Act II, Scene 1

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

From The Scarlet Letter

Libretto by David Mason

At the beginning of Act Two of The Scarlet Letter, Hester has entered the forest with her daughter, Pearl, hoping to meet Arthur Dimmesdale on his return from a ministering errand. At this point, she has just been confronted by her estranged husband. Roger Chillingworth, who has uncovered the adulterous truth about the young minister. Here, outside the confines of the town, Hester begins to question the moral strictures that have governed her life. — 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.

Vedem

2010 | boychoir/mezzo-soprano/tenor/clarinet/violin/cello and piano. Also available for boychoir (or children’s choir) and piano

From the Vedem oratorio and the Vedem choral excerpt cycle

Libretto by David Mason. Original poems from the Vedem magazine by Petr Ginz, Hanuš Hachenburg, Zdeněk Ornest (Orce) and Josef Taussig. English translations by Paul Wilson from We are Children Just The Same: VEDEM, the secret magazine by the Boys of Terezin ©1995 by the Jewish Publication Society, used with permission.

ERRATA:

In Farewell to Summer — the A in the RH piano in mm. 34-36 should be an A#.

We Were Alive, Approximately

2010 | boychoir/clarinet/violin/cello and piano

From the Vedem oratorio

Libretto by David Mason

We Were No Different Than You

2010 | mezzo-soprano/tenor/boychoir/clarinet/violin/cello and piano

From the Vedem oratorio

Libretto by David Mason