Leaves Are Falling, The
General Info
Year: 1964
Duration: c. 10:35
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $65.00 | Score Only (print) - $7.50
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone (optional E-flat Alto Saxophone)
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Harp (or Piano)
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:
- Bass Drum
- Bells
- Claves
- Suspended Cymbal
- Tam-tam
- Triangle
- Tubular Bells
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Completed in January, 1964, The Leaves Are Falling introduced to the large wind ensemble-band literature a kind of music which in its single movement length and introspective character was unknown to that time. The work was commissioned by Kappa Gamma Psi, a small national music fraternity of which Frank L. Battisti, Ithaca, N.Y., was an officer. It was through him that the commission came about. It was to have its premiere performance on the American Music Festival of May 1964, by the Eastman Wind Ensemble under Clyde A. Roller, conductor, in the Eastman Theatre of the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York.
The Leaves Are Falling is a statement of grief following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. For Benson, his feelings on the matter were encapsulated by Rainer Maria Rilke‘s poem Herbst (Autumn) from Buch der Bilder:
The leaves are falling, falling as if from afar,
as though far gardens withered in the skies;
They are falling with denying gestures.
And in the nights the heavy earth is falling
from all the stars down into loneliness.
We all are falling. This hand falls.
And look at the others: it is in them all.
And yet there is one, who holds this falling
with infinite gentleness in his hands.
- Program Note from score
The Leaves are Falling is a patient work, allowing sustained tones to evolve into sonorities that subsequently emerge as themes. Players require control to perform extended, often dissonant, harmonies for much of the piece. As such, collegiate ensembles would likely have the greatest degree of success with this work. The composer quotes familiar melodies that engage the audience throughout; at the same time, the manipulation and development of motives is sophisticated enough to challenge fine performers.
- Notes from Great Music for Wind Band
Media
- Audio: Reference recording. United States Marine Band (Lieutenant Colonel Michael J. Colburn, conductor)
- Audio CD: Eastman Wind Ensemble (Donald Hunsberger, conductor)
State Ratings
- Alabama: Class AA
- California: VI Class AA
- Florida: VI
- Iowa: V
- Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP I
- Louisiana: V
- Massachusetts: VI
- Michigan: AA
- North Carolina: VI
- Oklahoma: V-A
- South Carolina: VI
- Tennessee: V
- Texas: V. Complete
- Virginia: V
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Christopher C. Chapman, conductor) - 21 November 2023
- Eastman Wind Orchestra (Rochester, N.Y.) (Mason St. Pierre, conductor) - 27 March 2023
- University of Indianapolis (Ind.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Jon Noworyta, conductor) - 20 November 2022
- Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Mallory Thompson, conductor) - 11 November 2022
- Messiah University (Mechanicsburg, Penn.) Wind Ensemble (James Colonna, conductor) - 22 April 2021
- Michigan Technological University Superior Wind Symphony (Michael Christianson, conductor) – 27 September 2019
- Texas Tech University (Lubbock) Symphonic Band (Eric Allen, conductor) – 22 March 2019
- State University of New York, Potsdam, Symphonic Band (Brian K. Doyle, conductor) – 15 November 2018
- Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, Penn.) Wind Ensemble (George Vosburgh, conductor) – 11 November 2018
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Indiana, Penn.) Wind Ensemble (Timothy Paul, conductor) – 10 November 2018
- University of Texas (Austin) Wind Symphony (Scott Hanna, conductor) – 10 October 2018
- University of Miami (Coral Gables) Frost Wind Ensemble (Robert Carnochan, conductor) – 26 April 2018
- Penn State (College Park) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Dennis Glocke, conductor) – 27 March 2018
- University of Toronto (Ont., Can.) Wind Ensemble (Gillian MacKay, conductor) – 2 December 2017
- Indiana University (Bloomington) Symphonic Band (Eric M. Smedley, conductors) – 14 November 2017
- Nazareth College Wind Symphony (Rochester, N.Y.) (Jared Chase, conductor) – 29 October 2017
- Ohlone Wind Orchestra (Fremont, Calif.) (Tony Clements, conductor) – 29 October 2017
- Mississippi Wind Symphony (Jackson) (Craig Young, conductor) - 27 June 2017
- Dallas (Tex.) Wind Symphony (Howard Dunn, conductor) - 18 August 1985 *Inaugural Concert*
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Adagietto (1992)
- The Beaded Leaf (1974)
- Concertino for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble (1955)
- Danzon-Memory (1991)
- Daughter of the Stars (1998)
- Dawn's Early Light (1987)
- Divertissement No. 1 (1993)
- The Drums of Summer (1997)
- Ginger Marmalade (1978)
- Helix (1966)
- The Leaves Are Falling (1964)
- Mask of Night (1968)
- Meditation on “I Am for Peace” (1990)
- The Passing Bell (1974)
- Polyphonies for Percussion (1960)
- Remembrance (1962)
- Recuerdo (1966)
- Scherzo, Chorale, and Aria Serena (2002)
- Shadow Wood (1968/1993)
- The Solitary Dancer (1969)
- Star Edge (1965)
- Symphony for Drums and Wind Orchestra (1963)
- Symphony No. 2, "Lost Songs"
- Transylvania Fanfare (1953)
- Variations on a Handmade Theme (1961/1976/2015)
- Wings (1984)
Resources
- Hunsberger, Donald (2003). The Wind Band and Its Repertoire, p. 8-21. New York: Warner Brothers.
- "THE LEAVES ARE FALLING by Warren Benson (USA)." WASBE. Web. (Featured as WASBE’s Composition of the Week, 31 August 2020). Accessed 14 January 2023
- "The Leaves Are Falling by Warren Benson." Wind Band Literature. Web. Accessed 25 April 2018
- Nicholson, Chad. (2009). Great Music for Wind Band: A Guide to the Top 100 Works in Grades IV, V, VI. Galesville, MD: Meredith Music Publications. pp 22-23.
- Warren Benson website