Autumn Leaves: SA Choral Book

Name: Autumn Leaves: SA Choral Book
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 12-0571526225
Price: 3.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Arr. Joanna Forbes

Item: 12-0571526225

$3.99

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This collection is a tribute to Eva Cassidy, the singer, guitarist and arranger who died in 1996 at the tragically early age of 33. Thankfully her wonderful interpretations of jazz, folk, gospel, spiritual and contemporary pop songs are now widely available as recordings.

This collection of three songs are taken from the posthumously released anthology album Songbird. It was her version of Harold Arlen's Over the Rainbow from the Wizard of Oz that made Cassidy's name famous, and it couldn't be more different that Judy Garland's 1939 rendition. Her adaptation of the 1947 classic Autumn Leaves seems to create a completely new song altogether. The final item in the collection is the up-beat spiritual Wade in the Water.

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Series: Faber Edition: Choral Basics

Publisher: Faber Music

ISBN10: 0-571-52622-5

ISBN13: 978-0-571-52622-2

UPC: 9780571526222

SKU: 12-0571526225

Instrumentation: with Piano

More about this title

About the Arranger: Joanna Forbes

Joanna Forbes is a respected choral arranger whose work demonstrates a keen understanding of how to adapt existing material for ensemble voices without sacrificing the emotional core of the original. Her arrangements prioritize accessibility for community and educational choirs while maintaining musical integrity and interpretive depth.

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Why we love this

Forbes has crafted arrangements that honor Eva Cassidy's intimate, reinterpreted approach to these standards. The collection moves seamlessly from introspective ballad work to an energetic spiritual, giving you genuine variety in a single program without requiring different skill levels or styles across your singers.

What to expect

These arrangements breathe with an understated sophistication. There's a jazz-inflected sensibility running through them, especially in the harmonic language of Autumn Leaves, that feels modern and contemplative even when the material itself is decades old. Wade in the Water provides a lift, offering the spiritual's characteristic rhythmic drive without unnecessary complication.

Who it's for

This collection works well for SA choirs with basic to intermediate sight-reading skills. It's ideal for choirs looking to program something beyond traditional show tunes or light classical fare without venturing into complex contemporary writing.

How to get the most out of it

Study Cassidy's original recordings before rehearsal. Her phrasing and dynamic choices shape how Forbes voiced these arrangements, and your singers will connect more deeply when they understand the interpretive tradition they're stepping into.
Balance the SA voicing carefully in Autumn Leaves. The simplification of harmonic texture means every voice line carries weight; be deliberate about how you blend sopranos and altos to create dimension rather than muddiness.
Let Wade in the Water build its energy gradually. The spiritual gains power through accumulation, so resist the urge to sing it full-throttle from measure one.

How to use it

String all three pieces together to create a thematic program around American song traditions and reinterpretation, or use Autumn Leaves alone as an elegant set-piece in a mixed-repertoire concert. The Eva Cassidy angle also works beautifully for tribute concerts or programs exploring how artists reshape standards across generations.