When Autumn Falls: SSA Choral Octavo
Words and music by Lois Brownsey and Marti Lunn Lantz (incorporating the poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson)
Item: 00-PO-0001355
$1.80
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
"Feel a hint of winter in the air, when autumn falls." This expressive piece shimmers through each rubato phrase and culminates with the inclusion of Robert Louis Stevenson's warm poetry. Stunning. Accompaniment available on PianoTrax 4 CD (00-35870).
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0001355
More about this title
About the Composer: Lois Brownsey
Lois Brownsey and Marti Lunn Lantz have shaped their compositional voice through decades of collaborative work rooted in accessibility and cultural awareness. Based in Pennsylvania and drawing on Brownsey's extensive background in musical theatre, live performance, and studio work, the pair has built a catalog of choral works and song collections that emphasize seasonal and multicultural themes. Their partnership with Alfred has produced numerous pieces including "Winter's Frost," "Japanese Snow Song," and "The Colors of Winter," establishing them as specialists in repertoire that speaks to universal human experiences.
Brownsey's career spans performance, composition, and production work. She sang and played bass across pop, rock, and blues ensembles in the United States and internationally before transitioning to compositional focus. Today, she and her husband Kent Heckman operate Red Rock recording Studios in the Pocono Mountains, where many of their Alfred publications are recorded, giving them direct involvement in how their music reaches performers and audiences.
Why we love this
The integration of Robert Louis Stevenson's poetry lifts this beyond typical seasonal repertoire, giving singers a literary anchor that deepens emotional investment. Brownsey and Lantz craft rubato phrases that feel natural for treble voices, and the piece builds with real dramatic shape rather than settling for atmospheric mood alone. Directors will find the eight-page length manageable for a concert while the expressive demands give singers something genuinely rewarding to work toward.
What to expect
The piece captures that suspended moment between seasons, where the air carries both the beauty of autumn color and the chill of what's coming. Each phrase seems to shimmer before settling, and Stevenson's voice brings warmth and reflection to the seasonal transition, creating a piece that feels both intimate and expansive.
Who it's for
This octavo suits intermediate to advanced treble choirs looking for fall programming that transcends the expected. Singers who respond well to expressive, text-driven work and understand how to shape rubato phrases will find genuine artistry here.
How to get the most out of it
- Lean into the rubato phrasing; resist rushing through the flexible sections. These moments need space to breathe and allow the text painting to emerge organically.
- Balance clarity of Stevenson's poetry with the underlying musical shape. The text should feel conversational, not declamatory.
- Use dynamic contrast to trace the arc toward culmination. The piece gains momentum, so mark your soft passages early to create room for growth.
- Coordinate vowel shape across the SSA parts during harmonic moments so the shimmer quality the composers describe actually lands in performance.
How to use it
Program this as a centerpiece for fall concerts or place it alongside other seasonal work that values literary depth. The eight pages and expressive demands make it suitable as a concert anchor rather than a filler piece, and the Stevenson text gives programming notes real substance.
Skills your students will build
- Shaping rubato phrases with ensemble precision
- Integrating poetic text with musical phrasing
- Building dynamic architecture across a longer form
- Blending SSA voicing to create harmonic shimmer
- Sustaining expressive focus through subtle harmonic movement