English Autumn Small Ensemble - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.913624

 English Autumn  was composed in Fall/Winter 2018-2019 for Clarinetist Allison Eales commissioned by the Gregynog . Scored for Clarinet in A and String Trio it reflects the collage of Autumn colors:  Green, Yellow, Brown shades of first Autumn; Red, Orange of Autumn at its peak. It followed my "English Sonatina for young clarinetists" premiered by Alison Eales and Anna de Hair in London in January, 2019, and was premiered in London in October, 2019.

This piece reflects the heightened emotions of fiery intensity reflected in the changing of the colors of the leaves in Autumn. Reflected as well is the serene beauty before the Autumn arrives, and the resignation of the eternal cycles of nature. The opening section (Andante) evokes the feeling of nostalgia and assurance of the inevitable cycle of nature. We know the life will go from the tress only to return again next season. We feel the joy of the intense colors of the foliage, and the sadness of the loss of life in winter.

This section segues into "Green" (Adagio cantabile) with pastoral music and quotes of "The Water is Wide" and "I pass all the hours in a shady grove" of Pelham Humphrey. This leads into "Red" (Allegro con fuoco/Presto), followed by "Orange" (Declamando) as well as absence of color when the leaves all fall.

"I pass all the hours" is a song by Pelham Humphrey with words by Charles II: I pass all the hours in a shady grove …When I see the print of her shape in the green…I think there’s no hell like loving too well, The melody is incorporated because it is the same melodic motif of the "Scherzando" movement of my "English Sonatina for young clarinetists" which Alison Eales and Anna de Hair premiered. I discovered it after composing that piece in researching
English folk songs to refer to in this piece. It is an ideal segue into the "Allegro con fuco/Presto"
music.

The final section (Andante cantabile) is my personal melodic sequence from the rising motif
of "Over the hills and far away".