Lament of Autumn Leaves (2012)
for Solo Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble

Award: Honorable Mention of the First Asia Pacific Saxophone Composition Competition (2015)

World Premiere:
June 12, 2013
National Taiwan University Band for Alumni
KHS Hall, Luzou, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Li-Chun Hsiao, alto saxophone
Shao-Dong Liu conducts National Taiwan University Band for Alumni

Instrumentation:
1 Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 1 English Horn, 3 Clarinets (Bb), 1 Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoons, 1 Contrabassoon, Solo Alto Saxophone, 1 Alto Saxophone, 1 Tenor Saxophone, 1 Baritone Saxophone, 3 Trumpets (Bb), 4 Horns, 2 Trombones, 1 Bass Trombone, 1 Euphonium, 1 Tuba, 1 Double Bass, Timpani, Percussion 1 (5-Oct Marimba), Percussion 2 (Vibraphone, 2 Suspended Cymbals, Triangle). Note: No more than two players on each flute and clarinet part. No doubling on any other part.

Duration: 8 minutes

Program Notes

Lament of Autumn Leaves for solo alto saxophone and wind ensemble is inspired by the rare snowstorm that stroke the northeast coast of the United States in October 29, 2011.  The disaster resulted in causing more than three million people to live in the dark and freezing temperature without power and hot water, and almost one million people had suffered from power outage for more than one week.  Many trees broke under the heavy weight of snow borne by the remaining red leaves.  Snapped branches and fallen frozen red leaves rendered this autumn very sentimental.

Sorrow implodes within the whole piece, for autumn leaves with their richness are suddenly reaped by the unpredictable snow.  As their beauty goes wasted and unappreciated, what has been left is the utter brutality of the snow.  The chromatic downward harmonic progressions indicate the bleakness and devastation caused by the rare snowstorm, and the sentimental melody of saxophone is the mourning for the loss of the autumn’s harvest and beauty.

This piece is a wind ensemble version from the second movement of my Walking on the Falling Leaves and Snow for alto saxophone and piano.

This is the world premiere recording.

為中音薩克斯風獨奏與小型管樂團的《秋葉悲歌》這首曲子的靈感來源是2011年10月29日在北美地區發生的罕見十月暴風雪。這場災難造成了超過三百萬人的家裡停電停水，生活在黑暗裡與冰點的溫度，近乎一百萬人甚至停電停水超過一個禮拜。許多大樹因為濕冷的雪沾黏在葉子上，支撐不了重量應聲斷裂，斷垣殘枝還有被冰封的紅葉，這樣災難的景色讓秋天變得更加蕭瑟而多愁善感。

這個曲子描述著原本美麗的紅葉突然被這樣不可預期的白雪冰封，這樣的美麗正要被看見的同時，最後的下場只能在這樣一片慘白中被掩埋，非常哀傷的情緒發散著整個樂章。半音下行的和絃進行意指著罕見大雪帶來的荒廢蒼涼，薩克斯風的旋律就像是哀悼著已經遺失的美麗秋景。

此曲是為中音薩克斯風與鋼琴的《漫步在紅葉與白雪的路上》的第二樂章之管樂團版本。

– Feng-Hsu Lee (February 15, 2012 West Hartford, CT)