FALLING LEAVES
For a cappella SATB chorus
music by Juhi Bansal, text translated from Rumi Duration 4 minutes
Program note: In the simplest of words, the Persian poet Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī expresses joy in the natural world. It is a message of peace and gratitude, of finding light and meaning in unexpected places. With cascading lines, intertwining counterpoint and modal inflections, the music paints a picture of drifting leaves and wonder.
To David V. Montoya, in gratitude and friendship
Falling Leaves The leaf of every tree brings message from the unseen world. Look, every falling leaf is a blessing.
translation adapted from Reynold Nicholson, in the public domain
Copyright ©2020 by Juhi Bansal Music All rights reserved
juhibansalcomposer@gmail.com www.juhibansal.com
Falling Leaves
Text by Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī, English translation by Reynold Nicholson
Expressive, flowing h = 50-60
SOPRANO
p
The
ALTO
leaf
of
ev
leaf
of
ev
p The
BASS
TENOR
-
-
ry
tree
ry
tree
Music by Juhi Bansal
5
p
brings mes - sage,
p
brings
brings
(for rehearsal only)
Piano
p
The
leaf
of
ev
p
The
leaf
of
eve
6
SOPRANO
ALTO
TENOR
BASS
Piano
pp
pp
mes - sage,
bring
mes - sage,
brings
mes
brings mes - sage,
sage,
-
p
9
the
leaf
the
leaf
-
ry
-
ry
11
SOPRANO
13
3
pp
tree
ALTO
tree,
TENOR
BASS
brings
brings
pp
mes - sage,
brings
mes - sage,
brings,
Piano
brings
mes - sage,
brings
mes
brings
-
sage,
16
SOPRANO
ALTO
TENOR
BASS
mes - sage
Piano
17
p
leaf
of
eve
p
The
leaf
of
eve
the
leaf
the
leaf
The
-
ry
-
ry
tree,
tree,
the
the
the
brings
4
SOPRANO
ALTO
TENOR
BASS
21 21
leaf
of
eve
leaf
of
eve
leaf
of
eve
-
-
-
ry
tree,
25
ry
tree,
ry
tree
leaf
of
eve
leaf
of
brings mes - sage,
the
the
eve
-
Piano
ry
brings mes - sage,
ry
brings,
-
brings
brings
ry
tree,
29 27
SOPRANO
tree,
ALTO
tree,
TENOR
BASS
mes - sage, mes
Piano
brings
-
mp
the
leaf
of
eve
the
leaf
of
eve
mp
mes - sage,
mp
the
leaf
-
-
ry
tree,
brings,
sage
brings
mp
the
mp
32
SOPRANO
ALTO
TENOR
the
mes - sage
leaf,
the
brings
38 poco a poco cresc.
ALTO
from the
un
seen
Alto 2
TENOR
BASS
Piano
un
poco a poco cresc.
-
mf
mp cresc.
world
mp cresc.
-
seen
mf
mf
world.
mf
mp cresc.
seen
p poco a poco cresc.
un
world
5
mf
world
p poco a poco cresc.
mes - sage,
40
-
p subito
p poco a poco cresc.
mes - sage
p
Sop. 2
mes - sage,
leaf
(staggered breathing)
35
mes - sage p
37
SOPRANO
leaf
p subito
brings
leaf
the
p subito
leaf
the
BASS
Piano
33
mf
world.
mf
43 mp poco a poco cresc. SOPRANO
47
6
43
Look, mp poco a poco cresc.
ALTO
look,
TENOR
BASS
look,
mp poco a poco cresc.
Look mp poco a poco cresc.
Piano
49
SOPRANO
51
f
f
f
look,
ALTO
look,
mp poco a poco cresc.
look,
Look,
Look,
mp
Eve - ry
look,
TENOR
BASS
mp
look
Eve - ry
f
look,
Piano
f
mp
mp
55
ing
leaf
55
SOPRANO
ALTO
fall
-
(always mp)
eve - ry
Sop. 2
mp
Eve - ry
fall
59 fall
-
fall
-
ing
ing,
fall
ing,
fall
-
ing
ing
-
7
leaf,
(always mp)
eve - ry
(In the background)
TENOR
fall
-
ing,
fall
pp
pp
-
Piano
(In the background) pp
fall
BASS
pp
mp
-
-
ing,
fall
-
ing,
fall
-
8
61
SOPRANO
leaf,
leaf,
ALTO
63 eve - ry
eve - ry
-
ing
ing,
ing,
fall
-
-
fall
-
-
ing
leaf,
ing,
fall
-
leaf,
ing,
fall
-
eve - ry
eve - ry
eve - ry
leaf,
-
ing
fall
fall
fall
fall
-
ing
ing,
fall
ing,
fall
-
-
TENOR
BASS
Piano
67 67 fall
SOPRANO
-
fall
-
leaf,
ing,
TENOR
BASS
-
ing,
fall
-
BASS
Piano
fall
-
ing,
fall
fall
-
-
cresc.
ing,
fall
ing,
fall
ing,
-
-
fall
-
cresc.
-
-
ing,
fall
-
ing,
-
f
fall
f
mp cresc.
fall
mp cresc.
fall
-
ing,
-
p subito
ing
Slightly faster, in time
leaf
p subito
fall
ing
f
-
78
f
ing,
-
ing
TENOR
eve - ry
9
cresc.
75 rit.
fall
ALTO
71
leaf,
eve - ry
73
SOPRANO
ing
Piano
-
ing
fall
ALTO
f
ing
-
fall
-
ing
leaf
p subito
ing
pp
leaf
is
pp
p subito
leaf p subito
is
a
pp
a
10
79
SOPRANO
ALTO
TENOR
BASS
(a few high sopranos)
pp
pp
bless - ing,
is
a
a
bless - ing,
84
SOPRANO
BASS
Piano
a
a
is
a
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
86
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
is
is
a
is
is
a
is
is
a
a
a
is
a
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
o
bless - ing,
TENOR
is
bless - ing,
ALTO
is
is
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
Piano
82
o
is
Light, soaring pp
a
a
is
a
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
is
a
is
is
bless ing,
a
a
is
a
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
is
a
is
a
90
89
SOPRANO
ALTO
TENOR
BASS
bless - ing,
is
a
bless - ing,
is
a
94 94 SOPRANO
bless - ing,
is
BASS
Piano
a
bless - ing,
is
a
bless - ing,
is
is
is
a
a
is
a
is
a
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
is
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
bless - ing.
bless - ing.
a
a
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
a
a
is
bless - ing,
is
o
a
bless - ing,
TENOR
bless - ing,
bless - ing,
ALTO
a
is
is
bless - ing,
Piano
o
11
bless - ing.