Autumn

Alexander Gretchaninoff's Autumn is a secular SATB part-song for unaccompanied choir. The music opens with a sense of the swirling wind, the voices interweaving to create a rich texture. The text reflects on the dying of the year, with the brown leaves whirling and the forest seemingly in its final moments. However, the music turns towards hope, with the imagery of ripening powers for the Spring, suggesting nature's cycle of renewal. The composer captures the somber mood of the season while ultimately looking forward to rebirth.