Falling In Love With Love (D.Lieb)

Jerome Kern and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II originally crafted "Falling In Love With Love" for the 1938 Broadway musical *The Boys from Syracuse*, adapting a plot from Shakespeare's *The Comedy of Errors*. Built on a deceptively simple, waltz-like antecedent-consequent phrasing that Rodgers and Hart famously subverted into tight, driving iterations, the tune rapidly crossed over into the mandatory jazz canon. While famously recorded by vocalists like Frank Sinatra and instrumentalists like Miles Davis and Bill Evans, transforming this 3/4 show tune into a high-octane or swinging jazz vehicle requires astute arranging. The composition thrives on its cyclical harmonic momentum, offering jazz improvisers a rich playground of minor key centers and deceptive cadences. Dick Lieb’s powerhouse big band arrangement re-imagines the standard with a sophisticated, driving contemporary swing aesthetic. Abandoning the traditional waltz meter for an aggressive, straight-ahead 4/4 pocket, the chart establishes an urgent, high-energy mood from the downbeat. The harmonic palette is thoroughly modern, featuring extended upper-structure triads, clever chromatic inner-voice movement, and sophisticated reharmonizations that breathe new life into the familiar Rodgers changes. Lieb utilizes the full 17-piece big band palette with masterful coloration, weaving lush, thick-voiced brass chorals against nimble, linear woodwind counterpoint that demands precision and clean articulation. The arrangement balances full-ensemble firepower with transparent, driving sectional interplay. The saxophone section enjoys substantial soli exposure, navigating bebop-inflected lines that test finger dexterity and stylistic uniformity. Brass writing is dynamic and punchy, featuring articulate plunger and cup mute effects that add textural depth before opening up into a roaring, multi-chorus shout chorus. Featured solo space allows a lead horn to stretch out over standard changes while the rhythm section maintains an insistent, interactive swing foundation. Technical challenges center around maintaining a clean, weightless swing feel at faster tempos, executing rapid dynamic shifts, and balancing the dense, modern chord voicings across all five saxophone, four trumpet, four trombone, and four-piece rhythm section parts. Advanced high school, collegiate, and professional jazz ensembles will find this chart an exhilarating addition to their repertoire. Because of its demanding harmonic language, rapid tempo requirements, and sophisticated ensemble blend demands, it serves as an exceptional festival contest piece or a brilliant anchor for a serious concert program. Directors will appreciate how effectively the arrangement rewards careful sectional rehearsing, ultimately delivering a polished, professional sound that leaves audiences captivated. Conductors should approach Dick Lieb's chart with a crisp, driving medium-up swing tempo that prioritizes rhythmic momentum over sheer velocity. The primary technical challenge lies in the execution of dense, contemporary extended harmonies across the brass and saxophones; players must tune their inner voicings carefully, especially during sustained dynamic crescendos. The rhythm section is the engine here: the drummer should maintain a conversational, high-hat-driven ride pattern on beats two and four while avoiding overplaying during ensemble solis, and the bassist needs to anchor the shifting minor key centers with a strong, walking quarter-note line. Articulation is paramount—ensure that eighth-note lines swing naturally with appropriate accents on the upbeats. Encourage the brass section to master contrasting mutes (cup and straight) to achieve the specific tonal colors requested by the arranger, ensuring that muted passages blend seamlessly before opening up for the unmuted shout chorus. Q: What instrumentation and parts are included in this big band arrangement? A: The chart is scored for a standard 17-piece big band, comprising 2 alto saxophones, 2 tenor saxophones, 1 baritone saxophone, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, and a 4-piece rhythm section (piano, bass, drums, guitar), plus a comprehensive conductor score spanning 44 pages. Q: What is the difficulty level of Dick Lieb's "Falling In Love With Love"? A: This arrangement is graded as advanced (Level 4–5), making it best suited for college jazz ensembles, advanced high school bands, and professional or community big bands with strong section players and confident soloists. Q: What musical style and historical approach does this arrangement take? A: Moving away from the original 1938 Broadway waltz feel, this arrangement reinterprets the standard as a driving, contemporary swing chart infused with modern harmonic reharmonizations and sophisticated bebop sensibilities. Q: What makes this specific arrangement by Dick Lieb unique? A: Lieb distinguishes the chart through his rich, extended chord voicings, intricate saxophone soli sections, dynamic use of sectional mutes, and a powerful, multi-layered shout chorus that transforms a classic show tune into a modern big band tour de force. Q: What is the recommended performance duration and tempo feel for this piece? A: While performance duration typically ranges from 4 to 5 minutes depending on the length of the improvised solos, the tempo should be set to a bright, energetic swing feel that keeps the harmonic momentum pushing forward.