Vernon Duke (1903-1969), né Vladimir Dukelsy, wrote the music and lyrics for "Autumn in New York," the jazz standard that originated in the 1934 Broadway musical Thumbs Up! . The bittersweet lyrics call forth the sight of autumn in the big city, "the promise of new love," and a grateful acceptance of inevitable change and loss. Autumn in Central Park, New York City No wonder Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Billy Holiday, Johnny Mathis, Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, and a hundred of other crooners wanted to record such a wistful song. The notes themselves, falling like leaves, were enough for the likes of Charlie Parker and the Modern Jazz Quartet. Read more, and listen . The calendar includes most major events through the fall season. A New York City Winter Calendar will be published in December. Seasonal Changes • Peak fall foliage The peak fall foliage in NYC usually occurs in late October and the first two weeks of November, coinciding
A strolling guide to New York City by Teri Tynes