Program Notes

“…along a sunlit path”  was composed as a gift for the Omaha Conservatory of Music. The work is an impression of a picture of a woodland path with rays of sunlight breaking through the trees.

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The gently flowing music opens with Violin 2 and Viola pulsing back and forth between a bi-tonal passage of C and D. The cello enters with a simple pedal C followed by a lightly chirping Violin 1.

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The music is intentionally gentle, optimistic, and punctuated with lyrical melodic lines. The composition passes the themes back and forth between each instrument and reaches a full tutti at measure 82. The work returns to the gentleness of the opening passage of  Violin 2 and Viola and grows in energy to its final cadence on an G Major chord.

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This work may be played as a String Quartet (minus the String Bass part) with the opt. quartet part for cello. Or, it may be played as a String Quintet (one on a part).