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Instrumentation is for woodwind quintet with one extra horn, harp, and string quintet.

To perform this as a chamber orchestra piece, augment the string section and have woodwinds in pairs.

For joint chamber ensembles, simply eliminate doubling and octaves by instruments.

This short work was inspired by a photography road trip up state Highway 45, north of Sacramento, California. It is music for a diversional country excursion and has changed but a little since its original inception in July 2011.

In the very heart of central California (USA) there is a short highway that streams through a rural farming area. This state highway is only about 71 miles in total length and is a conduit mainly for the inner farming community.

Bucolic or pastoral are apposite words to describe this entire area. It roughly parallels Interstate 5 in a zig-zag pattern connecting several small communities, beginning with Knights Landing in the south, and ending at Hamilton City to the north after passing by the petite mountain range, the Sutter Buttes. For most of its life it stays relatively close to the Sacramento River, the original main thoroughfare for transporting commerce.

There are no surprises in this basic and straightforward work. It is very tonal, uses key signatures (not common for me), is not rhythmically jolting, nor technically challenging.

Think of a pleasant drive in the country in late spring, just as the temperatures encroach upon summer—no air conditioning, all of the windows rolled down, and hair blowing in the wind.

Performance time is about 4'30".
:-)
Vanessa McClintock
April 2023