One thing that most of us do at bedtime, is to review the happenings of the day. The composer has chosen a day that has gone well, and therefore, the thoughts in review are very pleasant. Bar 8 starts the day's review, and is quite serene in character. Bar 15, the ritard should be quite substantial, especially the last 3 quarter notes in bar 16. Bar 17 picks up the lovely melody again, this time with counter activity in the cellos and basses. Bar 29 should be a little faster, as the pizzicato technique sets a different tone for the day that was. Bar 41 is a repeat of the main melody, this time, without the counter low strings. One could think that the nighttime thoughts are beginning to calm, and sleep is on its way. All in all, this is a lovely selection that would be a wonderful offset to a fast, aggressive piece on your program. All parts have important material, and it should be a solid learning experience for your ensemble to play musically!
