The first movement of Quelque Chose Canadienne is the jaunty old folksong Vive la Canadienne, the official march of Le Royal 22nd Regiment of Quebec (the Van Doos), and is basically a musical toast to Canadian girls with soft, pretty eyes who can steal the singer's heart. The second movement is the hauntingly beautiful Un Canadien Errant, a lament associated with those exiled after the 1837 Rebellion in Lower Canada (now Quebec). The call of the loon is heard through this movement in the distance, and has been remarked as the soundmark of Canada. As the loon is embedded as a visual symbol on the Canadian one dollar coin (nicknamed the "loonie"), so also hearing the haunting vocalizations of loons on a summer evening on a northern lake is indelibly memorable. Following the call that reunites the trio, the final movement, Donkey Riding, is a traditional work song sung by the loggers of both New Brunswick and Quebec is introduced. The "donkey" here is not a stubborn, four-legged mammal, but a small steam engine, invented in 1881 for hauling timber..

Instrumentation:

• 3 Piccolos