Michigan Morn

H. Owen Reed

Subtitle: From the suite The Touch of the Earth.

General Info

Year: 1955 / 1987 / 2005
Duration: c. 6:50
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Ballerbach Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $80.00 | Score Only (print) - $10.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Harp
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V, including:

Ratchet
Sizzle Cymbal, large
Suspended Cymbal, large
Temple Blocks
Tom-Tom
Triangle
Vibraphone
Vibra-slap
Xylophone

Soprano
Players vocalizing

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Taken from Reed’s suite The Touch of the Earth, which is an arrangement of seven melodies from his folk-opera Peter Homan 's Dream, this work was originally published in 1987 as The Heart of the Morn. It is warm, rich, lyrical music with moving lines and a legato style. It also includes an optional mezzo soprano solo and optional SATB choral parts.

The music is inspired by a poem of the same name written by the composer. The first stanza sets the tone for the work:

There is gold in the eye of the morning, in Michigan where I was born;
There is gold in the sky and the lakes and the trees;
For a man with a will to believe what he sees;
There is gold in the eye of the morn.

- Program Note from publisher

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
Audio: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Wind Symphony
Audio: Reference recording. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Wind Symphony (John Raymond Bell, conductor) - 2011
Audio CD: Michigan State University Wind Symphony (John L. Whitwell, conductor; Richard Fracker, tenor) - 2007

State Ratings

Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP II
Michigan: Senior High B

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant) Symphony Band (James Batcheller, conductor) – 20 April 2017
Texas Tech University (Lubbock) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Sarah McKoin, conductor) – Fall 2009
Central Washington University (Ellensburg) Symphonic Band (Mark Lane, conductor) - 3 December 2009
Michigan State University (East Lansing) Wind Symphony (John L. Whitwell, conductor; Richard Fracker, tenor) – 22 December 2007 (2007 Midwest Clinic)

Works for Winds by This Composer

Resources

H. Owen Reed website Accessed 10 February 2022
Miles, Richard B., and Larry Blocher. 2007. Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 6 Volume 6. Chicago: GIA, pp.
Perusal score