Sheet Music: Morning Has Broken

TitleMorning Has Broken
Alternate titlesBunessan
Child in the Manger
Leanabh an Aigh
ComposerTraditional Scottish
Also attributed toCat Stevens (1948—)
InstrumentationFlute and Guitar chords
KeyC major
RangeC5–D6
Time signature9/8
Tempo45 BPM
Performance time0:35
Difficulty leveleasy
Download printable scorePDF Sheet Music (59 kB) (preview)
Download audio tracksMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (481 kB)
Play-along accompanimentMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (536 kB)
Date added2010-01-05
Last updated2010-01-05
Download popularity index☆☆☆☆☆ 3.6 (popular)
Categories
Celtic Music, Christmas carols, Hymn tunes, Traditional/Folk, Wedding music

Performances

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Tuesday 5 January 2010

Tune of the Day: Morning Has Broken

Traditional Gaelic tune, popularised by Cat Stevens

This well-known Christian hymn was first published in 1931 with words by Eleanor Farjeon and a traditional Gaelic tune known as “Bunessan”, from the name of a small village in the south of the island of Mull, on the west coast of Scotland. “Morning Has Broken” shares this tune with the 19th century Christmas carol “Child in the Manger”. Mary M. Macdonald, who lived near Bunessan and who spoke only Gaelic, wrote the hymn to this melody; when the words were later translated into English, the melody was named after the village by the translator.

Pop and folk singer Cat Stevens included a version of “Morning Has Broken” in his 1971 album Teaser and the Firecat. The song became identified with Stevens when it reached number 6 on the US pop chart. The song has also been recorded by numerous other artists, including Neil Diamond, Art Garfunkel and Nana Mouskouri.