- Level: Mid to late intermediate
- Pages: 6 pages, 4 pages of music, cover included
- Style: Reflective, emotive
- Bonus: mp3 performance track + QR code to access recording online
- Format: PDF instant download
Morning at the Falls is from the Inspiring Portraits series which honors people in history who may have been forgotten or overlooked, but have been extremely influential in shaping the world. Morning at the Falls is a sensitive and powerful piece the demonstrates the beauty of the paintings that Thomas Moran made of Yellowstone National Park to help try to convince Teddy Roosevelt and Congress to set the land aside for all Americans to enjoy. His skill and dedication were part of why the area of Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons is preserved for us to enjoy today!
This is the paragraph from the top of the music:
Thomas Moran was a painter and explorer who first captured and illustrated the wonders of what was to become Yellowstone National Park. Although President Teddy Roosevelt is credited with making Yellowstone a national park, Thomas Moran’s paintings of the park were important in convincing the U. S. Congress to act to preserve the incredible beauty of the area long before cameras, television, and smart phones were available.
Level of Morning at the Falls
Morning at the Falls is a mid to late intermediate piano solo which begins in C Major, then modulates to F Major, then D Major. The Smallest note value is the sixteenth note and the dotted eighth note is prominent. Pedaling and fingering is indicated throughout the piece.
Slurs demonstrating musical phrases, meticulous dynamics and suggestions for tempo changes will help any intermediate student to play this emotive piece with nuance.
Bonus
As with all ComposeCreate® music, Morning at the Falls comes with the beautiful cover. But we also include an mp3 recording of Wendy Stevens playing the piece. This mp3 may be given to students to help them learn the piece more quickly or to mimic nuance.
Plus, a QR code is included on the first page of the PDF (not pictured in the sample) so students can scan the code and it will take them directly to the performance recording of the piece. This can help them be inspired and learn the piece even more effectively without you having to send the mp3 to them!
What is a studio license?
Morning at the Falls comes with a studio license which licenses the purchasing teacher to print as many copies as needed for any student they directly teach. So it is like getting an unlimited supply of this Music Kids Love® for yourself and your students. The studio license is not a multi-teacher license, so it can only be used by one teacher. However, the music and bonus can be used by as many students as the purchasing teacher directly instructs on a regular basis.
Are there more Inspiring Portraits?
Yes, Letters from Abigail is also available and there are more that will be released in the coming years. Stay tuned!
Deborah –
I bought this piece in the morning and handed it to a student the same afternoon! And I myself have already played through it twice in the same day! I love how this piece captures the beauty, serenity, and movement of sitting by the falls – you feel the powerful rush of the water, but also experience the deep serenity of being surrounded by nature. This is going to be a studio favorite for years to come.
Debbie –
I love this beautiful piece! I’ve played it over and over again. Another example of Wendy at her finest! I’m excited to introduce it to my students.
LJ –
Love the thick, warm sounds that this piece has. Wendy writes such wonderful music and with this series I’m teaching students about influential people in history too. Perfect for older and adult students.
Melody –
I have one student who has fallen in love with Morning at the Falls and is making good progress; and another who is enjoying Carried Away by Jason Sifford. I have several students learning The Two-headed Ogre – and we have lots of laughs as we navigate our way through some of those chords. Thank you so much for doing these webinars. They are priceless.
Nancy –
I don’t have students ready to play this piece yet, but it made a wonderful offertory at the church where I play worship. It’s a beautiful, engaging, yet relaxing piece!
Sharon –
Beautiful lyrical piece, which I immediately shared with three adult students and also played it for a church prelude. Since I live in MT and have visited the Yellowstone Falls many times, the theme connected us even more to the piece. I went on-line and printed out a picture of Moran’s painting to add further meaning.