Beschrijving

On the one hand, the tune of this song shows us the way to the Celtic world of the Hebrides off the western coast of Scotland. On the other hand it reveals the power that dwells in an air, if it is coupled with convincing lyrics – even in a rather unusual interpretation. Mary MacDonald lived on the Isle of Mull from 1817-1890. She wrote songs and poetry in her mother tongue, namely Gaelic. Among these songs was the popular carol “Infant of Glory, Child Born of Mary”. The tune itself is known as “Bunessan” , which is derived from the city of Bunessan on the Isle of Mull, where Mary MacDonald lived. Presumably in the 1930s of the past century, the English author Eleanor Farjean (1881-1965) was asked to write a poem of thanksgiving for children on the old Gaelic hymn, “Bunessan”. The first verse of this song, which soon became widely known and popular reads: “Morning has broken like the first morning. Blackbird has spoken like the first bird. Praise for the singing, Praise for the morning, Praise for them springing fresh from the World.”

In the early years of rock music, almost all groups indulged in a rebellion against Englishness. Then, at the end of the 1960s and start of the 1970s, something changed. It is therefore not surprising that Cat Stevens took advantage of this shift, and recorded the Gaelic “Bunessan” with Eleanor Farjean’s words “Morning Has Broken” in 1972 – and made the charts with that song, a song which is still as popular today as it was then.

The accordion orchestra version of this piece is combinable with the concert band version!