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Unit Study - Appalachian Morning
Unit Study - Appalachian Morning
Robert Sheldon
(b. 1954)
Unit 1: Composer
Born in 1954, Robert Sheldon has been awarded the Volkwein Award for composition and the
Stanbury Award for teaching by the American School Band Directors Association, and the
International Assembly of Phi Beta Mu honored him with the International Outstanding
Bandmaster Award. He taught in the Florida and Illinois public schools and has served as faculty
at Florida State University, teaching conducting and instrumental music education classes. Now
as a concert band editor for Alfred Music Publishing, he continues his career as a composer and
Unit 2: Composition
Appalachian Morning was commissioned by the Psi Chapter of Phi Beta Mu for the Kentucky
Music Educators Association in 2008. This piece provides several solo opportunities for students
in all sections and paints a beautiful picture of early settlers watching the sunrise as they are
traveling through the Cumberland Mountains. Through dynamic shifts, this piece allows students
to fully explore the dynamic range of their instruments with passages ranging from pianissimo to
fortissimo.
Unit 3: Historical Perspective
Influenced by the settlers from Scotland and Ireland in Kentucky, Appalachian Morning portrays
a musical walk through the woods and mountains of the Cumberland Gap. Located in the
Cumberland Mountains ranging through Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, the “Cumberland
Gap” is a narrow pass near the borders of all three states. It was used by the Native Americans
until settlers discovered it in 1750 and used it to journey to the western frontier led by Daniel
Boone, who was known as one of the first American folk heroes for his exploration.
Throughout the piece clarinets, flutes, alto saxophones, horns, and trumpets will come across
grace notes or 32nd notes in the melodic lines, which add to the line stylistically but can be
technically hard for beginning players. Along with that, some players may experience issues with
the range of their part, with both trumpet parts needing to play a high F and the trumpet I part
going to a high G. Similar issues are in the low brass along with the need for flutes to play high
notes in lower dynamics. An issue with the percussion could be the entrances they have with the
wind players, as the bell player needs to come in precisely in time with the flutes. These can
normally be fixed with proper preparatory breathes and blowing the correct amount of air
Opening with a clarinet solo presenting the theme of the piece, it is important for the non-solo
instruments to stay under the melodic line as it is passed to other instruments. Players need to be
aware of what is the foreground, mid-ground, and background, as often some of the alto and
tenor voices will respond to the melodic lines with counter-melodic lines. While the rest of the
instruments (usually tenor or bass instruments) hold down the harmonic lines, outlining the
chords with long tones. Knowing their place in the music and the ensemble will help players
blend with each other and make the most out of the dynamic shaping of the piece.
This piece contains so many dynamic shifts that players will need to understand their place in the
ensemble and focus on balancing with the instruments around them. Only taking nine measures
to bring the ensemble from piano to forte, and getting to fortissimo by measure 19, the ensemble
will need to express what dynamic they are wanting to play to sell the emotional impact. Along
with the dynamics are the melodic lines being passed around from instrument to instrument,
where the transitions are an important part of maintaining the shape and feel of the line. This
requires a level of listening through the ensemble so they can blend with the people around them.
Appalachian Morning has a rounded binary form, with sections normally ending with large
dynamic shifts, and the recapitulation of the A section after a key change at measure 35. The A
and A’ sections are easily identified with several solo melodic lines that move around between
instruments, where the B section has more ensemble playing and contains the climax of the piece
Sheldon, Robert. "Alfred Music | Appalachian Morning | Robert Sheldon | Part(s); Score."Alfred
Music | Appalachian Morning | Robert Sheldon | Part(s); Score. Alfred Music, n.d. Web.
Sheldon, Robert. "Appalachian Morning." (n.d.): n. pag. Panther Country. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.
<http://www.panthercountry.org/userfiles/393/Classes/22409/Appalachian%20Mornin
%20by%20Robert%20Sheldon%20Score.pdf>.
2017. <http://robertsheldonmusic.com/>.