The title of this piece reflects its history. On June 9, 2019 I woke up to the realization that I had been hearing music in the background of my dream. I went back to sleep and was able to focus in on the song, playing the theme over and even slowing it down to make sure I could remember what I was hearing. This melody became the foundation of Dreaming in the Morning as it is today.

The journey of his piece starts in the midst of the dream, a cheerful one. The middle section in minor reminds me of the grogginess of waking up from a deep sleep. I haven’t yet decided what happens next when the key change arrives. Is it waking up fully, feeling refreshed and peaceful to start the day? Or is it giving in to the call of slumber, blissfully dreaming for a while more? I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

Dreaming in the Morning fits well on a 15/14 hammered dulcimer. The range is D3 to B5.

A video of the song is below. This was taken at Scott Park in Fox Chapel, PA. I’m playing my Masterworks RCE 17/17 XR-RS.