Fields of Gold

Julie Giroux

General Info

Year: 2019
Duration: c. 8:35
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Musica Propria
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $125.00 | Score Only (print) - $25.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contra-Alto Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Chimes
Crash Cymbals
Marimba
Mark Tree
Orchestra Bells (4)
Triangle
Vibraphone
Wind Chimes

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

This is the story of an alien child sent to Earth, the last survivor of a doomed planet and civilization. It is a story that has been capturing the imaginations of earthlings since its first publishing in Action Comics #1, June, 1938. Raised by farmers with love, taught to be fair, humble, hard-working and to never tell a lie, the child grows into the son they could never have and the superhero everyone can admire. Jonathan and Martha Kent weren't just his parents. They were his mentors, like real mentors the world over, silently contributing to the world in a remarkable, Earth-defining way.

Fields of Gold tells the early story of Superman. The piece starts out with a child's journey from Krypton to Earth. Then we meet the Kents and rural America. Then two times events happen in his young life: when Superman uses his powers for good and when he comes to terms with who he is, who he is to become. There are scenes from Superman movies that always strike home with me -- when Superman is standing alone, surrounded by fields of gold as a farmer, a son and an honest man of quality and just worth. That is how I will always think of him, how I will always think of Superman.

- Program Note by composer

Commissioned by the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Department of Humanities and Arts in honor of Professor Douglas Weeks for his distinguished career of tireless dedication to music education as a mentor, colleague, and friend.

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

United States Army Field Band II (Fort Meade, Md.) (Jim R. Keane, conductor) - 15 December 2021 (2021 Midwest Clinic)
State University of New York, Fredonia, All College Band (Carrie Pawelski, conductor) – 4 March 2020
Association of Texas Small School Bands (ATSSB) Symphonic Band (Eugene Migliaro Corporon, conductor) - 15 February 2020 (2020 TMEA Conference, San Antonio)
University of North Texas (Denton) Symphonic Band (Dennis W. Fisher, conductor) – 27 April 2019

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

The Bonsai Tree (Flex instrumentation) (2010/2020)
Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
Hark the Herald Angels Sing (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1739/2020)
I'll Be Home A-fore Ye (Flex instrumentation) (2003/2020)
Market Bridge (Flex instrumentation) (2013/2020)
One Life Beautiful (Flex instrumentation) (2010/2020)
Opa! (Flex instrumentation) (2017/2020)
Our Cast Aways (Flex instrumentation) (2018/2020)
A Time to Dance (2006) (Flex instrumentation) (2006/2020)

All Wind Works

Af-free-kah! (2013)
All Good Things (2003)
All Through the Night (as arranger) (2011)
Always (2019)
Amaranthine (2008)
Appalachian Portrait (2017)
Arcus IX
The Ash Grove (2019)
Autumn Rose (2017)
Away in a Manger (as arranger) (2011)
Before the Sun (2013)
Beyond the Gates (2022)
The Bench by the Sea (2017)
The Blue Marble (2022)
The Bonsai Tree (2010)
Bookmarks from Japan (2013)
Boston Liberties (2003)
Burning the Wickerman (2020)
Carnaval! (2013)
Celestial Seas (2014)
Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
Chorale for Wind Band and Melodic Percussion (as arranger) (2015)
Christmas and Sousa Forever (as arranger) (2010)
Christmas Toons (2012)
Christmas with Mozart (2007)
Circus Franticus (2001)
Córdoba (2013)
Crown of Thorns (1998)
Culloden I and II (2000)
Culloden III (2000)
Dragon Sky (2015)
Dream Dancer (2005)
The Elements. See: Symphony No. 5
Empire (2006)
An Epic Fanfare. See: Three Fanfares
Fantasy in French (2012)
Fields of Gold (2019)
The First Noel (as arranger)
Fort McHenry Suite (2000)
Freedom Rising (2017)
Glenbury Grove (2009)
Glorious Light (2019)
The Grace in Being (2013)
The Greatest Generation (2002)
Hands of Mercy (2001)
HardDrive (2010)
Hark the Herald Angels Sing (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1739/2020)
Hark! Those Bells Are Smokin’ (2011)
The Hearthstone (2016)
Husaria Cavalry Overture (2006)
Hymn for the Innocent (2016)
I Got Rhythm for Christmas (2012)
Il Burlone (2000)
I'll Be Home A'fore Ye (2006)
I'll Be Home A-fore Ye (Flex instrumentation) (2003/2020)
I'll Be Home for Christmas (as arranger) (1943/)
Imbizo (2007)
Impressions (2013)
In My Father's Eyes (2017)
In the Bleak Midwinter (as arranger) (1906/2018)
Incantations (2019)
Italian Rhapsody (2005)
Jerusalem (as arranger)
Jingle Them Bells (as arranger) (1857/2011)
Journey Through Orion (2006)
Just Flyin'! (2015)
K2 (2012)
Kalanu (2002)
Khan (2008)
La Mezquita de Córdoba (2005)
Legacy (2011)
Let Your Spirit Sing (2003)
The Little Drummer Boy's Bolero
Louisiana Parish Sketches (2001)
Mambo Perro Loco (2008)
March of the Sun Dried Tomatoes (2000)
Market Bridge (Flex instrumentation) (2013/2020)
Medalist Fanfare (2013)
Moonshine. See: Shine
Movin' on Down the Line (2009)
My Soul to Keep (2019)
Mystery on Mena Mountain (1985)
Mythic (2021)
The Nature of the Beast (2001)
Nearer, My God, To Thee (as arranger) (2010)
Nihonbashi. See: Market Bridge
No Finer Calling (2006)
No Man's Land (2017)
Nothing That Is (2000)
Nutcracker Fantasia (as arranger) (1891/2012)
O Holy Night (arr. Giroux) (1847/2011)
Of Blood and Stone (2015)
One Life Beautiful (2010)
One Life Beautiful (Flex instrumentation) (2010/2020)
One Torch, Two Women, Three Ships and Men Rejoicing (2011)
Opa! (2018)
Ouachita (1987)
Our Cast Aways (2018)
Our Cast Aways (Flex instrumentation) (2018/2020)
Outlander (2010)
Overture in Five Flat (2010)
Paprikash (2014)
Peter Patapan (2011)
Poseidon (2010)
Primality 2006)
Prisoner of the Ring (1986)
Radiant Shadows (2016)
Rain Softly on Me (2022)
The Red Baron Drummer
Riften Wed (2013)
River Shannon (2020)
Shadow Falls (2013)
Shine (2017)
Silent Night in Gotham (as arranger) (1818/2009)
Space Symphony (1986/1991)
The Speed of Heat (2010)
Stealing Home (2016)
A Stocking Full of Composers (2009)
Strathcona Suite (2012)
Sun Catcher (2022)
Swashbuckler (2010)
Symphony No. 5 (2017)
Symphony No. 6. see: The Big Blue
A Symphony of Fables (2006)
Taboo for Trumpet and Wind Ensemble
Three Fanfares (2003)
Three Wise Guys (2011)
Tiger Tail March (2000)
A Time to Dance (2006)
To Walk with Wings (2000)
Trillium
The Twelve Days of Christmas (2012)
The Twelve Gallon Hat (2013)
Under the Willow (2015)
A Very Merry Heart and Soul
Vigils Keep (2005)
Vortex (2015)
Wagon Trail (2003)
West Wind Overture (2012)
What Child Is That Playing Carol of the Bells? (as arranger) (2011)
What Goes in the Night (2000)
When Country Comes to Town (2008)
Where the Red Fern Grows (2016)
Wild West Overture
Winter from "The Four Seasons" (as arranger) (1725/)
Without You
Wolves in Moonlight (2019)
Zephyr, Chorale and Dance (2012)

Resources

Biggers, S. Carter. "Fields of Gold." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 12, Compiled and edited by Andrew Trachsel, 532-539. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2021.
Giroux, J. (2019). Fields of Gold: [for] Concert Band [score]. Musica Propria: San Antonio, Tx.
Julie Giroux website Accessed 10 July 2021
Perusal score