Fort McHenry Suite

Julie Giroux

General Info

Year: 2000
Duration: c. 9:30
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Musica Propria
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $125.00 | Score Only (print) - $30.00

Movements

1. Rockets' Red Glare – 2:55
2. Dimly Seem through the Mists of the Deep – 3:45
3. When Freemen Shall Stand – 2:50

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contra Alto Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
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
Trombone III/Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Chimes
Crash Cymbals
Gong
Military Drum
Piccolo Snare Drum
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tom-Tom

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

The titles of the three movements, The Rockets’ Red Glare, Dimly Seen Through the Mists of the Deep and When Freemen Shall Stand, are quotes taken directly from the first, second and fourth verses of the Star-Spangled Banner.

Movement I - The Rockets’ Red Glare depicts the siege of Fort McHenry -- a bombardment of rockets, cannon blasts, flying mortar, bricks and stones. A highly energetic and dark interpretation.

Movement II - The second and fourth verses to the Star-Spangled Banner, not well known to most Americans, are highlighted musically and optionally by narrations in the second movement. Dimly Seen Through the Mists of the Deep is a celebration of the hope, pride and honor the defenders must have felt to still have a flag (measuring 30 feet by 42 feet, made especially to taunt the British) flying over them after such a costly battle.

Movement III - When Freemen Shall Stand is an attempt to capture that multitude of patriotic feelings we share as Americans -- the stand we take every day -- the stand our military takes on our behalf around the globe and the countless times that that has been done in the name of freedom during the history of our nation.

- Program Note from publisher

Commissioned by the United States Air Force Band of Liberty, Major Alan C. Sieracha, Commander/Conductor.

- Program Note from score

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
Audio CD: United States Air Force Heritage of America Band (Larry H. Lang, conductor) - 2011

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Dallas (Tx.) Winds (Jerry Junkin, conductor) - 4 July 2023
Baldwin-Wallace University (Berea, Ohio) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Brendan Caldwell, conductor) - 11 November 2022
State University of New York, Fredonia, Concert Band (Ray Stewart, conductor; Catherine Daniels, Nicholas Farrauto, narrators) – 21 November 2019
United States Coast Guard Band (New London, Conn.) (Adam R. Williamson, conductor) - 4 August 2019 (Bay Harbor, Mich.)
Yelm (Wa.) High School Wind Ensemble - 2015

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

Across the Isle of Skye
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 Measure (2023)
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 (2000)
- Culloden I and II
- Culloden III
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)
Godspeed (2023)
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)
Integrity Fanfare and March
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
The Little Sparrow
Louisiana Parish Sketches (2001)
Mambo Perro Loco (2008)
March of the Sun Dried Tomatoes (2000)
Market Bridge (Flex instrumentation) (2013/2020)
Medalist Fanfare (2013)
Mile High (2023)
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)
Of Silence and Sparrows (2022)
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. 1. See: Culloden
Symphony No. 2. See: A Symphony of Fables
Symphony No. 3. See: No Finer Calling
Symphony No. 4. See: Bookmarks from Japan
Symphony No. 5 (2017)
Symphony No. 6. see: The Blue Marble
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 Influence (2022)
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

Giroux, J. (2000). Fort McHenry Suite: For Concert Band [score]. Musica Propria: San Antonio, Tx.
Julie Giroux website Accessed 10 July 2021
Perusal score