Hands of Mercy

From Wind Repertory Project
Julie Giroux

Julie Giroux


Subtitle: In Memory of a Baby Girl


General Info

Year: 2001
Duration: c. 7:00
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Musica Propria
Cost: Score and Parts - $70.00   |   Score Only - $17.00


Instrumentation

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

  • Bass Drum
  • Crash Cymbals


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Grace Victoria Giroux was my niece. She developed a fatal birth defect one month before she was to be born. So debilitating was the defect, the doctors assured my brother Peter and his wife Cathy, that she would be stillborn and the safest thing for all involved would be to carry to term, have a C-section, a small chapel service and all would be over. I went with them to the hospital, just the three of us. The grandparents and other family on both sides were going to wait until that afternoon for the service.

Unfortunately for all involved, Grace was not stillborn. She was alive and they handed her to my brother right after the C-section and told him to just hold her -- it would not be long before she would pass. My brother and I took turns holding her until she died. It was five hours. It felt like an eternity.

We didn’t call anybody; we were both in shock. Cathy, her mother, was knocked out because the delivery was life-threatening for her as well. Just me and Peter, my brother, with that precious little baby, who looked just like his other three children when they were born. She was beautiful. It was very hard to believe there was even anything wrong with her. She never opened her eyes, but she smiled. She held our fingers in her tiny little hands.

It was the longest five hours of my life.
Five hours I would never wish to do again.
Five hours I would not trade for all others.
She was an angel.
Not many can say they have held an angel.

- Program Note by composer.


Premiered at the Kappa Kappa Psi/Tau Beta Sigma Convention. July 24, 2001, Corpus Christi, Texas, With the composer conducting. Commissioned by Donna Beth McCormick in honor of Beta Gamma Chapter members of Tau Beta Sigma, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, and Patsy Drury Hejl, National President, 1967-1969.

In Memory of Grace Victoria Giroux, October 4, 2000 - October 4, 2000

- Program Note from score


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

  • Giroux, J. (2000). Hands of Mercy: For Concert Band [score]. Musica Propria: San Antonio, TX.
  • Julie Giroux website Accessed 10 July 2021