Of Blood and Stone

Julie Giroux

Subtitle: The Pyramids of Giza

General Info

Year: 2015
Duration: c. 10:15
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Musica Propria
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $140.00 | Score Only (print) - $30.00

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
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 I-VII, including:

Bass Drum
Bongos
Chimes
Conga
Crash Cymbals
Crotales
Egg Shaker
Finger Cymbals
Gong
Guiro
Maracas
Marimba
Mark Tree
Orchestra Bells
Sleigh Bells
Suspended Cymbal
Timbales
Triangle
Vibraphone
Vibra-slap
Wind Wand Bullroarers

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

The Pyramids of Giza are the only ancient wonder of the world left standing. Despite all of our studies of the Egyptian tombs, pyramids and hieroglyphs, we still have no idea what the pyramids were actually used for. No body, corpse, or mummy has ever been found in a pyramid. They are always located elsewhere. We do know the pyramids were not built by slaves. Recent excavations have shown the pyramid workers were fed extremely well and enjoyed excellent living conditions, though their bodies held all the tell-tale signs of a short life of very physical labor. There are many theories for what the pyramids may have actually been used for. Were they centers of worship or healing? Are they a form of ancient power? Were they used to contact those in the afterlife; or perhaps aliens had a hand in their creation and uses.

Of Blood and Stone uses the tonality and scales found on the ancient instruments of Egypt as its core melodic and harmonic language. The piece opens up with life on the River Nile. After the intro, the percussion enters and jump starts us into the pulse of everyday life which eventually leads us spiritually to the Valley of the Dead explored with the help of wind wand bullroarers. After the Valley of the Dead we musically mourn a civilization lost, imagine the loves lived and lost. The piece ends with the actual building of the pyramids, not by slaves but by a people destined to create something the world had never known. The pyramids are not only still standing after thousands of years, but have never been recreated with any other civilization. The Egyptians, our ancestors, shaped the world with blood and stone.

- Program Note from publisher

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

University of Nebraska (Lincoln) Symphonic Band (Anthony Falcone, conductor) – 10 December 2019
Menchville High School (Newport News, Va.) Symphonic Band (Deborah Sarvay, conductor) - 2018

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
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)
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

Julie Giroux website Accessed 10 July 2021
Perusal score