Rain Softly on Me
General Info
Year: 2022
Duration: c. 8:30
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Unknown
Cost: Score and Parts - Unknown
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
B-flat 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-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Harp
Piano
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V-VI, including:
- Bass Drum
- Chimes
- Cymbals
- Finger Cymbals
- Glockenspiel
- Marimba
- Vibraphone
- Wind Chimes
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Rain Softly on Me was commissioned by Jay Gephart and members of the Franz family, in loving memory of Carolyn Franz Gephart. The English horn is a prominent solo instrument in this piece as Carolyn was an oboist, but her passion was playing the English horn.
- Program Note by Jay Gephart
Giroux wrote the following description in her score:
Life takes us on many journeys. Good, bad, and everything in between. To compose music in honor of someone’s life comes with its own journey. The honor, the responsibility, and the soul-searching are always part of the process. When that someone has been taken way before their time, the journey comes with an added element of sorrow. As one who composes strictly from the heart, it is impossible not to reflect on my experiences with death, loss, and acceptance. I will admit, I never accept it. I am just stuck in the sorrow and loss, never moving to whatever the next phase is. That leaves me with only being able to compose the “life” aspect, which is probably for the best. Rain Softly on Me is that celebration of life -- good and bad -- with the only acceptance being the knowledge that, yes, someday, we all die. We celebrate life continuously with love. Love for all life, for the experiences, good and bad, and also the knowledge that the journey on Earth one day ends. It is the acceptance of that knowledge that is best approached with love. Rain Softly on Me reflects on that wondrous journey and the love that defines it. Its ending measures celebrate that grace and beauty, which only love can give us on the day that is our last.
- Program Note from United States Marine Band concert program, 4 March 2022
Media
(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Purdue University (West Lafayette, Ind.) Wind Ensemble (Jay Gephart, conductor) - 22 April 2022
- United States Marine Band (Washington, D.C.) (Jay Gephart, conductor) - 4 March 2022 (87th Annual ABA National Convention) *Premiere Performance*
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)
- 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
- Julie Giroux website Accessed 10 July 2021