Joyce Song

James Joyce was a poet who wrote in prose, a painter whose palette was language and, above all, a musician who composed music with words. Permeating his work, from the simplicity of ChamberMusic to the complexity of Finnegans Wake, is music. His works - apart from the sheer musicality of the language and structure - are full of references to songs, ballads, operatic arias and music hall numbers. This CD contains some of the songs Joyce either sang himself or used in his writings, particularly Ulysses.

'Joyce Songs: James Joyce's Musical Dublin' is a unique Irish celebration of early 20th century music - the music Joyce loved. Popular drinking songs, opera arias, music hall numbers and ballads were the pop music of the time and the pages of Ulysses are imbued with their rhythm. The novel is bursting with musical references and the characters almost sing their way through the book, with their minds and souls filled with the music of the day. 'Joyce Songs' might be seen as the soundtrack that never was to Ulysses.

Uniquely, several of the tracks on the CD have never been recorded before. The soloists: Owen Gilhooly, Elizabeth Woods, Emmanuel Lawler, Dáire Halpin, Derek Moloney, and Frank Dunne, with pianist Pádhraic Ó'Cuinneagáin, are all Irish and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra is conducted by Robert Houlihan. Sleeve notes were written by Barry McGovern.