Page 12 - CJMay2026

Chamber Music by James Joyce: A Choral Commissioning Project

Frost (IRL), Kim Porter (UK), Kenneth Edge (IRL), Ju- composers to join the project brings a unique compo-
dith Ring (IRL), and Caterina Schembri (Columbia). sitional and stylistic voice to each of the poems, with
I have commitments from the following composers: the consistency provided by the artists—and Joyce’s
Michael McGlynn (IRL), Caroline Shaw & Danni Lee poetic voice—throughout. I thought this approach was
Parpan (USA), and Bill Whelan (IRL). We plan to re- stronger than inviting one composer to set all thirty-six
cord and release the remaining eighteen tracks on a sec- poems. 6
ond album by the end of 2027 so that we have Chamber
Music, all thirty-six poems! Asking thirty-six different Scheibe: All the works are accompanied in some form

Table 1. Chamber Music by James Joyce Volume 1

Track Title Poem Composer Nationality Voicing Instrumentation

1 From dewy dreams, my soul, arise XV Matthew Emery Canada SATB as

2 When the shy star goes forth in IV Tim Stephens USA SATB up to as, bc, fag, hn, hp, v,
heaven SSAATTBB vc, cb, tutti

3 Oh cool is the valley now XVI David Walters USA SATB up to hn, v, vc, cb
SSAATTBB

4 Winds of May, that dance on the sea IX Mark Armstrong Ireland SATB up to cl, hp
SSAATTBB

5 Rain has fallen all the day XXXII Eoghan Desmond Ireland SATB (with S clar, as, fag, hn, hp,
solo passage) v, vc, cb +guitar
up to SATBarB

6 All day I hear the noise of waters XXXV Andrej Makor Slovenia SMsATB as
(with S solo
passage)

7 Gentle lady, do not sing XXVIII Damien Geter USA SSAATTBarB cAng
(splits are only
temporary)

8 Oh, it was out by Donnycarney XXXI Owen Brady Ireland SSATBarB cl, fag, hn, hp, v,
(S split is for a cb +guitar
few measures)

9 The twilight turns from amethyst II Ivo Antognini Switzerland SAATBarB cAng, as, fag, hn,
hp, v, cb

10 CHORAL JOURNAL May 2026 Volume 66 Number 8