Strings in the Earth and Air

The first song in Hundley's Octaves and Sweet Sounds, "Strings in the Earth and Air," utilizes text by James Joyce and has beautiful, lyric phrases at a moderate tempo that are typical of vocal lines in the bel canto repertoire.

--Esther Jane Hardenbergh

The audio recording provided features Esther Jane Hardenbergh, soprano, and Mutsumi Moteki, piano, and the performance took place in Salzburg, Austria on a recital for the Salzburg Chamber Concerts series.

Date: 1990Composer: Richard HundleyText: James JoyceSong Collection: Octaves and Sweet Sounds

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Text

Strings in the earth and air
by James Joyce

Strings in the earth and air
Make music sweet;
Strings by the river where
The willows meet.

There’s music along the river
For Love wanders there,
Pale flowers on his mantle,
Dark leaves on his hair.

All softly playing,
With head to the music bent,
And fingers straying
Upon an instrument.

from Chamber Music

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