Chamber Music
a song set to poems by James Joyce
as performed by David Edgar Walther, bass-baritone;
​with either Merton Brown, Eileen Feldman or Dr. Sam Walter, piano
I. Strings in the earth and air
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.
​There's music along the river
For Love wanders there,
Pale flowers on his mantle,
Dark leaves on his hair.
II. Lean Out of the Window
​Lean out of the window,
Goldenhair,
I hear you singing
A merry air.
My book was closed,
I read no more,
Watching the fire dance
On the floor.
I have left my book,
I have left my room,
For I heard you singing
Through the gloom.
Singing and singing
A merry air,
Lean out of the window,
Goldenhair.
IV. At That Hour
At that hour when all things have repose,
O lonely watcher of the skies,
Do you hear the night wind and the sighs
Of harps playing unto Love to unclose
The pale gates of sunrise?
When all things repose, do you alone
Awake to hear the sweet harps play
To Love before him on his way,
And the night wind answering in antiphon
Till night is overgone?
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Play on, invisible harps, unto Love,
Whose way in heaven is aglow
At that hour when soft lights come and go,
Soft sweet music in the air above
And in the earth below.
IV. Lean Out of the Window (verses 1, 2, & 4)  V. Strings in the earth and air (whole poem)
To see a list of all of the James Joyce poems, as set by this composer, please click below:
Copyright © David Edgar Walther 2025
©
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