Joyce wrote “Strings in the Earth and Air” for his future wife and it featured as the first poem in his 1907 collection of verse, “Chamber Music”. “Strings in the Earth and Air”, has previously been set to music by Mawby (1936), Earley (1974) and Hundley (1990). Although “Pomes Penyeach” remains my favourite collection of Joyce’s poetry, “Strings in the Earth and Air” has been a part of my life since first hearing Robin Williamson’s brilliant rendition featured on his 1972 album, “Myrrh”. To create a more personal aura to the poem, however, I decided to set the words to my own harp music and I hope that I have done justice to this beautiful poem.
