James Joyce, Chamber music : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in English at Massey University

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CHAivfBER

l\1USIC

!IV

JAMES JOYCE

EI.KIN MATHtWS VIGO STREET, LONDON

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Ji,MFS JOYCE CIL1'1BER MUSIC

: .. thesis presented in po.rtial fulfilment of tho requirements for tho d0br0c of

Master of J.xts in English at Ha.ssoy Uni vor si ty.

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to

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iii.

PREFACE

This thesis originated in dissatisfaction with William York Tindal.l's treatment of Chamber Music, in his

1954

edition of the

poems. When I began my research on the topic, I found ~hat, not only in interpretation, but in technical matters of dating, arran ge-ment and textual data, and in biographical matters such as Joyce's attitude to the poems, there was ample ecope for a ~cu.1 edition. Hence the structure of this thesis. The Introductory Essay is divided into ten numbered sections, but they group themselves into four broad categories: composition and publishin₆history; the criticism; the evidence of biography; and my own interpretation. I decided to include the individual analyses of each poem (the Notes on the Poems) because Chamber Music criticism has been characterised by glib generalisations and lack of close, specific investigation of o.11 of the thirty-six poems. Tindo.111 _{s "Notes to}_the_Poems"_{did not} fill this gap.

Throughout this thesis, I have made much use of a few books, frequent references to which have necessitated some form of

abbrevi-ation, in the text and in the Notes to th~~ 'l'e:xt. References to ''Tindall" signify Tindal.11 _{s edition}_of_Chamber_Music _{(New York,}

1954).

Where other books or articles by Tinda.11 are noted, full

titles are given. The Letters of James Joyce, one volume edited by Gilbert in

1957,

the other two edited by Ellmc.nn in

1966,

a.re re-ferred to by volume number (Letters, I; Letters, II; Letters,

III). Ellmann1_{s biography James Joyce (New York,}

1959)

_is des-cribed as 11_Ellmann_{11 ;} _{Gormants James Joyce (New York,}

1948)

_as

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iv. two works written by Stanislaus Joyce and quoted herein are noted by their titles, Recollections (New York,

1950),

and ltz Brother's

Keeper (London,

1958).

"Slocum and Cahoon" refers to John J. Slocum and Herbert Cahoon,

A Bibliography

of Jaraes Joyce

1882-1941

(London,

1953).

Editions of Joyce's works to which frequent page references are made are listed in section

A

.

of the Bibliography,

p.260.

I

am deeply grateful to Professor

R.G.

Frean of the English Department, Massey University, for his help with this thesis. From its conception, Professor Frean has generously given of his scholar-ship ruid time.

I also thank the following people for their assistance in the preparation of this thesis:

- Miss Claire-Louise HcCurdy of the Enslish Department, Mnssey University;

- Miss E.H. Green, Head of Circulation, Massey University

Library, for her help with Interloan references;

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FRONTISPIECE

(Title-page of the first edition of Qhamber

Music,

8lkin

Mathews,

May 1907;

Reproduced

frOill Slocum

&

Cahoon,

.&

Bibliography

of

James Joyce, p.7.)

ILLUSTRATION

(Joyce's

postcard

to J.F.

Byrne

from Paris,

15 December 1902 - original version of

Chamber

Mu~ic poem

llXV

on

verso;

Reproduced from Ellmnnn (ed.), Letters of

James Joyce, II, facin

g

p.32

.)

I. INTRODUCTORY ESSAY

II.

THE POEl-lS (preceded

by textual

data.)

III.

NOrES ON

THE POENS

IV. NOTES ON THE

TEXT

BIBLIOGMPHY

facing title-page

between

pp.63

&

64

1.

112.

161.

243.

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I

INTRODlTCTORY ESS.w ( 1)

Cho..':lbor Music is tl10 first published work of JCL--;ios Joyce, a:1d it is also tho first of his works to ho.vo boon fully oditod.

Willio.n York Tindall undertook this task ir1

1954,

producin,3 a work wllicl: ir, rJ.1a.'1.y rospocts displnys ir.iprossivc scholarship. Tho

oditori81 c.pr,::i.rdus, of botl:. a toxtucl o.nd an intorprotativo no.tu.re, witl1 whicl1 ho glossed tho text, w2.s the ,Jost cxl:-.:::i.ustive :J.nd nost perc0pti vo cri ticis:.1 of C~:__i:-.ibor Music wllicL ho.d appeared.

-~ l:.2,ndful of otLc:r critics had dotectocl subst.'.;.ncc '.li"d si ~mi-fico.i:co bo11on.th th.:., superficial rliythnic folicitLG of the :_::,oe:;ns

bof oru Ti:2cull, but t:"loir findiL.· s b.c:'.d oi thor not boCi: ₁~,ublisl:od, or e_.p1J02).';_;U in sn::0.1 articlos ::it vo.ryir<~ intcrv::-J.s, ii: isoL1.tod public'lti0;-1s. Certainly the: C:1_i_{r.i j_JOr}_copti_ons _{of tl10}_s₀ _O_ill_li_or critics were ii_,_ o.::i_d, ca.so r Jstrictod i~~ sco;_Jo, 13.r'_:,-;ly u1:supp:::irtod s2.vo by subj octi vo :;_sscrtion, o.nd ,.LJ.cl0 !'h.J uso of prL,o.ry source

Elateri::0.. '1L1clall cc:ntr::i.lisoc1 Ch.:.nbor Husic sclwlc.rship o.r.d f2.shio11ed thu field in l1is owr. fa.2.go. IIo trc.cocl r:,c_r1uscripts and trMscribod textual vs.ria:1ts, consultod what lottors of Joyco ho could c0,110 upoe, conducted t'..!.l oxtonsivo corrospondo:1eo with Stanish.us Joyce, H .. ,rbort Gorna,.'1., Constanti:no Curran, Go,';arty, and nany ot~1er acquaintc11cos of or 2..uthori ti8s Oll Joyce; ho

g:.::.thorod r.-'.ltorinl. on Chcinbcr Husic fro~.1 other critics, and scoured Joyce I_s _othor_works _{for co!:ll:iontary} _or_clue _{- continually}_rmstering support for- his particular intorprotation.

Novortholoss, Tindall' s edition is not definitive. lfany new details of Joyce's bio3ro.phy relating to Chamber Husic, and of

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2.

Chru:iber i•iusic bi blioc;r nphy ho.vo cono to li::-;ht since 19 54. The

appoaranc-J of this iaatcriul Lc:avos Tindall' s oditio!l inco~.1ploto

-arid whor0, as in sor:,10 cr.1.sos of datinr_s £J.l1d in :nost cases of Joyce I_s

cri tice.1 re:12.tior~ship to Ch1r:1bcr Music, Ti~:.d.:-.ll has assuned wh,.t he

dic.1 not lm2.;:i, .bu is rondorod incorrect. Moroovor, sorac of tho

i nforn.:1tion (for instance, o n tho ro-a.rra.11r:_;or.1c;1t of Cha.':lbor Music)

which Tind:tll b.2d oven fron as reputablG a source as Stanislaus

J oyce is orronoous.

Stc.nisln.us Joyce's autobio:.;raphy ~-iy 3rothur1 _s _Keeper_w_a_s

publis1,cd in 1958, inconplote but covorin:i: th0 Ch,mbcr Husic period

of Joy co 1 _{s bio}_{_::r}_tcpt_y _u_p _to_a_bout ₁₉₀₃_. _Tho _Dubli_n _D_{ic..ry of}

Sto.nislnus Joyce (wbicll, Tinddl l1·-~d it froc St.'.:'.l:isl.'J.llS, l1ad boon

l ost) nppe:e.r0d i~'- 1962, a r._or0 iur,cJic.to journel lJc:i3L111inr; whore

Hy Brcthor1 _{s :.;:oo}_p_,.:._r _left_o_ff, _a.ncl _to.ki_n_.~ _tho _o_i_o-_;_r_:11:.,_{hy u~- to}₁₉₀₅_.

TLt::s0 two sources o.fforcl a nuch cleo.rer ~'.linpso of Joyce ond

Joyc01 _s _p:.irsu_{i t} _s ₂_{.nd ntti}_tu_dc_{s i}_n_t_ho _s_~10_cific_p_e_riod _of _t:₁₀

poc,.is - :ind supr,lo:.,01::tod by Ell:::::i.r.n I_{s dcf}_i_n_i_{ti ve bio}_{,.._;}_r_2p::_y,_~

Joyce (~-Tew fork, 1959), thoy :_·ivo now clc.tin~s 'Jf poons, r:ioro

Llforna.tion on title c.nd order, bior-:r<1phical incidents fror.1 which

po0r.1s QToso, end su::-·est now interpretation.

But tho 3 volunu Lottors of Janos Joyce edited by Gilbert in

1957 (one volur:ie) a.nd by Ell.r.iann in 1966 (tho other two), :i.re

ospocially si:.;nificant contri'uutions to Chw:!lber l-1usic as to all

J oycoan scholar ship. Thoy have published c. groat deal of

infor-r:iation not previously known or easily accessible. Joyce I_s _a_tt_itud0

to Chamber Music was formerly gloc.J.!ed fron a few carefully-culled

sto.toments in o.vailo.bl6 letturs, but Bor-J ospocin.lly from quot.:1tions

( equally well-culled and occa.sionnlly erroneously attributed) fror.i

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to say the l0ast, ar .. d o.ro c:i vcn procodonce over Stephen Hero or

Portrai t of the .-..rtist classes on Joyce's lyri cs, becaus0 they .:ll'e

assunad to bo tho final word of the r:iore n::1.turc Joyco. Th0

publisllod J.,ottors, ho11ovor, cnt::J.o'-:uu Joyc81 _{s op}_i_n_i_ons _of_Ch_u.r.1_b_o_r

lJusic fc.r less equivocally. They rocord tho :_leOJUEg his fir3t

lyrics 11:.t<:: for th,. nrt ist ::,.s ~ youn...; w.·:n, and continul;cl to h.:i.vo

for Joy co throu:-,hout hi s life; :tnd tl:uy .::lso provide infor1010.tion

on moro toclmic,.~l :-1nttcrs, for c:x2.;::.plo tll2..t Joyce hrtcl c. lot ::i.orc

to clo with th,) arrar..,·onont of Chon.bcr 1-iusic than St,:inislc.us ,Toyco

ru1J :,10st otho· co.:1'1,.mt '.ltors, incluC::in3 1'L:dall, havo ouon willin[;

to co:ici.;do. The; Lettors arc thus c.J.1 inporkmt countor-balnnco t o

St:ll."islaus I _occci.s_i_on_a_l_ly_ove_r_enthus_i_ast_i_c _d_e_s_i_re_to_i_a_po_{sc h}_i_s

owr. 3i _.nificw1c0 o;-1 the J oyco work.

t,I,;w biblio··L:.phic::i.l :1c.tori2.l has follc,wud Tindall' s notin3

of thl.; texts of Chor.1bor 1-ifusic. Th0 C ;rnull r.wnuscripts (as

described in II, 1 _{Tho Poons}1₎ _hc._vo_p_r_\_w_i_dod_:_1.0_\J _d_nto_s _{9.i1d to}_xtutl

3.

vnri::1-nts, c.:.1d }?crl1e1ps novr1l bioc;rr,~~:~.icc.l si~~nificanco. Tho.t Tindcul

1,,12,s inconplot-J in his survey of tb:; cri ticis;-_1 bof oro hi::; cnm

( onittin ~ ::-1octiu1;. of ir:1porto.nt 2rticl0s such as Z!3.bol Is "Tho Lyrics

of J:u1l;s Joyco") , 1 "i s rovo2.lod by Do,.1in_::1 _{s u}_sofu_{l c}_onp_,_.mcl_i_un

Jn,:_os Joyce: Tho Critical Horitgeo, (London 1970), which publishes

o. /,ro-··i; cJoal of tho o.:i.rly criticis,: whid1 is not unsily obtoir;c1blo.

Tlwro o..re also a few studios of Cho..r::bor 11usic publisllod n.ftcr

TL:.do.11 th2.t o..ro noted lo.t0r , although, a.s with most of tho

criticism before Tindell , thoy a.re ·,enorally L,inor, with little now.

IJowover, tho noed fur a roo.ppraisal of Chc1I:1bor Music is not

ontin,ly dopondont or: new aatorinl. Tho n2.turo of Tindall' s intor

-protation is sufficior.t reason itself for roassessmont . Ho docs

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t heir conposition, tr acing inporto.nt sources, -:'.!ld r0Jc.rdin::; them as

a first trial in natter o.nd r.0thod for Stephen Hero ru1d 1. Portrait

of tho • .rtist. • .. nd when kcopins close to th0 peons, h<..: i s often

cnpo.bl0 of sound perceptive ono.lyses. However , when his first

prir.ciplus .-,_ro t:12.t 11_{i t c}_ur.no_t _b_e _d_en_i _e_{d th}_o.t _i_n_{Ch 11;-iber Husi}_c _::ind

F . ₁_ru1c_·_;_r.!.l1_S 1_;/al _rnJ _o_y_{cc so}_ar.l_s d _cvo.:..:.. d

t

_.o_u_r1

.

₁₁_.1

t .

_i_on_,ti 2• _OJ1_G., th _a

t

11 1.· f

we.tor is life:, mdcinc it i s cr---2.tion,11

3 _•

_T_i_!1_clnll_O_U_:f_h_t _n_ot_r_o;.1_o.in

tmct.:::llv1~od. ;,.nd ,1hon t o coar~onts such :i.s 11_th_,, _e_l _or::_a_n_{t end}

i1:ip-::notro.ble 'Jxtorior of tbG pvcns, ;-iivi:i; tl_".ost no sicn of

ulterior ~'r0sonc0, defonts ii.s pur:Jose ," ho retorts, 11_.'!_{s for tho}

' int 0;-1ti ono.l follncy I _i _n _this_s_o

_ct

_ion: _{I i}_n_t_end _it,11 4_• _h_i _s _whole:

critic::0. a.prroo.ch t o Chonbcr ~iusic sl:ould be cexofully scrutinised.

Tiadall still hol~ s the; f i cL! of Chonbor 11iusic criticisr.1.

Tl .r ~ l};-_vc been c. f ...:w snipes, iJUci1 ns thi s by Levin: 11_Ti_:1d_:.J.l_h_,_::._s

"5.

j0•.:;p:irdi zoc his efforts by a.1/µ0:.din; a n:i.ivcly FrcU< ... ian co·::;onk•rY.

Dut th0r·:) hns ..-,_s yot be:0n nothinc substunti!'J_ o:·!ou:): to r...;novc the

st:,J.1i of Tindall' s cor:::icr.tci.ry fro,:1 the I _i_r.u.1c_.c_u_l_a_t_{c co}_!₁_c_c:₁_ti_o_nI _o_f

tlL lyrics onco,1clcrGc.l by the Dcc:!cloUi: 11_p_rLst_o_f _th_{0 c}_t _o_r_n_o.l

im::t:-·in.:~tion. 11

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.J.thouJh tho Joy co opus of ficio.lly bee.ins with Cho..'!Iber Nusic,

the youn~~ .3l'tist o.lrC;ac1y had a number of literary of forts, sono

vrii1t,:id, smo m1publishcd, to his credit boforo ho st..:i..rted in

1901 or 1902 to conpil c tho lyrics which werv to bocoMc Chanbor

Music. In 1891 tho nino-yuar old Joyce wrote o. broadsi de

denouncine Parnell's betrayers, "Et tu, Hoaly,11 _w_l!_ich_deli_g_hted

his father so much that ho had it printed ond distributed t o his

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s.

written into a school c::.~orcise-book ::-nd cntitl.::Jd "Hoods. 11 _I_n ₁₉₀₀

ho wrote th~ c.rticlc 11_I_bsonI_s _{i::cw Dra.:ia}11 _{which was published}_{in the}

Fortni~htly Review and so sccurod tho dcieroncc of his fellow

students. Joyce was not slow to cr.pitalise on literary r.i.cquo.in

-tanceships, c.nd th-i.t s::De ycri:r subr.rittod c. 1Jl :y ccJ.lcd 11_i._:J_rillio.nt

Career," dcdica.tcd t,) his owt. soul, t o ;4illi"1Jl _1rchor, Ibsen's

tr ?.!lsln.tor Md EnGl ish a_-011t, who h.'.10 lJassed on :i lotter of thcnks

fro'.'l. the nc..ster to tho youn:_:; artist. .'.rchcr w::.s criticcl, but not discourc.gin.'.;, e..ncl, in 1901, hc-.vinc: writt-.Jn '.,oanwhilo c'. verse plo.y

"Drcnn Stuff" and o.nothcr volune oi poo::!s 11_Shi_no_::-.r~cJ _D'.lI'k_,11 _Joyce

put tc1other a collection of pows ['J1C:: subnittcd thcr to i.rcher for co::..--:.cnt. :.rchor's co:nnent w:1-s, "there is "-S yet r.1orc ter:iporn

-uen.t tho.n cnythin3 else in your work," thou{:)1 ho col1cedocl thnt

Jo 'CC I felt .:-ncl i.ui:l'_';incd. poetically. 1 6

•

One of tho pocns sent to . .rchcr ( "J1r1 or .. 0 \~r.ic~l he liked) wa::;

poen II of Ch~~bcr Music, which haG boor. 0utitlccl 1_Cor.i_nonp_lnco_.1

Of tho two e2.I'ly volunos of po. 's by Joyci..-, only this pocn and four others rcilain in cor,1₁)l d.:: f on:1, ::1.ccon;i:·,; to Stn.nisl:i.us. 7 •

(The four a.re 'The Villc.i1cl10 uf tb.J Tonptross1

- a.scribed t v o.

later yco.r in ll Portraj.t of tho :.rtist; two tr:,nsb.tions published

in Gorna.n - includinG Vorbino' s I _C_{hanson c1}1

. .:.ut0Gr101; and tho poen 1 _{O, it is co]J:l}_{and sti}_{l l -} _o.12.s_! _- 1 _c;uoto_d _by_{i3yrno, which}_ha_s b _{oen pr1.n}' t _oaO h _or_c_in· _.) _l!."'1_.JJ1 _'_.l_ann8 _• _qua_t_os _somo _o_f _th_e _scraps_.1t'_" _om

11_D_rean_Stuff" _a.nd 11_Shi_{no ancl}_{D:1Tk" which}_a.re _extant_- _{and some} _of

these bear interostin1 hints of Chonbor Music:

ll.nd I have sat umid the turbulent crowd,

~d ha.ve a.ssistocl at their boisterous play; I have unbent uyself an<l shouted loud

.i.nd beon as bl::i.tant a.ncl as coar sc as they.

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• J.thoueh the hero in Ch:;,lbcr Husic does not 1_u_nb.:mdt _hi_nso_lf_o_r

1 _cons_<.>rt _\Jith_vul_--:~r_ity_,1 _the_t_c_r_,-iinolo

0y is si::ail..:1.r:

He 1Jho 110.th:"::lory lost, ocr ha.th Fou11c1 _MY _{soul to}_fellow _h_is, ,.:ion:~ his foes in scorn :> .. nd wrath

HoldL-~;: to c..r,cior,t r:obl0r111ss,

Tb..::i.t hi. h unco:1sortr.;blo Oi10

-6 •

liis loVL' is his co:.1pc.i1ion. (Chamber i:fusic XXI).

I..:1d ti10 titl0 of his first collection of poons, 11_1-Io.:ids_,11 _suc~0_sts

tl10 influence oi Yoe.ts, who re.1e:.rdod 'noods I _o.s _r.10_t_aphys_i_col rooliti0s to ::.c tr:-.:,sf i:wd by th,_, nrtist.

or,_1'ly pocr::s, they u.1·0 f8.!' looser i 1t structur...:, c:;1d do not bcnr tho

s:-.10ut:! n.:.1-l slichtly opaque surf c? .. cc Jf tho lat or v0lum0. ;.,rchcr' s

polite '.:)ut unfo.vouro.blo cri tlcis::i could not h~vo h--:lped his own

ostir.. tioa of his 1.'0'-try, c..i:,.J noroovvr 1,1ith th..., criterion of Yc:its' v~>lu:.1c Wir..C .'Ji10!':1; the: RecJs (1899) which Joyce ,:::r.,'Jtly

o.unirec.:, tc nccisuro his owi-. productic,n -:1::;u:·1st, Joycu b0c!:. :c dis

-s:itisf i0c: with his u:cr ly poons. Fro ·, 1900 to 1903, ho bo::;GJ, to

:1..., rlociduC tu burr~ ~,11 of tho first t-wc colloctio1,s of p0cms, na.vo

on~ or two, c.nd et few r._,ccnt o~.i~S. Stanisl;:-.us d\.Jscribcs tho

in. 10lati,)n: 11_.Joyonu _wnow1cinc;_r.is_i_ntention_t_o_{burn thew}_, _ho_f'J._Vo

no r0:isons. Hu just roc~d ti10r,1 over "-·~·cin critically

,.r~cl

then toro ti10n up one by one u.:.'1C::. burnt then -without cor...wnt. 11 9 _•

Novorthcless, Joyce I _s _h_oe.rt_w_ns_st_ill_i_n _his_p00_tr_y _- _the

po0:;1e he rcjcctccl wer0 rejuctod lc.rgL-ly for technical or aesthetic

reasons. Stariislnus duscribos his intcre:st in 11_the_i_ncle_f_inable su.:₀ostion of word, phrase D11cl rhythr.1. The poems tha.t he liked

(14)

7.

the mind liken spell, and imp0.I'ts a wonder and grace, which

ivfr~l owc thought no virtue could di[;est int o words. 11 10_• _J_{oyce wo.s}

seokin;~, il"l other words, t h0 achievement of Chamber Music.

Joyce' s attraction to Elizabcth::i.n lyrics (his favourites wore

Do·,Jl a:.:d I_s _"W_e_{ep y}_o_u _{no n}_o_r₀_, _sncl _f_o_unt:uns_lII _cJ_c.c _J_onsonI _s 11_Still

t o be t-:ont 11 _- _both_r_er:₁₀_r.1bE:r_e_d _{by Co}_lun_an_d_Go_r~_ur_ty11 _·₎ _l_ed_hin_to

seek out El izabeth:111 son~ .. books in th'° Natio1:al Library, where ho

copied out lyrics f rc.r.i D01,1l nnd and h,Jnry VIII o_r1d Joi:son. Ee

ber,c..n to recapture their noo~ in the l ove lyrics he:. started wri tine

. 1 1 1 12• -1₁

111 90 ,":.. .. d 902. 3yrn--: rocu .. L s:

4Stcr the publ icr.tion of tho Ibi:;on article, J oyc.J boc.;a.n

occ.0siotl'llly, :s1,-.:.; 1,1hen in the r:1ood, to seek oxprc:ssion

i:1 1,1ri tin,_ short i1oer.1s. I1: the ₁:roductiun of th-.:so ho

w-.s not '-:>rol ific; -.nd even C'..G h'--- s::'.t b0sid0 !.le ii1 the

(~'o.ti0no.l) libr.Jiy he 1,1011.l.d writo n.nd rvwritu c.::c.J rctcuch,

it :~i '1l-:t .u .,ost socr.1 intorcinc.bly, -. bit of vcrsv c

oE-t 2.i:.in'. p--rl·1·:ps n d.Jzm1 or o. scor'--- of l ines. Whet, ho had

nt l ... _st tJolishoJ his ~01·. to ct sntisfyin dc_:rcc Jf

curv~turG l'.r.c sr.1oothn0ss, hu w'--1ulc: write out the finished

r

o.,,:, with slo1_,1 ?.nc1 styl ish

r

onnonship

,.

_

,c

h

..nc:

tho co:JY

to n-::.. • • • Joyce _J.v~ m.:. c.Jpios of :tl.l th .. poor:1s he

wrot o ;)rior to 0ctob'---r 1902 [invo.ri ':'.bly demo on lld ional

Libr"'..I'y slirs] . ·

I:-: n letter t0 Tindall,

13

•

St.:,ni sl2..us s:-i.id Joyce wrote those pooms

in n vct1 i cty of loc:iti ons, in stroct3, th., 1,ri vr.i.te b::i..r of sono

public hot 0l, n post office, ns wel l as the National Library, when

thp mood struck hi.'1. Stcnislo.us describes the composition of

I

cJ~~ber Music pooo XII from it s conception, ori3inatinr, in a con

-versdion with Mary Sheehy on 12 ~pril 1904, t o its inscript ion, on

the inside of a torn cic;arotte-box, whil e Joyce wo.s standing under a

Dublin street-1~':'lp. 14• This incident , unknown to Tindall, will be

described norc fully l 2t er.

Tindall

1

5

•

noted three possibl e peri ods for tho composition

of most of the Chamber Music lyrics. Stanislaus Joyce in Rec

(15)

8.

proff cresd 1901 t0 1902; whiL., Gorman clo.i::wd 1903 to 1904.

Tiride.11' s ow1. ·_·uc1ss w .:s that 11_{r.1ost of th~ po0:1s}_fro_;J _which_th_o_thirty

-six of Cho..:ibvr Music wor0 scloctccl \.JOr0 writt,s,n i11 1901 n.ncl 1902. t1

Jut tl1" only dates h.:: could b-.: sure a.bout w0r..; for poe::1s XXXV (1902) ,

pooD )C~ (1903), . c,,:;:;1 XXI (30 So~)tenb8r "1904), po0r.1s VII ~.;.".d XXIV

(1901-1902), 3.nd po-.::.1 II (bt:for0 1901).

1 b _ 11:

16 .

Powev0r , Tir.dc. 1 wc.s ovid01.tly wro:r; .'.l .:mt i;Jer.1 XXIV - E ::-irum

clcins this w~_s wri ttGn 01. 8 .• µril 1904. Dut0s of d · ht other poens

h'lvc bl:,Cl, a.scort dn-~ sine.:.: Tindo.11. ..ccordin to Stc.nislaus I _Dubli_n

Di...ry (pr,. 28, 62, 63) , poms XII a11C:. XXV wore written on 12 !.pril 1904,

~-Ct po",w X.V -:-..nd XXVII on or 0.bout 31 July 1904. Tho Lotters II (p.27)

rdve,-,J. tl•.!t 1,.Jv::ls IV anc XXXVI wero writt"n on or about 8 Fobruary 1904.

(Tb.cJcll, p.67, "sti,.1at1..,d incoiroctly thnt poon X..'XXVI w:i.s written ir. 1902

11_uur_i_{::· th-.:} _fi_rst_ox:i.₁₀_.11₎_• _.E_l_L7D.!_·...:: _(p_. ₁₈₀₎ _ar:C _Lvtt_<.:rs _II₍_p_. ₁₂₆₎

cJ:,t..., po<.; . XVII with iJ01.;,.i XXI i! tho Hertel lo Towor pcrioc;., 9-19 S0pto:.bcr

1904. ..!a. Scholes 17 • dr..t0s poo:1 XVIII i!_ 1902.

Th 10£ ore, th" C.:.e.tcs .)1 conr.,ositio:--.. of f c,urtc:o!'l p..:,1..ns in Ch:u-:1bcr

1,1usic a~c .. 1iow1., c.r.d of thus0, nL.10 wore written, ir. 1903 eerie. 1904.

This dovs Lot invaliJn.to Tind;ul Is c.ssu.'lptior. th~t 11:10st t1 wcro writt c.:11

iL 1901 :.1:d 1902 - but it is woll to r.:..::c:.".bor that J oycc was still

writin-; Chn;,bor Music wel l ii.to 1904, whi le, c..r1c.. after, ho w:-s furr.i

u-l;·tin · his theory of u'-'sthotic, 'll.d well after thu p0riod of juvenili3..

Tho fact th~t 27 poor.is wore probably written ir. 1901 and 1902 also

helps support Sylvia Beach's claio, when advortisinG the Boach

-Gilvarry MS. of ChRObor Music in 1935, that this was the II _o_ri_g_i_n_al

1;1o.nuscript,t1 for the first 2.7 poecis were inscribed in Joyco1_s _nea_t

hnndwritin1_; on lar ·,o (and expensive) vellun shoots. (The manuscript

(16)

9~

Fro~ about 1901 or 1902 t o 1904 or later, Joyce was accustomed

to carry with him around Dublin a nanuscript roll of his poems, probably tra.~scribod froo tho Nat ional Library slips whi ch Byrne

menti onod, or tho rou.:h shoots torn fro!'.1 exerci se-books upon which,

whon Joyce ho.d firiisheC usin. th,,ff.i for his po0i,1s and other coi:1 -posi tions , Sto.nisLius wrote his diary, 11_H_y _Cr_uc_i_b_l ₀11 ₍_p_u_b_li_shed_a_s Tho Dublin Diary of St anisL.~us Jo;1co. ) : .. few pnlimpscsts of this

n~turc are noted ii. SchoL s, Tho Cornell Joyce Collection. Fror.i the OXi)Gn3ivu parchm~nt shouts, dw'.ll'fir:, th& tiny lyrics situo.tod in t ho vory cuntr._, of 1.;.:::.ch p_o;5o, Joyce road. hi s poer:is t o acquain

-t ances such ns 'Joh .. -: E-:;lint o;.-:. 1 ₍_W_._\ _. _Ha.,""ec₎_, _w_{ho re~,1e:-1b0}_rs_poem V II, 18. 0..:n~ Pa rd '.lic Colir.:, who ro:aeub0rs Joyce roadinr- pocn XII 19~

J oycc also rd'lG his poe1JS tc, c.10r0 i llust ri.)US porsonar·os. He

doci d0d t o i:d,rn his delmt in tho Dubli:: literary r.1ili cu i n the sur:1!10r -:>f 1902, who:1 he buttor:hoL.;d Gcor3c Ru::,soll for o. nunbor of

h.:,urs on0 r..i ht, h'.:.rri.:·. ·uini hi:n 011 t he dan ·ors of tho Iri sh

Literary hovur,1ont oin over to I _Th_{o Ra}_b_b_l_o:·1_Gnt_,1 _d_is_c_{us s}_i_n,:;

Theosophy, nncl ruuc}inR: hi s poer1s, before which ho -:;avJ his host a warnin th,,_t he uid ri;:it car0 whe.t Russel l thou;--:ht of thou. Joyce

nc..ed not he.vu worriutl (ii il1U80d he <lid);

8E

liked his lyrics,

end po.ssod them on, with an astonished description of the imposing

per sor.oli ty of their youn:; author , to Geor: e Moore. Moore, who

ha.d r oad Joyce's 'Tho Day of the Rabblenont' and t hought it

"preposterously clover, 11 20_• _w_a_s _no_{t s}_o_t _ake_n_wit_{h th}_e _p_oem_s,

hundin,; then back with one cierisivo and faci le co!:l!.10nt, "Symons~• Howovor, Russel l wrote t o Lady Gregory a.bout Joyce, and she,

deliBhted with Joyce I_s _r_o_a_d_in_,;_of_his_o_wn _p_oe_m_s,_invit_e_{d him}_,

with Yeats und Yeats1 _f_a_th_e_{r, t}_{o d}_i_n_e _with_{her o}_n

4

_No_v_e_mb_e_r

(17)

10.

It wo.s Russell also who hud si~nalled Joyce's advent

to

Yeats, who raet the youn.:; poet in early October 1902. Yeats was

irapressed, and kept the poems and epiphanies which were read out

to hin. In o. letter t o Joyce, 18 Dcce~ber 1902, 22• in which he

criticises poem XXXV, Yeats sai d:

"

It

has distinction and delico.cy

but

I

cnn rer.10mber tha.t several of the other pocns had r:iore subject,

raoru raa~;ical phrases, r.10re passion. 11 _Y_ea_ts_rcm_o.i_n_e_d

_an

_o._p_p_{reciati v}_e

critic o.nd o. helpful advocate.

Tho first oajor benefit accruin·: to Joyce frol:1 acquaintance

with .fonts was a.E introduction to • .rthur Syc1ons on 2 Deco:nber 1902.

Ellr:wL:t writ--:s, 11_S_ynon_s _w_as_t_o _p_l_{o.y as}_c_on.t_r_al_a_po._rt_i_n_th_{o p}_ub

-lication of Joycc1 _s _ve.r_l_{y work}_as_E_z_r_a _P_..:i_u_nd_[9is_o_i_n_tr_odu_c_ed_t_o

J':Jyce by YoatsJ was to plcy lator.11 23_• _Joy_c_e_'_{s meo}_ti_{n ·}_with

Sy::10r .. s W'l.S po.rt of o. onG-d2.y st::,pov-~r ir.. Lor1don on his wo.y to

Pari s 01:a his first oxilo. Yeats cntcrtainod hir.1, o.nd paid for hin.,

durin.; tho any, 0:1d took hin to tho editors of tho .~caclemy cir.d tho

Spookor, wl-10, Yoe.ts thou ;ht , c,:,ulc h0lp Joyci_; 1.13.lrn his way by

o.cccrtin. a.rticlvs, roviews o.nC..: poons. Wh,m font s a.nJ. Joyce called

on 5yr:ions clurin,; thu '3Vonin.:, he \Jas, said Stanislaus, "hospitable

a..~d synpo.thetic. Ho off~red to sub~it so~c of my brother 's poens

to various editors, and said that as soo~ as my brother ho.d a

volu.i-:H,) of poef'ls rec.c.iy, he would try t o find a publisher for it." 24

Joyce evoI'-tually solicited Symons' a.id for his poems in

Nove1:1bcr 1903. J.fter ree.dinc; the poetry, Symons wrote to Joyce on

4 May 1904: "Tho poems seem to me remarkably 100d. They certaitlly

oui1ht to be publishcd.11 25_• _{On th}_e _f_o_ll_o_w_in_g _day_, _h_o_wr_o_t_e _t_o

tell Joyc0 that he had persuaded tho Editor of the

S

aturday

Review

t

o

accept poem XXIV of

C

h

ao

ber

Mu§ic. Soon after, he

ha

d

per

(18)

1

1.

Symons then sent the manuscript of all tho poems to Duckworth, the

publisher, who unfortunately could 11_n_ot_s_ee_his_way _t_o _br_i_n.'_it

out. 11 26_• _H_e _{had anothe}_r _mi_no_r _succ_e_ss_with_a_G1a_r:ra_zi_ne _- _the

Speak0r a.ccepted poems XVIII and VI. Joyce mear1while had poem VII

published in John E~.linton I_s _D_ano._. _I3_ut_on₁₃ _{July 1904,}_S_ymons

o.p}!rO'lchud Gre..nt Rich~ds about full publication.

Richards ~t first oxprcssed inter~st in the pocns , altho~h

ho could i1ot be sure of sellin then beco.use hardly any verse

paid - and, :.et tin-:: deeper into finn.ncial difficulties, he refused

to co::11:1it hi , self. In Septenber 1905 Richards besan Ci.1er,_•in-,- from

b!:!Jlkruptcy, ar.J once a.3~in expressed edmiration for th0 poems

( called Chcnber Husic by now), but could not take .!lore than part

f th 27.

o c., risk. Joyce r0plicd th~t he could not share oxpenses

o.s hu h':'.t.. no r:1on.e1y, ::i.nd that: 11_{Hy r:}_msic_{must there£ o}_re _justi_f_y

its r.--a;1e strictly.1

r2

3_{Richnrds ho.d !;',o ·n}_w_h_il_e_l_os_t _h_i_{s Iilunus}_cript_o_f

Chc.nbor Husic, anu Joycu i18.d he>.t.: tu replo.c1.- this.

Ch3nbor Music continued to suffer reverses in

1

905 .

John Lane

rej uct0d it in Juno, Heincironn in July, and Car.stable, Syraons I _o_wn

publisher, i:1 Octobur. 29• Gorman (p. 145) also montions T. Fisher

Unwin. But Synons still did not slacken his efforts on Joyce's

bohulf ( over;. thouch Joyce hnd been in Europe for over a yeo.r now).

yon:r le.tor, on 2 Octobdr 1906, Symons

30

•

wrote:

Now as to your poe~s. I feel almost sure that I could

got Elkin Mathews to print them in his shillin.~

'Garland' series •••• If it comes out I will 8ive it

the best review I can in the 1_S_u_tu_rdny1 _o_r _'_~th_onae_um_' & will cet one or two other people to ~ive it proper

notice.

He mot both promises. He wrote to Math8ws 31• on 9 October

1

906 :

·Would you ca.re to h~ve, for your Vigo Cabinet, a book

of verse which is of the most penuine lyric qun.lity

(19)

12. lyrics are almost Elizabethan in their froshness, but

quite personal. They are by a. youncs Irishman called

J •.i4• Joyce. • • • I have only raot him once, nncl an actin; entirely out of admiration of his work.

Mathews promptly agreed to publish. With his brother I _s _a_d_vice_,

Joyce roarra.nr:00. Chanber Husic in October 1906 before sendinc on

the nanuscript to his i)Ublisher. In a. letter to Stanislaus, 15

January 1907, Joyce wrote: ''Ma.thews has sent ne a contract to

si;1n: no royalty on 1st 300 copies then 15%. Price 1 s./6d.

Golden Treasury size, published this sprin:·. 11 32_•

Cha;,1ber Music finally ::t_1Jpcaredin Hay 1907, four yea.rs after

J oyco ha.J asked Symons I _help_i_n _{f i}_n<l_i_{ng a} _publisher_. 11 _{_:..s} _{he had}

promised, Symons reviowco tho volime with consiC:erable acclain in

The lfa .. tion - a tribute J_yco r.ov0r for(jot. 11

33

•

Unfortunately,

Joyce was e.s hapless with rlathcws as he had boon with Richards.

In a letter to his a.:cnt on 8 July 1917, Joyce records the fact

that 11₀₁₁ _Ch.'.J.nlb_o_r _Hus_i_c _I _rece_i_ved _!'h₎ _r_o_y9.ltics_i_n _ton_yca.rs_.11 34_•

i .. few r:10nths lntor, in January 1918, Ma.thews published n. new

edition: Joyce's co::r.1-.;nt, 1J March 1920: 11_C_ham.bE:_r _M_usic. ₁_..

second edition of this cu:ne out, as I honr incidentally, two years

ae:o. I nover rccoi ved fror,i Mr. Mo.thews any

4 /S

.

11

35

•

Gorno.n 36• writes on tho publication of Chamber Music, waxing

slightly lyrical:

the mere fact of the publication of Chamber Music was

of a ~reator v::uue at this period than, perhaps, he

suspected •••• Joyce had joined the creat company of

professional authors and joinod it nt a moment when

he most needed the strengthening reassuronco of that fact. It was not a fortification of his faith in

himself as a creator that he needed (for that faith

had never faltered) but it was rather en indication

that the public {represented by publishers, at least)

would accept hin and, consequently, tha.t in the near

or far future he would be released from the routine

drudseries having nothin~ in coomlln with his art.

(20)

1. good exai:iple of tho 11_i_ntent_i_on_{alist f all}_n_cy,11 _{this statement}_is

a l ittle r.1isloaairn~. Joyce never courted 'the Rabblemont 1 _(and

publishers were in its t op echel ons, :is Joyce's broadsides "The

Holy Office11 _o.nC: _''_Ga_s _fron_a_B_ur_=i8_r11 _i_nd_icat_e₎ _no_r _depended_on 1

.3.

1 _tho_Rnbb_l_un_entI _f_o_{r su}_cco_ur_. _It_wns_e. _ve_{ry l}_{on::_i:} _t_i_1:10 _aft_or

Chamber Music was publ ished thnt h0 could l ook forward to release

froa cJrudcories.

But tho pr3cticnl offocts of tho publ ication of Chacbur Music

were perhaps not as impJrta.1:t t o Joyce as the practical benefits

uf the non achievc!!lent of tho po0::is. For while he brought himself

to th.., notice: ·Jf' l!lO.j or literary fi·~ures lik_{e Geor6 e} Russell and

Yeats by shvor force of pcrsonnlity, it wns his poetry which pro

-l o!vuc.1 t cir nttcmtioc x1tl enr,a'"Gd their ::osthotic sympathies.

Twenty y ~ars .tltor thG publication of Chamber l' usic, ;~, revi 0wing

Pones Per.yoach,37• was still voicin::-: his stron'.~ 3.pprociation of

thu oo.rl icr w-:>rk:

'Th.:..r0 is nothin_:· ir. tho now book qui t0 so oxquisi te as

thL. b0st lyrics in Char:ibor Music. The p00t seo;;is to

h:::.vo boon awo.r0 that in his youth he h·1d creutod sonc -thinl' whi ch pe:rh::i.ps bccar.1e oorc beautiful in retrospect

i n his ino.. _ination boca.use tho full strenc;th of his

ir..tel lect haC since been d0voted to writin.~ the nost

r"n.listic novels of our ,::;unoration.

~nothor influential acquaint ance whose advocacy of Joyce was

secured by the poeos, Yeats introduced the neophyte to Sy~ons, who

Hhnd been for about ten years ••• the principo.l [literary] midd

le-D;')ll between Pari s antl London. 11 38• Symons in turn wus impressed by

the poetry, t o tho extent that ho expended a considerable effort

over four years of ill luck, ovorridinc l!lany obstacles and sotbacks,

in order to see theo publ ished. Ravine finolly succeeded, Syr:ions

nidod their critical reception with favourable reviews, and con

(21)

14.

1_Epilo_g_u_o1 _{to The Joyce}_Book_in₁₉₃₃_. 39_•

Yeo.ts also no.intcl.ined contact with :illd interest in Joyce, and he continued to 3.pprociato Cha1>:1ber Music, especially poem XXXVI. On 8 July 1915, Yonts wrote; to Edr:nmd Gosse of tho Royal Literary F I 40.

unu,

Joyce hus writton a book of verse Ch~7ber Music o.nd a

r:iost ror.iarko.ble book of stories called Dubliners which I thouffht of for our ~cadomic Conr:ri.ttee (:of the

Royal SJciety of Literature] prize. I would bo inclined however to base his clain on a most l ovely

poc.,o [ChE1r.1bor iiusic poG1n XJa.VIJ in Kath.?.l'ine Tynon Hinkson' s Irish i.nthology Tho Wild Ifr.rp.

And whon tryinc; to obtain n pension on tho Civil List for Joyce in 1916, Yeats wrote to Edward Mo.rsh (socrotnry in charP,e of Civil

Lis .

t

pensi

.

ons

)

: 41.

•

His ,wrk h:1s i.1 curious broodin.- intensity. I think

one of his poens [ Chanbor Husic pooo XXX.VIJ o.t any

rate ;:,_ thin,· of ·:;roat beauty 011d sroat technical

~ccor:ii-,lishnent. If I coupilod an e...'1tholoa of

En.··lish or Irish Poetry I would includo it.

\.Jhen Ezra. Pound was compilin:: n.n Ioa;:_:ist antholor:y, Des

'

Irn1,;istes, in l '.:l.tG 1913, ho asked Ycnts if thoro wero any si~_.;_ ni-ficant or.1issions, ;:mC:: Yeats su,7,rost0d Chamber Music poem XXXVI. Pound was i~prossed by tho pocn too, and wrote to Joyce for per

-nission to republish. This roaclily r~iven, h0 asked Joyce in

Januc.ry 1914: "Havo you 1mything r.1oro that stands up objective (;:si<D o.s your 'I hear an .ll'my' ?11 42_• _P_{ound p}_{ublished this}_pooo

a.gain in his it1} J.nthology Collected in MCMXXXI.

The aesthetic value of one of the Chfo'Ilber Music poG1:1s,

(22)

43.

he described his impressions to John QU.inn:

Joyco-plcasinc; after the first shell of cantankerous

Irish11an, I got the inprossion that the real man is

the author of Chamber Music, the sensitive.

Chomb0r Music cannot simply b0 dis0issod as I _juv_en_ili_o.1 _{a.n.y nore}

I

than it could be disf.lissed as "Syi:ionsl 11 _.._{~s Val}_e_{ry LarbaUd ,,rote}

15.

in 1922: 11_T_ho _success_o_{btci.ned a}_r:lo_n_r; _the_l_e_tt_e_red _was _g_r_oa_{t, this}

thin pa.raphlet (Chamber Musi<y sufficed to place Joyce amon~ the

b 11

44 .

est Irish poets of the ••• 3enoration.

Joyce did not at tho tine, as Gorf.lan asserts, regard his poems

o.s boirn~ 11_r._rnch_i_n _th_\.; _li_r:i:_ht_{of 0.:1} _i_u_l_o_tuni_n,;_-u_p _o_{f th}_e _rar_e

instruncnt of his croative instinct prelioinary to th0 i:10re serious

porforrae.11cu of Dublinors.11

45

•

_J_o_yce_w_a_s _ne_v_e_r _i_d_l_e _i_n _{his Rrt}

-c.;rt:unly not in Ch3.171ber Music ( as will bo discussed later) - and

lw i2., fact roto.ined the 11_c_n.dencocl _p_r_e_cisi_{on of e. poe}_t.11

46 _•

_Ho

wrot0 8. fow poems for Cha;nb0r Music while the 11r;iore serious pe

r-forne.:1co of Dubliners11 _was _be_i_n;: _st_a(_~_ed_, _o_.n_{d ne}_it_her _d_isav_o_wed

th0;c1 nor wishod thc:1 dostroye;;d, on~ he.: continued to regard hi1:1self

C.S a poet.

47 ·

Chrunber Husic did more for Joyco than Goruo.n1s

ste..t0i:10nt is pr0!po.rod to concede, an.ct neant more to hin for a long

tiri1,., c.fter thdr publicntio::.

(3)

Criticism of Ch 'mber Music has o.lways been full of

contra-diction illld conflictin₆ claims, uncerto.inties accompanied by

summary judgement. This is pc.rtly the 1_f_a_ult1 _{of t}_he _be_g_uilin_g

rhythmic facility of the poems, for although Joyce deliberately

and studiously engineered this deceptively smooth surface in order

to uistance tho lyric emotion, readers are frequently borne above

(23)

16.

easy rhythm and conventional prosody. Joyce perhaps concoal0d too

well in Ch::unber Music who.t a.loo should have boen reveo.led.

Finding only a surface, with no oriGino.l thought, mo.ny critics

rush to the source-books to find who.t Chµmber i'-iusic imitates.

Hirsky 48• sciL ChCllilber Music shows the strong influencG of the

Irioh Renaissance on Joyce; Reynolds 49• s '.::fS tho lyrics a.re

11_moro_Eli_zabethan_En_g_lis_h _{then Irish Renaissance;"} _L_e_vin_{in one}

book

50 .

_so.ysJ _oycel ₁_0._al _mor_e; _in· _co_mmon _wi• th th _o_i· _mo._g_is· t _s th _{_ an}

with the poots of tho Celtic Twilight, and in o.nothor 51 • 11_his

pln.inti ve c.ncl cloying li ttlo stanzo.s coulC:: only hCJ.vo sc.tisfied

George 1,ioore I_s _c211ons _{of pure poetry}_.11 _.:.ncl_l'fooreI_{s comm}_e_nt_on

Ch,_,r1ber l1usic wo.s 11_Sy_m_o_ns_lII _Th_er_e _has_not_b_,:)_en _enou_g_{h concen}

-trntion on the poems themselves.

Three broo.C:: lines of criticism of Chrunber l·iusic mn.y be dis

-cerned. Thu first 9 o.s in the eo.rly reviews, wc..s .::i. slir:rhtly

wistful appreciation of the purity of tho lyrics, and of their

music"J., melodic no.ture - but they were gen0rally thought to be,

11_tho_u_c_h _cryst_o.l_li_n_e _{in sound, opo.quo to tho}_mindI_s _eye_.11 52_•

The second criticd o.pproo.ch ,-1::i.s a ho.rsh jucl:~emont of Cho .. mber

Husic because it fnilod to moet tho more irnposin:. cri toria

osto.blishod by Joyce' s reo.listic novels. Critics characterised

by this approach botre~ considerable 8Illloyanco at tho fact that

Joyce could write something ns ' slight' o.s tho poems. Tho next

step, and tho third mo.in o.pproE,ch, uo.s to make full use of

criticol hindsight, the whole Joyce canon having boon produced,

and impute to his early work his later super-subtleties. The

critic from this standpoint divines thn,t Joyce o.lways seems to

be writinc his autobiography, and is convinced that Chamber Music

(24)

17.

recondito significc.nces and above all, with ironies; it must be as

complex an eniGmn ns Finnefian~ Wake. No critic likes to be caught

out by Joyce, but

h£

protected himself so well in

his

later works

by dividing himsolf, his chiof subject-matter, into infinite

re-Q"ressions of ironic r:w.sks - 11_o_i _th_e _lown_o_{ss of}_hin_\_,_{ins benea.th}

o.11 up to tho.t sunk tol 11

53 -

thd the critic is forced to follow

suit, and cover hinael:f in nll possilJle directions. Unfortunately,

ho1,over, this lnst lino of criticiso o.llows a fruor plety to the

person::t of the critic, loadin~ one well into the hintorlc.nd of the

int,mtiona.list fallacy. Chomber

~i

u-:1c

ho.s suffered a groc.t deal

fror,:i ;Juch fcllc..ch:s.

Th0 initial criticnl rec0ption of Chonber Husic is effoctivoly

ch.~.ro.ctorisod by th" e:,_rly pros3 notices. In 1914 Joyco, despite

poverty, l1:.1cJ o. Triestine printer pri!l.t up so,:w persono.lly-culled

excerpts fror;i th,:; norl;; favouro.blo r0viows of Chu.111bor husic.

(Th<.:se \JOro closi:_:"nod 2.s ndvertisomcnts, sorw to be inserted in

press copios of Dublin0rs onJ sent round to publishers nnd critic&)

Tindo.11 wrot ~ tho.t ho ho.d not soon o. copy of thoso pross noticos,

::.n<l

the

thc.t Horbert Co.boon who hau, providud

no.nes of

Tho full

reriodic8.ls from \Jhich J oyco

text is quotod in Letters,

Pross Notices of

CHAMBER MUSIC

by

J/.MF,S JOYCE

him only

quoted.

II,

332,

(Elkin Mathews, London: 1907)

with n list

54 .

n

.3:

Mr. 1~rthur Symons in 'The No.tion' , ••• They are all so sinculnrly eood, so firm and delicate o.nd yet so full of

music and sugc;estion that I can hc.rdly choose ru11ong them •••• No one who has not tried can realize how

difficult it is to do such tiny evanescent things as that; for it is to evoke, not only roses in mid-winter,

but the vory dew on the roses. Sometimes we ~e

reminded of Elizabethan, more often of Jacobean, lyrics;

(25)

there is more than swootness, there is now and then

tho sharp prose touch, as in Rochester, which gives a kind of malice to sentiment. • • • They arc like a

whispering clavichord that someone plays in the

evening when it i s E;etting dark., They ar0 fall

FsicJ

of ghostly old tunes that were never young and

will· never be old , played on an old instrument ... They are so slight, ns a drawing of Whistler is slight, thc.t their entire beauty will not be dis -covered by those who f!.O to poetry for anything but

its :;erfui:1e.

}Ju-thur Symons 1.:.. Book of Songs, 1 _Nat_i_on, _I_,xvii

"[22 June 1907), 639 ";]

Chanol in the I _Lender1 _: _Mr_. _Joyce _hc.s _n _wonderful

mo.story over tho technique of poetry. It is not without supremo skill tho.the prceuces lines of such app:::.rent o 1.oe a.ml sinplici ty, every worC:: in its right placo, tho whole be2.utif ul in its uno.c:ornccl cha.rm

with n feint subtl0 frc.cr.:mce of eQ!'thly lovolinoss •••• 1'ir. Joyc0 flows in ~ clear 1.:el.icious streCJ,1 thc.t

ripples.... Hr. Joyco cor.1µlie:3

w

ill

(§_ifil none of my

criticnl princi₁)lcs: he is, in truth, ontiroly oo.rthly, unthinkin;-; of tho 1~re:cter e1.nC:: tho furth'"'r , thou?h let

D:...: sn,y in justice th:J.t th(:; co.su1.:.l ruc.clor will soe

nothin- in hi,_; von.;es to obj"'ct to, nothinc: inco.r,2:.ble of ;J,..11. innocent uxpL.:no.tion. But enrthly c.s he is, lie ia ~;o sir".plo' so pretty' so o.llt.:.rinc,' I Celli"l.Ot brins syo0lf to chitlo h~~.

[l..rthur E. Glory, Tho Lec.::ler (22 Jun:.; 1907)J

r-ir. T.i-i. K0ttle, i'I.P. in tho Freemon's Journo.l. . l rare

c.ncl exquisit<.3 acctcnt •••• lyrics which, e.lthoush o.t first reu.·:inr; so slight rmd frc.il, still holcJ one

curiouslJ by their intc_:ri ty of forn,. CheJ;1ber Music is ..1 collection of th0 ;J._,st of thuso J.elic::i.tc verses which hc.ve, co.ch of then, th~ bri~ht bo[~uty of o. cryst:-:.1.

Tho titlo of the book evokos that 0.trr;osphoro of rori1ote-neos, restraint, accomplish.:::c.1 execution characteristic of its wl10lc; contents ••• a. love Grc.cious, nnd in its wc,y, strc..n8ely intense.... It is cloa.r, delicate, distinguished pl nyinG;, of the snTile kindred with ho.rps, with wood-birds and with Pnul Verlaine.

U'homo.s Kettle, 1_Roview_J _Fr_eeman_'_{s Journal}₍₁ _June₁₉₀_7)]. Daily News: Light and eva.nescent, protty and fragile .... His poems a.re n.tter.ipts o.t music: ho hi::s tried to express

ono art in terr:1s of i:inothor. His c.ir.1 has been to catch

in his rhythns somethinc~ of tho music of pi·:10 or lute o.s distinct from the vorbnl music of the great lyrical

masters.... His poe1-as have nt once the music and the

want of music of n he.rpstrinr:; played on by tho winds in

somo forest of Brocel ionde.

(26)

Evening Standard: Pretty lyrics with a delusive title.

l·bnchester Guardian: J .. welcome contribution to con

-teopornry poetry. Hore n:ce thirty-six lyrics of quite noto.blo be~uty •••• Something of the spirit of Waller md Herrick ••• grace 2nd sililplicity ••• Jn elcgmce c:.nd delicncy that arc o.s unco:mmon :is they are perilous.

~t th8ir best: they revecl a. r.::.re r.msicoJ. quality. His nus~ is a gentle tender spirit tho.t kno,is snilos c.nd te2.r s, the r -:-.in, th0 dew o.nd tho uornin:s sun.

Ifottinghe.m Gu2.I'db.n: Lovers of verso will dcliGht in nc.ny of the pieces for their sinple unaffected merit.

1_Ch8.f.lber _l_·_,usic_' _{hGs a} _tunefu_l _rin~_bcfittins_tho_titl_e

::,nd both the rhyth:1 and the, si:1.oothness of his linos a.re excellent.

Gl;'sgow Hor:tld: In verse which has an olC:-fr.shioned sweetness ~n.: flavour, ~:r. Joyce sin5s of thi..! coning

:--.nC::,

3.ppc.r,:mtly, in0xplic.:1ble ,;oing of lovl,. T½o nost ere but sno.tches of sonj o.nC:: one h~s to oe penctrQted by tho subtle cusic of thG;:: bof ore their poetic v2:lue is )Crct..ivecl. Onc0 th:::.t is felt their .. writ is beyond dispute thou,-::h only lovers of iJootry will be likdy to sec or e.ckriowl8C:.,~0 it. Verse such c.s this hc.s its own ch:: . .rr.i but whcr .1 will it find its e.ut..L,nc_,.

Irish Daily Indopcnclont •••• 11usic in verse, poe1::s,

si.10..::t, r1.,posGful nnG sublime:; po::ns tb.t lying in the sh:1(...., 2.r:iid the scent of n0,H.10wn h:1;;· 0::10 woulc.. re::i.c. o.nd

clr0n:.1 on, i"or5s-.;tful of th0 worko.day uorL.:.

Booknan: .-.. li ttlc book of poetry ,,,hich

cr

~ s ,

provokes criticisu! J11cl ch:-.rr.is ::.c~:0.n. Hr. Joyce hn_s a touch

ror:iinisc<'mt of tho sixtoonth c1.,ntury poets, with h.:Jro n.nc: thcr0 ·" b;:ceak in his lines' smoothnoss which c.:1.11

only be sri1oothod by c..n olc1tirnc: stress on the syll::i.blc,

such '.J.S Vauc:;h[!Jl .::u1r..: ffGrbert dcr.1G.11cldd. . . . ~·.t tin.::s thore

:::.r_;

bold liberti.3s t:.ken with rhyme 2..D.d rhythm but there is r.:uch of music ::i.nd quaintness in this little volume.

Q!nsi::_:ned ~Jotice, Bookman, XXXII (June 1907), p.113

J

Scotsna.n: ~ volume of Graceful verse: it contains some little se~s of real beauty.

Country Life: .-.. very pror.1isins little volume.

19.

Joyce wcs particularly interested in the reaction of Dubliners

to his book of verse. The homage of o. Dublincr wo.s even more

si3nificnnt to him than Symons' kudos. Ho made o. point of thanking

1_ChQ.Ile_l 1 ₍_.'J'th_ur_C_{lery) for his}_"f_riend_l_y _oncl _sympathe_tic

(27)

20.

that Kottle1_{s review was of special significance to Joyce}_is_seen

in his r0workinJ it as Robert Ho.nd1_s _r_e_{view in}_Exil_es_. _He _also

alluded to his appreciation of Kottl01_{s review}_{in his}_presen

-tation of a copy of Chrnnber Husic to Kettle and his bride Mary

Sheehy, on their wedding-day in

1909. 56 •

However, th€ type of criticism exemplified in tho press

notices - wh3.t Tindc.11 describes c.s 11_th_e_'clarichordI _school_of

.:U,thur Symons" 57 • - has continued to recent times, especiru.ly in

tro~.tr.-ients of Chamber Music in general Joyce texts. The chief

dif ferenc0, in lQter treatments by spccific.2lly Joyce en critics,

is :-'. i-n.ther sour ton8 c~used by the greo.t contro..sts between the

poer:1s o.nu tho rec..listic novels. The technical c.chievewent of the

l ::i.ttor bein:; so rer:carkable, the form of the pOGr:1s w::-.s now either

ic;norcd or grud2:inrsly conceded in fa.int pr . .:cise. Levin urote:

n1yrics in thc strictest sens0, ::i.11 of Joyce's poems ho..vo the

prc.cticol virtue the.t they con be set to music ,:,m.1 su.r1c .. ,"

53

•

but

he is indifnant 1.Ji th such II _studi_od _fr2..ilti_-:;_s_.11 _L_0vin_{cloimod th::i.t}

the poetry wo.s 11_t_oo _concr_e_te_, _with_C...."1 _o_po.q_ue_k_i_ne:: _of_concr_etonoss

thnt m,:::y be only o.nother for!ll of a.bstrc..ction11 _- _\,1hi_le_l_!a._::;c_.._b.ner

and K::i..in assert that 11_its_{flaccid nature constitutes}_on_e _{of the}

bost ar~uments in support of our current de3and for irony, tension,

, b' . ·

t

11

59.

E'Jla om i gui

y

.

i..fter Tindall' s edition, the 11_cl_{arichord schoo}_l"_g_ained

uccrotions from his interpretation, which multiplied the

uncertainty nnd contradiction in criticism of Chrunber Music in

genorei Joyce texts. (Two significant exceptions are noted later.)

~ certain number of received opinions were regurgitated: it is

musical, Elizabethan, evidence of Joyce's auditory imagination

(enhanced by near-blindness),

60

•

its title was a scurrilous

(28)

21.

double-entendre, and itts a minor work, yet autobiographical and

part of "the book of Joyce, the last word of which the author felt

h h d _e _{a no}

t

_sa.1

.

d _even_{1.n 1.nnegan}. F. _s u _ _w ,,e • " 61 •

(.l.l\. Chester G. Anderson

imitated Tindall in stating that Joyce wo.s 11_no_doubt _{aware that}

many of the poems were susceptible of interpretations relating not

only to their musical quality, but also to their imagery of

micturition, chai-nbering and the false wantonness of onanism." 62•

(.-.nderson describes Tindall's edition as the "definitive edition

of Chamber Music" in an article on Joyce's poem "Tilly" which

reveals the swno type of frenetic symbol-huntinc as Tindall

. dul . 63.)

1.n ·:· es in. J..nthony Burgess, in a chapter on Joyce's poems

entitled 11 1_You_Poor_Po_o_{t, You!}1 11 _snys_they_"ar_e _not _{to be}_read

in o. Stephen Dedo.lus context ,11 _and _reco_g_nis_e_s _the _"coarse

under-tones" - yet ;'Chamber Music is not a mere collection of verses; •.•

it is autobiop;raphico.1, like everything Joyce wrote, but the

auto-biogrc.phy is heightened, turneJ into myth.11

64 _•

_J.nd _in_another

recent study, Herbert Howarth wears his heart on his sleeve when

criticisinf. 11_a _{juvenile failure to}_m_c_{.tch sound}_and_sense; _we _hear

only a slicht distant music and miss tho satirical clowning and

II

65 .

undercutting of prucious passions found in the mature Joyce.

This type of judgement is too tempting when one looks at Chwnber

~ from the superior vantage of Joyce's later works, and does

not make for fair assessment.

Criticism of Ch01llber Music in general critical material, then,

has been an inconsistent body of heterogeneous received opinions

from other sources, especially Tindall. Yet though some of these

critics follow Tindall in part, they generally regard the poems

as a regrettable lapse in taste by Joyce. ilthough their own

(29)

22.

and Ke.in give a very ?ood analysis of tho criticism, from Symons

and Kettle (including some early studiGs which Tindall did not

note), to Tindnll.

In 1918, M unsigned review of the second edition of Chamber

Music appeared in The Egoist, which Harriet Shaw Weaver attributes

to T.S. Eliot. (In a letter to Patricia Hutchins, 22 September

1953, Eliot wrote 11₁_{have no r}_e_coll_e_ctio_n_m_ys_e_lf_of_wh_e_{ther I}

wrote it or not. 11

66 _·)

This is a second edition; first published in 1907.

This verse is good, very --··ooc.J.; thoue;h it never would

have excited much attention but for Joyc0' s prose,

still it would in nny case have worn well. He infer from it that Hr. Joyce is probably something of a musician; it is lyric verse, o.nd vood lyric verse

is very rare. It will be called 'fragile,' but is

substantial, with a great deal of thought beneath

fine workmanship. 67.

This was the first (thou5h very brief) critical acknowledgement that

there w:1s substance boneath the musical surface of ChOJ.:1ber Music.

This line was pursued in the 19301_s