Oxen of the Sun (piano score PDF)

Oxen of the Sun — Greg Harradine

Solo piano score. Listen on YouTube.

Key: B-flat major.  

Duration: c. 6:44

Grade/level: 7 / early advanced

Style/mood: zany, pastiche

7 pages. 127 bars.

This piece was specially written to celebrate Bloomsday 2021. It is a musical parody of the Oxen of the Sun chapter in James Joyce's Ulysses. In that magisterial chapter Joyce sets out to send up almost the entire history of English literature. In my composition I attempt a similar task but with music — and on a much more modest scale. See how many musical styles or direct musical quotations you can recognise!