Waywords and Meansigns: Recreating Finnegans Wake [in its whole wholume] is an international project setting James Joyce's novel Finnegans Wake to music. Waywords and Meansigns has released two editions of audio, each offering an unabridged musical adaptation of Joyce's book. A third edition, featuring over 100 artists and performing much shorter passages of the book, debuted May 4, 2017. The project brought together a diverse array of musicians. An artist or group performed each chapter in the first two editions; artists performed shorter, page-length passages in the third edition. The musicians only requirements were that "the words be audible, unabridged and more or less in their original order". With a goal of making Joyce's famously obscure novel more accessible, all audio from the project is distributed freely online.
Background The Waywords and Meansigns project began in 2014 with a goal of setting James Joyce's Finnegans Wake to music unabridged. The first edition, which premiered in 2015, featured a different artist or musical group performing each of the book's seventeen chapters. The second edition, which premiered in 2016, also offered an unabridged version of the book, performed by a different set of artists and musicians. A third edition, dubbed the Waywords and Meansigns Opendoor Edition, premiered in 2017 with a focus on performing shorter passages rather than complete chapters. In an open edition, with contributors invited to create new recordings on an ongoing basis, the Opendoor Edition features over 100 contributors from 15 countries. Over 300 people have been involved in Waywords and Meansigns since 2014. While some passages in Waywords and Meansigns adhere to traditional song structures, much of the music is experimental. The musicians' only requirements were that "the words be audible, unabridged and more or less in their original order." All audio from the project is distributed freely online under Creative Commons licensing. Finn Fordham, a James Joyce scholar at Royal Holloway, University of London has called the project "wonderfully innovative" and The Guardian has highlighted the project for making Joyce's famously difficult novel more accessible. Contributors to Waywords and Meansigns are a self-described collection of "musicians, artists, poets, scholars, weirdos, passionate Wake-heads, those totally ignorant of the Wake, and anyone generally adventurous." Waywords and Meansigns has been noted as a uniquely ambitious, and unusual, project. Rock critic Jesse Jarnow applauded Waywords and Meansigns for their innovative use of the digital platform and University College Dublin's Digital Platform for Contemporary Irish Writing includes Waywords and Meansigns in their "Joyce Today" collection.
Editions
First edition The first edition of Waywords and Meansigns premiered on May 4, 2015.
Track listing Book I I.1 - Fall, pp. 3–29 - Mariana Lanari & Sjoerd Leijten, with Erik Bindervoet I.2 - The Humphriad I: His Agnomen and Reputation, pp. 30–47 - Robert Amos; Chelidon Frame; Alan Ó Raghallaigh I.3 - The Humphriad II: His Trial and Incarceration, pp 48–74 - Greg Nahabedian I.4 - The Humphriad III - His Demise and Resurrection, pp. 75–103 - Un monton, torero; with Charlie Driker-Ohren & Walker Storz I.5 - The Mamafesta, pp. 104–25 - Tim Carbone (of Railroad Earth) I.6 - Riddles: The Personages of the Manifesto, pp. 126–68 - Kevin Spenst I.7 - Shem the Penman, pp. 169–216 - Belorusia I.8 - Anna Livia, pp. 196–59 - Dérive Book II II.1 - The Children's Hour, pp. 216–59 - Street Kids Named Desire; with Derek Pyle, Parker McQueeney, Zach Leavitt & Samuel Nordli II.2 - The Studies, pp. 260–308 - Liz Longo & Izzy Longo, with Leo Traversa II.3 - The Stories: Tavernry in Feast, pp. 309–82 - Hayden Chisholm II.4 - Mamalujo, pp. 383–99 - Ryan Mihaly Book III III.1 - Shaun before the People, pp. 403–28 - Gareth Flowers (of International Contemporary Ensemble) III.2 - Jaun before St. Bride's, pp. 428–73 - Steve Fly, with William Sutton III.3 - Yawn under Inquest, pp. 474–554 - Peter Quadrino, Jake Reading & Evan James III.4 - Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker and Anna Livia Plurabelle: Their Bed of Trial, pp. 555–590 - Graziano Galati Book IV IV.1 - Dawn: Return to the Beginning, pp. 593–628 - Mariana Lanari & Sjoerd Leijten; with Eloísa Ejarque, Grace Kyne-Lilley, & Erik Bindervoet.
Second edition The second edition of Waywords and Meansigns premiered on February 2, 2016.
Track listing Book I I.1 - The Fall, pp. 3–29 - Mr. Smolin & Double Naught Spy Car I.2 - The Humphriad I: His Agnomen and Reputation, pp. 30–47 - David Kahne I.3 - The Humphriad II: His Trial and Incarceration, the Acoustic Disturbance, pp 48–74 - Steve Gregoropoulos (of Lavender Diamond) I.4 - The Humphriad III: His Demise and Resurrection, pp. 75–103 - Rio Matchett I.5 - The Mamafesta of Anna Livia, pp. 104–25 - Neil Campbell I.6 - Riddles: The Personages of the Manifesto, pp. 126–68 - Maharadja Sweets I.7 - Shem the Penman, pp. 169–216 - Mike Watt & Adam Harvey (reportedly delayed; forthcoming in 2016) I.8 - The Washers at the Ford (aka ALP), pp. 196–59 - Brian Hall & Mary Lorson Book II II.1 - The Children's Hour, pp. 216–59 - Robert Amos II.2 - The Studies: Nightlessons, pp. 260–308 - Ollie Evans, Steve Potter & Co. II.3 - The Stories: Tavernry in Feast, pp. 309–82 - Janken's Henchmæn II.4 - Bride-Ship and Gulls, pp. 383–99 - Aleorta Book III III.1 - Shaun before the People, pp. 403–28 - SIKS III.2 - Jaun before St. Bride's, pp. 428–73 - Kio Griffith III.3 - Yawn under Inquest, pp. 474–554 - Hinson Calabrese (formerly of Tom Fun Orchestra) III.4 - Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker and Anna Livia Plurabelle: Their Bed of Trial, pp. 555–590 - Conspirators of Pleasure (Poulomi Desai and Simon Underwood) Book IV IV.1 - Ricorso, pp. 593–628 riverrunning back to The Fall, pp. 3–29 - Graziano Galati
Third edition
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