Harry Partch met soprano Ethel Luening in 1942 and two years later composed this work for her. Initial performances featured Luening as soprano with Partch playing his kithara, and composer Henry Brant playing double flageolet; Partch would eventually replace the double flageolet with two flutes. The use of the complex text from James Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake contrasts strongly with Partch’s other works at the time, which used texts from Partch’s experiences as a transient or from authors like Thomas Wolfe.