Pulitzer Prize-winner Julia Wolfe’s Anthracite Fields is a raw tribute to coal miners
Dark mine shafts, toiling workers and ... electric guitars? WithAnthracite Fields, Pulitzer Prize-winner Julia Wolfe presents a monumental tribute to Pennsylvania’s mineworkers. This raw, hypnotic oratorio weaves archive texts, interviews and industrial sounds into a musical memory that is as confronting as it is bewitching.
Bang on a Can - the New York-based collective that has been turning classical music on its head since the 80s - and the Vlaams Radiokoor bring Wolfe’s immersive sound to life. Electric guitars growl like heavy machinery, repetitive rhythms mimic the monotonous labour, and lyrical vocal lines give the forgotten workers a voice. From the young breaker boys to union leader John L. Lewis, this music feels urgent, exciting and surprisingly topical.
Anthracite Fields is not a dusty history lesson, but a mind-blowing listening experience. Enjoy the iconic Julia Wolfe and the groundbreaking Bang on a Can live during Shifting Sounds.