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[An] epic explosion and reconstruction of the folk ballad." -The
Boston Globe on Steel Haer
Julia Wolfe Releases Steel Hammeron theCantaloupe Music Label on
April 29
Steel Haer, composed by Julia Wolfe, isa musical exploration of
the myriad oflegends surrounding the figure of JohnHenry. The work
examines not only thesubject of human vs. machine, but delvesinto
the richly populated mythos ofmerican folklore and roots music !
fromppalachia in particular. The result is atrue fusion of musical
worlds, melding tocreate a new genre of art balladry."ecorded by
the #orwegian vocal ensembleTrio $ediaeval, who are joined by the
ever%versatile &ang on a 'an ll%(tars, SteelHaerwill be
released on 'antaloupe$usic on pril )*.
+Steel Haeris inspired by my love forthe legends and music of
ppalachia,+Wolfe explains. +The text is culled from the
over ) versions of the John Henry ballad. The various versions,
based on hearsay,recollection and tall tales, explore the subject
of human vs. machine in this -uintessentialmerican legend. $any of
the facts are unclear % some say hes from West /irginia, somesay
hes from (outh 'arolina, some say hes from #ew Jersey...&ut
regardless of the details,John Henry, wielding a steel hammer,
faces the onslaught of the industrial age as hissuperhuman strength
is challenged in a contest to out%dig an engine. 0 drew upon
theextreme variations of the story, fragmenting and weaving the
contradictory versions of theballad that have circulated since the
late 12s into a new whole, at times meditating onsingle words or
phrases, in order to tell the story of the story % to embody the
simultaneousdiverse paths it traveled.+Steel Hammer premiered in
November 2009 at the University of Florida, and eventually madeits
way to Carnegies Zankel Hall for its New York debut. Writing for
the New Yorker, Alex Rossreferred to the work as ...a musical
archaeology of a familiar tale one that preserves,even enlarges,
its central mystery. In exploring the subject of human vs. machine
in thequintessential American tall tale, Steel Hammer evokes a
swirling gumbo of folk, bluegrass,post-minimalist and classical
motifs, each referring back to the other in a
call-and-responseritual that breathes new life into the legend.
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Upcoming Julia Wolfe Performances:
ctors Theatre of 3ouisville and (0T0 'ompany perform theatrical
version of Steel Haer$arch 1*%)4, )5%4, )16Humana 7estival of #ew
merican 8lays3ouisville, 9:
Thirstperformed by Turning 8oint ;nsemble$arch )*, )16'han
'entre for the 8erforming rts/ancouver, &', 'anada
Belie!inperformed by &ang on a 'an ll%(tarspril 11, )16tlas
8erforming rts 'enter, 3ang TheaterWashington, pril )?,
)16$endelssohn 'lub of 8hiladelphia8hiladelphia, 8
Anthracite $ieldsperformed by &ang on a 'an ll%(tars and
chorus at the #ew :ork8hilharmonic &iennial =#ew :ork
premiere>$ay 4, )16very 7isher Hall#ew :ork, #:
7or press in-uiries, please contact@manda meer7irst 'hair
8romotionamandaAfirstchairpromo.com)1).4?2.5*6*
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]
