CD: David Lang, 'the difficulty of crossing a field'

Artists: David Lang, composer / Mac Wellman, libretto / Harlem String Quartet

Released on Cantaloupe Records, 2015

David Lang first described the difficulty of crossing a field to me as a work that ‘can’t really tell if it’s an opera or a very strange musical’. Whatever its category, the work is unsettling – creepy even – and darkly layered with history and mystery.

The original one-page story the difficulty of crossing a field  by 19th century writer Ambrose Bierce was the inspiration for New York’s ‘legendary incomprehensible playwright’ Mac Wellman who elaborates in his own unique way, on the story of a slave owner who simply vanishes into thin air in front of his family, neighbours and slaves.

You can read more about the design of this album art on my ‘Seeing New Music’ website.