Men of Iron and the Golden Spike

Description

Piccolo, Flute 1, Flute 2, Piccolo, Oboe 1, Oboe 2, English Horn, Clarinet in Bb 1, Clarinet in Bb 2, Bass Clarinet, Bassoon 1, Bassoon 2, Contrabassoon, Horn in F 1, Horn in F 2, Horn in F 3, Horn in F 4, Trumpet in C 1, Trumpet in C 2, Trumpet in C 3, Trombone 1, Trombone 2, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Timpani, Percussion 1, Percussion 2, Percussion 3, Percussion 4, Harp, Zheng, Erhu, Cello, Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Voice, Chorus, Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Violoncello, Double Bass — Premiered in 2019, Zhou Long’s Men of Iron and the Golden Spike tells the story of the building of the Golden Spike, the final piece joining the rails of the first transcontinental railroad across the United States, by Chinese American railroad workers who faced extreme discrimination and endured racism from the Central Pacific Railroad company. It is estimated that at least 1,000 workers died during the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad, with most documentation of their employment destroyed by the U.S. government following completion of the project. Zhou Long honors the Chinese Americans who suffered injustice in this moving oratorio.