At the very time I’m writing this review, thousands of people across the globe are still gathering in public spaces under the banner of Black Lives Matter. There is no doubt that the great American folksinger and social activist Woody Guthrie (1912-67) would have been among them. Indeed, such is his enduring legacy that you could say he is.

Grammy Award-winning composer Michael Daugherty’s 2016 “musical tribute to this Dust Bowl troubadour” This Land Sings: Inspired by the Life and Times of Woody Guthrie, is an example of, and monument to, that enduring legacy. Retracing Guthrie’s musical meanderings through Oklahoma and Texas while listening to his songs, Daugherty subsequently composed a virtual road trip in words and music, structured “like a Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast”.

The result is a powerful, imaginative...