673. What Is Money?

David Lang’s oratorio *The Wealth of Nations* reimagines Adam Smith’s foundational economic text as a musical exploration of human connection and trade. By setting Smith’s 18th-century prose alongside voices like Frederick Douglass and Eugene V. Debs, Lang examines the emotional weight of money and the moral implications of labor. The composition highlights the paradox of a globalized economy where individuals are linked through trade yet remain isolated in their personal experiences. Lang, a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, emphasizes the necessity of collaboration in both music and democracy, drawing parallels between the collective effort of an orchestra and the societal cooperation required for a functioning economy. Through this work, he challenges the perception of classical music as a static relic, instead positioning it as a dynamic medium capable of addressing contemporary questions about wealth, inequality, and the human condition.