vilne alef-beys (2023) 10'
SATB
Vilnius Festivals for the 700th Anniversary of the city of Vilnius
Works
Voice
let me come in (arr. SSA) (2023) 10'
text by David Lang (after Song of Songs 5:2)
3 voices (SSA), percussion, viola, cello
Vox Clamantis
northern light (2023) 3'
SATB
for Pro Coro Canada
the national anthems (arr. string orchestra) (2023) 24'
Text by David Lang
SATB + string orchestra
LA Master Chorale, the Berlin Radio Choir, and Yale Choral Artists
song of songs (2022) 60'
a collection of vocal works
alleluia amen (2022) 6'
SAA
commissioned by Trio Mediaeval with support from Arts Council Norway
sun-centered (2022) 25'
chamber choir
Commissioned for the Tallis Scholars by Cal Performances, Carnegie Hall Corporation, Hopkins Center, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Stanford Live, Virginia Tech and Concertgebouw Bruges (Belgium).
when this all ends (2022) 4'
SATB
Young People's Chorus of NYC
flower, forget me (2022) 14'
baritone and piano
Konzerthaus Dormund
we were (2021) 10'
text by David Lang (after Song of Songs)
solo SSA with chamber choir
co-commissioned by Flagey, Brussels, for Vox Clamantis, Tallinn, Jaan-Eik Tulve, Director; the Crossing, Philadelphia, Donald Nally, Director; and the Fisher Center at Bard College, New York
the sense of senses (2021) 8'
text by David Lang (after Song of Songs)
SSAATTBB
co-commissioned by the Company of Music, Vienna, Johannes Hiemetsberger, Director; the Crossing, Philadelphia, Donald Nally, Director; and the Fisher Center at Bard College
let me come in (arr. piano and voice) (2021) 10'
(arr. piano and voice)
text by David Lang (after Song of Songs 5:2)
soprano and piano
The Fisher Center at Bard College with co-commissioning support by The Los Angeles Opera
let me come in (2021) 10'
text by David Lang (after Song of Songs 5:2)
soprano, percussion, viola, cello
The Fisher Center at Bard College with co-commissioning support by The Los Angeles Opera
The Village Detective: a song cycle (2021) 81'
a film directed by Bill Morrison, with score by David Lang
accordion, voice
the village detective (2021) 55'
accordion, voice
Bill Morrison as the score to his film The Village Detective: a song cycle
in nature (2020) 20'
SATB
Warren Miller Performing Arts Center and The Crossing (Donald Nally, conductor)
teach your children (2019) 25'
soprano solo, children's choir + SATB with orchestra 1[1picc].2.2.2/4.2.2.1/timp.2perc/strings
SF Choral Society
stateless (2019) 6'
text by David Lang, after a letter by Rabbi Moses ben Nachman
solo voices and chorus
Cor de Cambra del Palau
if i am silent (2019) 8'
SATB
Paul Hillier/Theatre of Voices, co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall and Nederlands Kamerkoor
she is called (2018) 5'
text by David Lang
treble choir
Brooklyn Youth Chorus
prayers for night and sleep (2018) 15'
text by David Lang
solo soprano, solo cello, 1 perc, strings
Cello Biennale Amsterdam, Amsterdam Sinfonietta
if I sing (after psalm 101) (2017) 4'
Text by David Lang
chamber choir or 8 solo voices, ssaattbb
Nederlands Kamerkoor
a girl (2017) 4'
text in Yiddish, by an anonymous author
women's choir
The Choir of California Lutheran University
sleeper’s prayer (2016) 7'
treble voice and organ
LA Philharmonic and Jacaranda; dedicated to Steve Reich for his 80th birthday
solitary (2016) 8'
text by David Lang (after the Book of Lamentations)
chamber choir or 12 solo voices
Cappella Amsterdam
make peace (2016) 3'
SATB
commissioned by The Crossing, Donald Nally, conductor, with the support of the Ann Stookey Fund for New Music.
sleeper’s prayer – arr. chamber choir and organ (2016, rev. 2019) 8'
SATB, organ
co-commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, Gustavo Dudamel, Music Director, and Jacaranda, Patrick Scott,Artistic Director.
the public domain (2016) 30'
1000 singers
Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival,Doelen Concert Hall in Holland,Internationale Koorbiënnale Haarlem,Berlin Philharmonic, and the London Symphony
a house (2016) 18'
text by David Lang
SATB
Northwestern University
memorial ground (2016) 30'
massed singers and soloists
commissioned by East Neuk Festival and 14-18 NOW: WW1 Centenary Art Commissions, supported by the National Lottery throughthe Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England and by the Department for Culture Media and Sport, with the support of Creative Scotland.
anatomy theater (2016) 75'
Mezzo,Ten,Bar,Bass, fl(picc),cl(bcl),tpt,perc,pf(acc),vn,va,vc,db
simple song #3 – arr. chamber ensemble (2015) 6'
soprano, solo violin, 1.1.0.0/1.0.0.0/1 perc/1 timp/hp or pno/optional synth/1.1.1.1.1
Indigo Films
simple song #3 – arr. piano/vocal (2015) 6'
soprano, piano
Indigo Films
simple song #3 – arr. piano trio (2015) 6'
soprano, piano, violin, cello
Indigo Films
last spring (2015) 5'
words and music by david lang (after aasmund olavsson vinje)
ssaattbb
Edvard Grieg Kor
Cloud River Mountain (2015, rev. 2017) 32'
music by Michael Gordon, David Lang, Julia Wolfe and Lau Luo
soprano, cl, perc, egtr, piano, vc, db
commissioned by Maria and Robert A. Skirnick and Arts Brookfield
where you go (2015) 8'
Text by David Lang after the Book of Ruth
chamber choir or 12 solo voices - SSS AAA TTT BBB
Tanglewood Music Center in honor of its 75th anniversary.
manifesto (2015) 4'
Text by David Lang
male choir
Cantus Vocal Ensemble
simple song #3 (2015) 6'
soprano and solo violin with orchestra 2,2,2,2/2,2,2,1/timp.perc/hp/str
Indigo Films
just (after song of songs) – arr. string quartet (2014, rev. 2018) 13'
SSA + 2 vln, vla, vc
Louth Contemporary Music Society
just (after song of songs) (2014) 13'
SSA + perc, vla, vc
Louth Contemporary Music Society
crowd out (2014) 40'
1000 people yelling
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Berlin Philharmonic, Spitalfields Music
the national anthems (2014) 24'
Text by David Lang
SATB + string quartet
LA Master Chorale, the Berlin Radio Choir, andYale Choral Artists
the whisper opera (2013) 60'
text by David Lang
soprano; flute, clarinet, percussion, cello
International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE)
when we were children (2013) 9'
Text by David Lang
for chamber choir
Glimmerglass Opera
head heart (2012) 4'
SSAA
The Brooklyn Academy of Music’s 2012 Next Wave Festival, The International Festival of Arts & Ideas, The John F. Kennedy Center Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, The Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA, The Wake Forest University / Secrest Artists Series, and Hancher Performances at the University of Iowa
death speaks (2012) 26'
Text by David Lang
soprano, vln, egtr, pno - all amplified
Carnegie Hall Corporation and Stanford Lively Arts
ark luggage (2012) 9'
Text by Peter Greenaway
for soprano and string quartet
commissioned by Glasgow Concert Halls written for Else Torp and the Smith Quartet; premiere: 24 march 2012
love fail (2012) 60'
Text by David Lang (after Lydia Davis, Marie de France, Gottfried von Strassburg, Béroul, Thomas of Britain and Richard Wagner)
SSAA playing simple percussion instruments
love fail was co-commissioned by The Brooklyn Academy of Music’s 2012 Next Wave Festival, The International Festival of Arts & Ideas, The John F. Kennedy Center Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, The Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA, The Secrest Artists Series at Wake Forest University, and Hancher Performances at the University of Iowa. Movement 4, 'the wood and the vine', was commissioned by The Newman Center for the Performing Arts at University of Denver, The University of California at Riverside, and the Santa Fe Concert Association in Santa FE, NM. Movement 10, 'I live in pain', in a different version, was originally written for “TheCrossing,” Donald Nally, conductor.
ark luggage – arr. pno/soprano (2012) 9'
Text by Peter Greenaway
for soprano and piano
commissioned by Glasgow Concert Halls written for Else Torp and the Smith Quartet; premiere: 24 march 2012
love fail – arr. female chorus (2012, rev. 2016) 60'
Text by David Lang (after Lydia Davis, Marie de France, Gottfried von Strassburg, Béroul, Thomas of Britain and Richard Wagner)
SSAA chorus (or 8 solo women singers) playing simple percussion instruments
The Brooklyn Academy of Music’s 2012 Next Wave Festival, The International Festival of Arts & Ideas, The John F. Kennedy Center Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, The Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA, The Wake Forest University / Secrest Artists Series, and Hancher Performances at the University of Iowa
the same train (same train) (2012) 3'
SATB
Harold Rosenbaum and the New York Virtuoso Singers
where the bee sucks (2012) 3'
voice and piano
Opera America
i live in pain (2011) 4'
Text by David Lang (after Beatriz de Dia)
women's chorus; SAA
The Crossing
i never (2010) 9'
Text by David Lang (after Thomas Tallis)
40 solo voices, arranged in 8 groups of s,a,t,bar,b
Sage Gateshead
oh graveyard (2010) 3'
Text by David Lang (after the spiritual "Lay This Body Down")
SATB
Conspirare
statement to the court (2010) 10'
Text by Eugene Debs
SATB, strings, bass drum
The Crossing
after Stephen Foster (2009) 20'
SATB
Text by David Lang (after Stephen Foster)
The Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia and Leah Stein Dance Company
battle hymns (2009) 50'
Text by David Lang (after Sullivan Ballou, Stephen Foster and Abraham Lincoln)
large chorus, plus one snare drum
Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia and Leah Stein Dance Company
the little match girl passion (2007) 35'
Text by David Lang (after H.C. Andersen, H.P. Paulli, Picander and Saint Matthew)
4 voices (SATB) each playing simple percussion
Carnegie Hall Corporation and The Perth Theater and Concert Hall for Paul Hillier and Theatre of Voices
evening morning day (2007) 6'
Text by David Lang (after Genesis)
treble choir or version for men's chorus
the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Brooklyn, NY
Shelter (2005) 65'
music by Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julia Wolfe; text by Deborah Artman
3 Sop, fl, ob, cl, bn, hn, tpt, tbn, tba, pno, egtr, eb, perc, 2 vln, vla, vc, cb [all instruments and voices amplified]
The Next Wave Festival of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, musikFabrik and Kunstiftung NRW
again (after ecclesiastes) (2005) 5'
Text by David Lang (after Ecclesiastes)
small chorus SATB
Cerddorion; Kristina Boerger, director
I want to live (2005) 4'
text by David Lang
3 SSA
The Next Wave Festival of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, musikFabrik and Kunstiftung NRW
depart (2002) 18'
vc, 4 vocals
Fondation de France as a permanent installation for the morgue in the Raymond Poincare Hospital in Garches, France
the difficulty of crossing a field (2002) 75'
Text by Mac Wellman
Sop, Mezzo,Ten,Bar,B,small chor, string quartet
the American Conservatory Theater for the Kronos Quartet
Lost Objects (2001) 62'
music by Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julia Wolfe; Text by Deborah Artman
Sop, 2 countertenors, small chor, DJ, baroque orch, egtr, eb, perc, synth [all instruments and voices amplified]
Dresden Festival
i lie (2001) 5'
Text (Yiddish) by Joseph Rolnick
small chorus SAA
Kitka
this condition (2000) 5'
Text by Lydia Davis
small chorus SAA
none
pay me now (2000) 2'
soprano, viola, cello, bass
The Carbon Copy Building (1999) 72'
music by Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julia Wolfe; Text by Ben Katchor
Cast: Ms, T, Bar, Bar/Ct; cl(bcl, cbcl, ssx)/perc/syn/egtr [all instruments and voices amplified]
Settembre Musica Festival and the city council of Turin, Italy, with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
the passing measures (1998) 45'
solo bcl, 8 alto voices,0000/4331/4perc.2pf.eb/8 or more vc.2 or more db; amp
the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group
by fire (1984) 5'
Text by Sun Tzu, Robert Scheer
small chorus SATB
the BBC Singers