673. What Is Money?

About this episode

The episode explores composer David Lang's journey in turning Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations into an oratorio, leading up to its world premiere with the New York Philharmonic.

That’s what the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang wanted to learn. So he turned Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations into an oratorio. We tag along as Lang’s piece heads toward its world premiere with the New York Philharmonic. (Part one of a two-part series.)

People in this episode

Guest: David Lang

Topics covered

• money
• economics
• music
• oratorio
• culture
• society

Keywords

• money
• David Lang
• The Wealth of Nations
• oratorio
• New York Philharmonic
• economics
• music

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New York Philharmonic

Books & works: The Wealth of Nations

More episodes of Freakonomics Radio

• 677. Can Backgammon Save Us from Ourselves? · June 12, 2026 · 59 min
• This Is Your Brain on Pollution (Update) · June 10, 2026 · 47 min
• 676. Has America Lost the Plot? · June 5, 2026 · 1h 5m
• The Vanishing Mr. Feynman (Update) · May 29, 2026 · 1h 1m
• The Brilliant Mr. Feynman (Update) · May 27, 2026 · 53 min
• The Curious Mr. Feynman (Update) · May 22, 2026 · 1h 3m