He was a major contributor to the string quartet music, performed by Kronos Quartet, in the film Requiem for a Dream (2000). In 1999 he collaborated with composers Julia Wolfe and Michael Gordon, and librettist/illustrator Ben Katchor, in the the "comic strip opera" The Carbon Copy Building. The production won an Obie Award for Best New American Production. In 2008 Lang won the Pulitzer Prize for music for his Little Match Girl Passion. Based on the story by Hans Christian Anderson and taking its structure from the passions of Bach, the piece was written for Theatre of Voices and Paul Hillier.
"David Lang" is also the name of a character in a commonly cited vanishing hoax. In this story, first printed in Fate Magazine in 1953 by journalist Stuart Palmer, a man named "David Lang" was walking across a field on September 23, 1880 when he vanished mid-step and in full view of others. The article was later determined be a hoax inspired by a short story published in 1909 by Ambrose Bierce. In 1999, the composer David Lang based his opera "The Difficulty of Crossing a Field" on this Bierce story . [1]
Lang holds degrees from Stanford University, the University of Iowa, and Yale University (DMA, 1989). His teachers have included Richard Hervig, Jacob Druckman, Hans Werner Henze, and Martin Bresnick.
Lang's music has been released on the Argo/Decca, BMG, Cantaloupe Music, Chandos, CRI, Point, and Sony Classical labels. His scores are published by Red Poppy Music (available from G. Schirmer, Inc.)
His notable students include Kevin Puts.
Death Speaks: No. 1. You will return
David Lang Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Return to dust
You will turn, return to dust
Turn to the sun
Like me, turn to the sun
Turn to the light
Turn to the light
If there's an eye still open, grieving
Sweet sleep, close it for me
Turn your heart, your poor heart
It will only find rest
when it has stopped beating
Turn to peace
Turn to peace
This is the only road that leads you home
Enter
I am your pale companion
I mirror your pain
I was your shadow
All those long nights
All those days long passed
Listen to me, listen to me
This message is for you
Where I am now all sorrow is gone
Where I am now all lovers are together
Where I am now
In my arms only will you find rest
Gentle rest
The lyrics of David Lang's song Death Speaks: No. 1 convey a somewhat bleak outlook on life and death. The first lines "You will return, return to dust", seem to speak to the inevitability of death and the fact that all living beings, regardless of status or achievements, are ultimately reduced to dust. The repetition of "turn" in the following lines provides a sense of direction, a call to look toward the sun and the light. The suggestion is that focusing on the positive aspects of life, such as warmth and brightness, can offer some comfort in the face of death. And yet, the subsequent lines suggest that death is not something to be embraced, but rather something that must be endured until it offers "gentle rest" from suffering.
The song continues with a plea for sweet sleep and an end to grief. The line "Turn your heart, your poor heart, it will only find rest when it has stopped beating" suggests a sense of longing to be released from the pain of living. The call to "turn to peace" feels like a final surrender, an acknowledgement that life is fleeting and that our only true solace is found in some form of eternal rest or peace.
Overall, the song is a meditation on the transience of life and the inevitability of death. It speaks to the human desire for comfort and release from suffering, but also seems to suggest that these things can only be found in death itself.
Line by Line Meaning
You will return
You will eventually die and leave this world.
Return to dust
Your body will decompose after your death.
You will turn, return to dust
You will eventually decay and perish, just like other organic matter.
Turn to the sun
Look for hope and positivity, even in the darkest times.
Like me, turn to the sun
I also found solace in looking towards the sun and the warmth it brings.
Turn to the light
Choose the path of goodness and righteousness.
If there's an eye still open, grieving
If there is someone still mourning your passing,
Sweet sleep, close it for me
May they find peace and closure in their sleep.
Turn your heart, your poor heart
Let go of your sorrow and heartache.
It will only find rest
when it has stopped beating
You will only find peace and comfort once you have passed away.
Turn to peace
Choose tranquility and serenity instead of chaos and turmoil.
This is the only road that leads you home
The path to inner peace and happiness is the only way to truly feel at home.
Enter
Take the leap and embrace this way of life.
I am your pale companion
I am your constant companion, representing your mortality.
I mirror your pain
I reflect your suffering and agony.
I was your shadow
All those long nights
All those days long passed
I have been with you through every hardship and struggle, without fail.
Listen to me, listen to me
This message is for you
Pay attention to my words, for this message is meant for you specifically.
Where I am now all sorrow is gone
In the afterlife, there is no more pain or suffering.
Where I am now all lovers are together
In the afterlife, all loved ones are reunited and together.
Where I am now
This is what the afterlife is like.
In my arms only will you find rest
Gentle rest
Only in death will you find peace and repose, but it will be a peaceful slumber.
Contributed by Charlotte B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.