Lang Lang Releases Student Classics On ‘Piano Book’

Pianist Lang Lang, releases a new solo album tomorrow. Piano Book’ is a collection of pieces which first inspired him to play the piano and led him on his path to international stardom. The recording, his first new studio album in three years, marks his return to Universal Music Group and Deutsche Grammophon – the label he first signed to in 2003. Lang Lang will be touring Sydney and Melbourne in June and July 2019.

The double CD will be released in multiple formats, among them a Limited Score Edition – a box containing the deluxe double album and full piano scores, including Für Elise, as annotated by Lang Lang himself. ‘Lang Lang Piano Book’ is also available as a high-end hardback edition for piano, published by Faber Music. Also on the recording are other pedgogic classics like Debussy’s Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum from the Children’s Corner Suite, Chopin’s “Raindrop” Prelude, and  J.S. Bach’s Minuet No. 1 in G Major.

From the modern canon there is Sakamoto’s theme from the movie Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (Arr. for Piano), Kats-Chernin’s Eliza Aria (Arr. for Piano) form the Wild Swans Suite and Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag.

Lang Lang says: “I want to take every music lover on a journey through my favourite piano pieces. I hope to inspire as well as motivate every piano student to remain focused during daily practice, and to play and understand these essential pieces for what they really are: true masterpieces!”

‘Piano Book’ features many of the miniatures that generations of amateur pianists have grown up with. Lang Lang holds them in the highest regard, believing them to be classics in their own right. He wants to encourage piano students across the world to fully appreciate them.

The tracks: CD1

1. J.S. Bach: Prelude in C Major, BWV 846 [The Well-Tempered Clavier: Book 1, BWV 846-869]
2. Beethoven: Bagatelle No. 25 in A Minor, WoO 59 “Für Elise”
3. Richter: The Departure
4. Mendelssohn: 4. Presto “Spinning Song” [Lieder ohne Worte, Op. 67]
5. Debussy: 3. Clair de lune [Suite bergamasque, L. 75]
6. Debussy: 1. Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum [Children’s Corner, L. 113]
7. Chopin: 15. Sostenuto in D-Flat Major, C. 180 “Raindrop” [24 Préludes, Op. 28, C. 166-189]
8. Mozart: 1. Allegro [Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major, K. 545 “Sonata facile”]
9. Clementi: 2. Andante [Sonatina No. 1 in C Major, Op. 36]
10. Czerny: 1. Presto [The School of Velocity, Op. 299]
11. Tiersen: 4. La Valse d’Amélie [Six Pieces for Piano, Volume 2]
12. Debussy: Rêverie, L. 68
13. Schubert: 3. Allegro moderato [6 Moments musicaux, Op. 94, D. 780]
14. Grieg: 6. To Spring [Lyric Pieces Book III, Op. 43]
15. Schumann: 8. Wilder Reiter [Album für die Jugend, Op. 68 / Part 1: Für Kleinere]
16. Poulenc: 2. Staccato [Villageoises: Six petites pièces enfantines pour piano, FP 65]
17. Huang: The Merry Shepherd Boy
18. Sakamoto: Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (Arr. for Piano)
19. Badarzewska-Baranowska: The Maiden’s Prayer, Op. 4
20.- 32. Mozart: Tema [12 Variations in C Major on “Ah, vous dirai-je Maman”, K. 265]
33. J.S. Bach: Minuet No. 1 in G Major, BWV Suppl. 114

CD2

1. Kats-Chernin: 2. Eliza Aria (Arr. for Piano) [Wild Swans Suite]
2. De Lulli: The Celebrated Chop Waltz
3. Traditional: Jasmine Flower (Arr. for Piano Solo by Schindler)
4. Ginastera: 2. Danza de la moza donosa [Danzas Argentinas, Op. 2]
5. Traditional: Limu, limu, lima (Arr. by Schindler)
6. Elgar: No. 9 “Nimrod” (Arr. for Solo Piano by Elgar) [Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 “Enigma”]
7. Traditional: Arirang (Arr. for Piano Solo by Schindler)
8. Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag