Beijing News (Reporter Liu Zhen) On March 1, pianist Lang Lang's latest album "Lang Lang: Saint-Saëns" was released globally by Deutsche Grammophon in the form of digital, double CD, and double vinyl. Lang Lang collaborated with his wife, young pianist Gina Alice, as well as the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and conductor Andris Nelsons. The core of the entire album is Saint-Saëns's superb "Piano Concerto No. 2" as well as the "Large Zoo Fantasy" composed for two pianos and orchestra, and the magical "Carnival of the Animals". In addition, it also includes more than ten piano solo and four-hand pieces, including famous songs from the French Golden Age and the legacy works of French female composers who were once ignored.
The album "Lang Lang: Saint-Saëns" contains more than ten piano solo and four-hand pieces.
Talking about the original intention of producing the new album, Lang Lang said: "I have always wanted to create an all-French album. At first I wanted to use the Impressionist Debussy and Ravel as the core, but later I felt that I needed something more vibrant. Works, then I thought of Saint-Saëns' "Second Piano Concerto" which I have always loved to play. In the past, people always advised me to play Beethoven's "Fifth Piano Concerto" or Rachmaninov's "Second Piano Concerto" because Not everyone knows this work of Saint-Saëns. This time I am very happy to finally have the opportunity to record Saint-Saëns' "Second Piano Concerto" as the title song. At the same time, it is also paired with the "Carnival of the Animals" that everyone is very familiar with. Among them, the "Swan", "Aquarium" and "Elephant" are popular, as well as the works of Debussy, Ravel and several new composers."
Lang Lang decided to bring generations of young listeners to the stage and millions of people. "Carnival of the Animals", an introduction to classical music, is placed at the beginning of the album, which comes from his sense of mission to guide children listeners to appreciate classical music. "Many of us remember hearing Saint-Saëns' famous Carnival of the Animals as children. In this work, the joyful surface is full of clever ideas. The composer did it in a humorous way. A true expression." Lang Lang said, "Of course, it is also a wonderful thing to record this work with my wife Gina Alice. The 'Elephant' section is played by her and is also my son's favorite. After listening to a piece of music, he fell in love with the double bass." For Gina Alice, this recording was a personal milestone for her. She said: "I have greatly admired Nelsons and his Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra for many years. It has been an honor to work with them and I want to do my best and enjoy every moment of the collaboration. Practicing with Lang Lang and Recording this work feels like another level of communication, and I am sincerely grateful for this opportunity."
Lang Lang and his wife, young pianist Gina Alice, co-recorded many tracks on the album. The second orchestral work on the
album is Saint-Saëns's "Second Piano Concerto," which Lang Lang called "a magnificent but underrated Romantic masterpiece." As a student, he was first attracted to this work, which combines German romanticism and French style. He recalled: "I have always liked this piece. The beginning is a tribute to Bach, and the first movement has both a slow cadenza and a regular fast passage. The second movement is a scherzo, similar to Mendelssohn's " "A Midsummer Night's Dream", and the finale is very virtuosic, like a combination of Bach and Liszt. It is also very much like an organ concerto, but it also has some exquisite French elements. In addition, Saint-Saëns' "Second Piano" The format of "Concerto" is very interesting. Generally speaking, it has three movements, fast, slow and fast. It starts with a slow movement and then a happy movement. Every time you listen to it, it feels like a telephoto to a short telephoto," Lang Lang gave a vivid metaphor. .
Lang Lang also added some popular solo and four-hand pieces to the album, starting with Ravel's "Pavane in Memory of the Princess" and the "Flowers" from Delibes' opera "Lakme". "Duet", arranged for four hands by Émile naoumoff, with both parts played by Lang Lang.Lang Lang and Gina collaborated to record a two-piano version of Debussy's "Suite". Gina described playing this evocative piece as "painting a painting." Finally, "Lang Lang: Saint-Saëns" also highlights Lily Boulanger, Melanie Bonis, Louise Franck, Germain Taillefer, and Charlotte Soy Works by French female composers whose works were not well known until recent years. Lang Lang said: "Today's world is a more diverse world, and we must attach great importance to female composers. For this album, we have specifically found the works of five French female composers. Maybe everyone does not know them, but they The music is really great, and the title is also very interesting."
"Lang Lang: Saint-Saëns" was recorded with Dolby Atmos, and the double-CD physical album will be available for pre-sale in China on March 1. It is reported that Lang Lang will continue to perform Saint-Saëns' "Second Piano Concerto" during this season's tour, including Berlin State Opera (March 11), Berlin Philharmonic Concert Hall (March 12), Santiago (April 12), Cleveland (May 2) and Paris (June 12). He and Gina Alice will perform "Carnival of the Animals" in Paris on June 14, and simultaneously perform "Carnival of the Animals" and "Piano Concerto No. 2" at the Rheingau Music Festival in Wiesbaden on July 21.
editor, Tian Sini
proofreader, Zhao Lin
