Lang Lang unveils solo album ‘Piano Book’, a collection of popular pieces for students

Chinese concert pianist and among the world’s biggest classical stars, Lang Lang, returns with his new solo album ‘Piano Book’, which is a collection of popular pieces.

With ‘Piano Book’ I’m going back to my first love, to the pieces that made me want to become a musician in the first place.” – LANG LANG

This is one book which piano students will need to get hold of, as it includes several miniature classics that generations of piano students have learnt while learning to play the piano.

Lang Lang holds these popular songs in very high regard and wants to encourage piano students across the world to learn them, and to appreciate them.

What to expect in the album?

• Popular classical pieces such as Beethoven’s Für Elise, Debussy’s Clair de lune, J.S. Bach’s Prelude in C Major (from The Well-Tempered Clavier)
• Modern classics that have been commonly used on Television and movies — such as Yann Tiersen’s Valse d’Amélie, Max Richter’s The Departure and Ryuichi Sakamoto’s music for Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence.
• Music popular in specific cultures, such as Sweden’s Limu, limu, lima and the popular Chinese Jasmine Flower.

“Folk tunes/songs are essential for everyone’s cultural identity and had influenced so many classical composers. I got to know wonderful music through my trips to many different countries and wanted to present some of this music on my album,” says Lang Lang.

Lang Lang is aware that most of these classics is what students over the world learn, and have became part of his favourite works for piano.

Lang Lang’s Story
The album is available in multiple formats (CDs, mp3s) and a Limited Score Edition with copies of all the sheet music, including Für Elise, as annotated by Lang Lang himself. The album will also be available as a sheet music edition by Faber Music.

CD1

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

CD2

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