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In celebration of 100 years of The Walt Disney Company, globally acclaimed piano virtuoso Lang Lang releases his latest album, The Disney Book, inviting fans of all ages to enjoy classical music through his unique interpretations.
Following five consecutive weeks at the top of Luminate’s Classical Chart for On-Demand Audio Streaming for ‘Feed the Birds’ (Mary Poppins) and an international launch event at the iconic Hôtel de Ville in Paris earlier this month, the album is released today (16 September 2022) on Deutsche Grammophon in collaboration with Disney Music Group. Available in all digital formats as well as a number of physical versions including standard, deluxe and limited editions, there is an accompanying concert tour, which started at the Hollywood Bowl last night and continues to other major international venues, including London’s Royal Albert Hall on 24 October 2022.
The Disney Book features reimagined, joyous new versions of some of the most famous melodies in the history of animation, especially written for Lang Lang by the world’s leading arrangers. Ranging from Pinocchio and The Jungle Book and Frozen to Encanto, the album also includes several collaborators from across the globe. Andrea Bocelli provides vocals for “You’ll Be in My Heart” from Tarzan; singer-songwriter and pianist Jon Batiste revisits his Oscar®-winning Soul score with “It’s All Right”; and Colombian singer-songwriter Sebastián Yatra performs the Oscar-nominated song “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto. There are also guest appearances from guitarist Miloš, Chinese erhu player Guo Gan, and Lang Lang’s wife Gina Alice, plus the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Robert Ziegler.
To showcase the range and versatility of the piano, Lang Lang enlisted some of the world’s top arrangers including Sir Stephen Hough, Natalie Tenenbaum and Randy Kerber. Whilst maintaining the essence of the melodies, the imaginative and sophisticated arrangements – whether for solo piano or piano and full orchestra – conjure the sound worlds of Debussy and Chopin, as well as the virtuosity of Liszt and Horowitz. Sir Stephen Hough comments: “I’ve been a huge admirer of Lang Lang for years and I was delighted to be asked to arrange some Disney songs for him. I loved the challenge of transforming these popular songs, beloved by generations of children and parents, into solo piano pieces, rooted in the classical tradition of the great transcribers of the past.”
A truly international production (recording sessions took place in London, New York, Shanghai and Paris), The Disney Book traces the history of music in Disney films from the 1920s to the present day, whilst also reflecting Lang Lang’s own personal journey. Lang Lang explains: “Animation sparked my imagination and transported me to other worlds. The music was a big part of this experience – and led to my life-long love of classical music. There is such a variety of styles in Disney songs; truly, something to inspire everyone. I hope that people of all ages will enjoy this recording and experience the joy that we all felt the first time we saw a Disney film.”
Lang Lang has long been inspired by Disney music. He says, “When I was thirteen, I visited Tokyo Disneyland; it was the first time I had heard ‘It’s a Small World’ and the melody stayed with me all day – and long afterwards.” Fast forward to 2016 and he was performing at the grand opening of Shanghai Disney Resort with a unique rendition of “Let It Go” from Frozen.
The Disney Book is a continuation of Lang Lang’s unbridled commitment to music education. Much like his hugely successful 2019 album Piano Book, which brought together some of Lang Lang’s favourite pieces as a way to encourage budding young musicians, The Disney Book aims to inspire people of all ages to explore classical music. It is a heartfelt gift to all generations and especially meaningful to Lang Lang, having recently become a father himself.
ABOUT LANG LANG:
Internationally renowned pianist Lang Lang has sold millions of albums around the world, topping classical charts and achieving simultaneous mainstream success. Named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME magazine, during the past decade he has performed for such dignitaries as President Barack Obama, Pope Francis and Queen Elizabeth II, as well as giving sold-out concerts with all the world’s top orchestras and conductors. Lang Lang has also reached vast televised audiences by performing at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and with artists such as Metallica, Pharrell Williams and Herbie Hancock at various editions of the Grammy Awards. In April 2020 he took part in the One World: Together At Home concert, which was broadcast on major television networks and streamed online on multiple global platforms. In June 2022, Lang Lang was announced as an honoree in the Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2023. Lang Lang will be recognised alongside stars including Paul Walker, Uma Thurman, Lenny Kravtiz, Mindy Kaling, Jonas Brothers, Melba Moore, Pentatonix and more.
The scale of Lang Lang’s musical achievements is mirrored by his tireless commitment to charitable causes, most notably through the Lang Lang International Music Foundation and Keys of Inspiration®. Both a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and a UN Messenger of Peace, he has inspired over 40 million children to learn the piano and has developed hugely successful educational programmes. Lang Lang’s most recent albums, 2019’s Piano Book and 2020’s Goldberg Variations, were both international bestsellers. One of the most influential classical musicians in the world, Lang Lang has more than 20 million social media followers. Everything the pianist does is underpinned by his belief that “music makes life better – it heals, unites and inspires, and it makes us better people”.
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