Following The Success Of 2019’s Piano Book, Renown Pianist Lang Lang Returns With A Second Volume

“With Piano Book 2, I want to present more music that speaks to everyone who loves the piano – whether you’re just beginning, returning after many years, or simply playing for the joy of it”

Lang Lang

 

Piano Book has surpassed one billion global streams to date and became one of the biggest classical albums of 2019. Now, Piano Book 2 offers a new selection of miniature masterpieces

Album Artwork

 

FEATURING 32 TRACKS FROM COMPOSERS SUCH AS BACH, CHOPIN, LISZT, AND RACHMANINOFF TO TONY ANN, YU-PENG CHEN, LUDOVICO EINAUDI, AND JOE HISAISHI 

ALSO INCLUDING MUSIC FROM AMÉLIE, LA LA LAND, AND NARUTO, VIRAL SENSATION RUSH E, AND MORE

LISTEN TO LISZT’S CONSOLATION NO. 2 HERE

 

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 - Six years after the release of his celebrated Piano Book album, Lang Lang returns with Piano Book 2. Set to be released on digital and physical formats on October 17 via Deutsche Grammophone, this new volume of short and accessible piano works offers a fresh selection that ranges from iconic classical compositions and contemporary pieces to music from TV, film, and gaming soundtracks. Also today, Lang Lang released the first track from the album, Liszt’s Consolation No. 2.Listen HERE. 

Lang Lang’s Piano Book has become his highest-streaming album to date, surpassing one billion streams worldwide, and remains one of the biggest-selling classical albums from 2019. It went platinum in China, charted in the Top 10 in the German pop charts, and peaked at No. 1 in the classical charts across the US, UK, France, Germany, Japan, and Australia.

The release of Piano Book 2 is further proof of Lang Lang’s commitment to inspirepianists of all ages, levels and backgrounds, amplifying the message that classicalmusic is for everyone. It continues the vision established by Piano Book, his efforts led by the Lang Lang International Music Foundation (LLIMF), and his engagement with the millions of fans who follow him on social media. The so-called “Lang Lang effect”has already encouraged tens of millions of children in China and beyond to learn the piano and other instruments, supported by the LLIMF’s unique educational programmes, masterclasses, mentoring schemes, and additional initiatives.

Lang Lang refers to the 32 tracks on his new album as “miniature masterpieces”. They were carefully selected based on messages from fans, school syllabus content, and his own teaching experience – as well as works especially close to his heart – with subtle nods to modern media and streaming culture.

Famous works by Bach, Mozart, Satie, Debussy & co. sit alongside new arrangements of themes from the anime TV series Naruto, films La La Land, Amélie and Cinema Paradiso, and the video game Black Myth: Wukong. Aware that gaming is a key source of inspiration for younger listeners, composers, and performers today, Lang Lang also plays excerpts from Nobuo Uematsu’s score for Final Fantasy X and Yu-Peng Chen’s Genshin Impact soundtrack.

His program also embraces internet-born favorites: Andrew Wrangell’s Rush E and Tony Ann’s Icarus, which he and the composer perform in a brand-new four-hands version created by Ann for Piano Book 2.

Other tracks in this wide-ranging mix include jazz standard I’m Confessin’, popularised by Thelonious Monk, and numbers from two of today’s best-known pianist-composers, Joe Hisaishi (Spring) and Ludovico Einaudi (Fly).

There is something for everyone in Lang Lang’s latest thoughtfully curated anthology. He concludes a message to his fans by saying, “I hope this collection helps you discover new favourites, reconnect with familiar melodies, and find renewed inspiration at the piano.”

Piano Book 2 will be available digitally and on 2 CD and 2 LP formats, including a marbled vinyl edition and CD/LP versions with signed art cards available from the DG Store. A limited-edition CD offers access to downloadable sheet music and select tutorials via an NFC chip. Additionally, Faber Music will release a publication to accompany the album, featuring the piano sheet music, photographs and commentary about the music from Lang Lang himself.

Lang Lang is also set to perform three shows in the US this fall - in Atlanta on September 19, in Philadelphia on December 4, and at the famed Carnegie Hall in New York City on December 7th. He will also be performing in Canada (September 24-29), the UK (October 3-10), Germany (October 13- November 8), France (November 11), and Hong Kong (December 11/13). Full routing can be found here.

 

Piano Book 2 Tracklisting

CD 1

1. CHOPIN Prélude in E minor
2. MENDELSSOHN “Spring Song”
3. LISZT Consolation No. 2
4. HISAISHI Spring
5. MOZART Rondo in D major
6. BEETHOVEN “Rage Over a Lost Penny”
7. SATIE Gymnopédie No. 1
8. SCHUBERT Impromptu in G flat major
9. RACHMANINOFF Paganini Rhapsody: Var. VIII
10. MUSASHI PROJECT Sadness and Sorrow from Naruto
11. SIBELIUS Etude in A minor
12. HANDEL Minuet in G minor
13. BACH Prelude in C minor
14. WRANGELL Rush E
15. HURWITZ Mia & Sebastian’s Theme from La La Land

 

CD 2

1. CHOPIN Nocturne in E flat major
2. SCHUMANN Chopin from Carneval Op.9 No.12
3. BURGMÜLLER L’Arabesque
4. EINAUDI Fly
5. ZHAI Main Theme from Black Myth: Wukong
6. CHOPIN Fantaisie-Impromptu in C sharp minor
7. UEMATSU To Zanarkand from Final Fantasy X
8. TIERSEN Comptine d’un autre été: L’après-midi from Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain
9. MORRICONE Cinema Paradiso
10. RACHMANINOFF Prélude in C sharp minor
11. BEETHOVEN Marcia alla turca
12. ANN ICARUS with Tony Ann piano
13. CHEN Lovers’ Oath from Genshin Impact
14. NAZARETH Brejeiro
15. DEBUSSY Arabesque No. 1
16. SMITH I’m Confessin’ (That I Love You)
17. ADAM / HAMILTON O Holy Night