Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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The Lang Lang Piano Book is undoubtedly one of the music publishing landmarks of recent years, a collection of inspiring pieces for advancing players selected by the classical superstar in part because of the joy many of them added to his own musical learning as a child. Now available as the paperback Encore Edition, I have reviewed it here in depth.
Following the success of the original publication and CD double album, a sequel was perhaps commercially inevitable, and is now here. Lang Lang Piano Book 2 delivers another 30 piano pieces, both as a recorded album from Deutsche Grammophon (CD, vinyl, download, streaming), and as a Faber Music piano anthology.
We are told that for this second installment the pianist has included “a rich blend of playable classics alongside neoclassical pieces and music from film, pop and video games”, marking something of a departure from the first collection. So let’s investigate further…
Remember great music…
Introducing his Piano Book 2, Lang Lang writes,
“Ever since Piano Book was released, I’ve been touched by the messages I’ve received from students, teachers, amateur pianists and piano lovers around the world. So many of you have shared how much you’ve enjoyed the pieces and how the music has helped you grow and brought happiness into your lives. I’ve also been sent countless suggestions for more pieces: some classical, some from film, pop or even video games. It made me realise how the repertoire for learners and enthusiasts is growing and evolving.”
There are certainly some surprising choices here, making this new mix of pieces a diverse and very eclectic one indeed:
- Prélude in E minor [Chopin]
- “Spring Song” [Mendelssohn]
- Consolation No. 2 in E major [Liszt]
- Spring [Hisaishi]
- Rondo in D major [Mozart]
- “Rage Over a Lost Penny” [Beethoven]
- Gymnopédie No. 1 [Satie]
- Impromptu in G flat major [Schubert]
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini: Var. 18 [Rachmaninoff]
- Sadness and Sorrow from Naruto [Musashi Project]
- Étude in A minor [Sibelius]
- Minuet in G minor [Handel]
- Prelude in C minor [J.S. Bach]
- Rush E [Wrangell]
- Mia & Sebastian’s Theme from La La Land [Hurwitz]
- Nocturne in E flat major [Chopin]
- “Chopin” from Carnaval [Schumann]
- L’Arabesque [Burgmüller]
- Fly [Einaudi]
- Main Theme from Black Myth: Wukong [Zhai]
- Fantaisie-Impromptu in C sharp minor [Chopin]
- Comptine d’un autre été: L’après-midi from Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain [Tiersen]
- Cinema Paradiso [Morricone]
- Prélude in C sharp minor [Rachmaninoff]
- Marcia alla turca [Beethoven]
- ICARUS from The Aviator (for four hands) [Tony Ann]
- Brejeiro Tango [Nazareth]
- Arabesque No. 1 in E major [Debussy]
- I’m Confessin’ (That I Love You) [Smith]
- O Holy Night [Adam]
How’s that for an eye-catching list of pieces? Perhaps reflecting on this varied wealth of interesting material, which presents classical diploma repertoire alongside impressive viral YouTube hits, Lang Lang enthuses,
“You never forget the moment a new piece of music touches your heart for the first time… People remember great music whoever wrote it or wherever it comes from…”
Very true! But alongside the memorable poetry of several pieces here, much of this music shines the spotlight more on the player’s yang athletic prowess and emotional extravagance than it does on their yin artistic sensibility.
Some will welcome the muscular, at times almost laddish bravado of Lang Lang’s selection as a tonic, but I certainly found it striking that of these 30 pieces not a single one is by a female composer.
Difficult Second Album?
So having considered the swashbuckling musical content, let’s turn our attention to the educational value of this collection, and the realistic levels of these pieces. Who is Piano Book 2 ideally for, how does it complement the first book, and where does it fit within the player’s progress?
Lang Lang’s commitment to education at all levels, and to encouraging and supporting promising pianists, has become one of his trademark strengths. His performing charisma, warm personality, and engagement with popular culture have only heightened his popularity, and his ability to help foster a positive future for the piano.
Reviewing the first Lang Lang Piano Book I noted that its content covered a range of levels, with a centre of gravity at around UK Grade 7. The educational strength of that collection lies in its appeal to early advanced students, delivering a balanced mix of consolidation and aspiration as their playing develops towards Grade 8.
I don’t think that quite the same pedagogic case can be made for the Lang Lang Piano Book 2. Nearly three-quarters of the pieces here are Grade 8 or Diploma level, and even the pop song and film arrangements tend to be more virtuosic in their character than those available elsewhere.
It is certainly charming that his recorded album features the occasional easy piece such as Burgmüller’s Arabesque (the most extrovert Grade 2 piece ever?). What better way to engage with and inspire elementary learners? But its inclusion here perhaps adds less obvious value, given there is little to bridge the gap between it and the much harder music which dominates the anthology.
Essentially then, Lang Lang Piano Book 2 serves up a potpourri of concert favourites that will challenge, inspire, and entertain more advanced players. It is perhaps thus the perfect sequel to its predecessor, and as a collection of showy but accessible recital encores I think it has significant appeal.
The Piano Book itself
Before wrapping up this review with an enthusiastic recommendation, I should as always mention the physical product. Piano Book 2.
In common with the Encore Edition of the first book, the soft cover features photography from the recorded album artwork, and the pages within are printed on bright white paper. The first seven pages include colour photos of Lang Lang, looking as dapper as ever, and later in the book there are a smattering of black and white bonus photos, along with choice quotes from his Foreword.
The scores are generally reliable and well presented, although size and spacing vary throughout the book. Some pieces include fingering (I’m not sure whether this is Lang Lang’s or not), while others don’t, which gives a slight impression of editorial inconsistency.
Another welcome addition however, Lang Lang again includes a short introductory tip for each piece, and as in the first book these tend to be as inspiring as they are pithy. I cannot overstate the point that these are a really nice addition.
Closing Thoughts
The presence of Lang Lang in his Piano Book 2 is ultimately the publication’s top strength. From the swathe figure he cuts on the front cover and inner photos to his engaging commentary prefacing each piece, we never forget his encouraging companionship and infectiously positive energy when traveling through this impressive (in every sense) collection, and for many this will prove an irresistible asset.
The Lang Lang Piano Book 2 proves to be a superb collection of irresistible attention-grabbing audience pleasers, and one with its finger firmly on the pulse of twenty-first century culture. It certainly deserves to be, and will I am sure prove to be, immensely popular and successful.
Let me close with another quote from Lang Lang’s Foreword:
“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. I hope this new collection helps you discover new favourites, reconnect with familiar melodies, and find renewed inspiration at the piano.”
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