Saint-Saëns

With this album, Lang Lang presents a treasure trove of musical discoveries: Saint-Saëns’s Piano Concerto No. 2, recorded with a stellar cast, the Gewandhausorchester and Andris Nelsons, is for Lang Lang a true romantic masterpiece that rivals the greats like Rachmaninoff or Liszt. By pairing it with Carnival of the Animals, a whimsical menagerie that has captivated young hearts for generations, Lang Lang continues his heartfelt wish to promote the love of classical music to kids and it also gives him a chance to collaborate with his wife, pianist Gina Alice. Complementing these works with hidden gems – unearthed solo compositions by five female French composers as well as beloved French classics – has created a feast for the ears, promising a captivating experience. “Many of us remember Saint-Saëns’s famous Carnival of the Animals from childhood. There are a lot of clever ideas underneath all the fun. He’s making a real statement, but in a very humorous way,” says Lang Lang. The pianist was also keen to include some well-known smaller-scale solo/four hands works, among them Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte, the Pavane by Fauré, as well as arrangements like the “Flower Duet” from Delibes’s opera Lakmé. For Debussy’s Petite Suite he is again joined by Gina Alice, who describes playing this evocative work as like “painting a picture”.  Finally, Lang Lang shines light on music by five female French composers largely overlooked until recent years. Lili Boulanger, arguably the most famous among them, became the first woman to win the coveted Prix de Rome. Lang Lang gives a spellbinding performance of Boulanger’s sublimely beautiful D’un jardin clair. 

Tracklist:

CD 1    48:49
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921)Le carnaval des animaux R. 125
Carnival of the Animals
Grand Zoological Fantasy for 2 Pianos and Orchestra
1. No 1      Introduction     0:31
2. The Lion’s Royal March    1:36
3. No 2      Hens and Roosters    0:45
4. No 3      Jackasses (Wild Animals)    0:40
5. No 4      Tortoises    2:18         
6. No 5      The Elephant    1:38        
7. No 6      Kangaroos     0:52        
8. No 7      Aquarium     2:30
9. No 8      Personages with Long Ears    0:43        
10. No 9      The Cuckoo in the Deep Woods    2:18        
11. No 10 Aviary    1:18        
12. No 11 Pianists    1:15        
13. No 12 Fossils    1:26        
14. No 13 The Swan    3:09        
15. No 14 Finale     1:53        

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in G minor op. 22
16. 1.    Andante sostenuto    13:16
17. 2.    Allegro scherzando    5:51
18. 3.    Presto    6:50
Lang Lang piano I
Gina Alice piano II (Le carnaval)
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Cornelia Grohmann flute solo (11)
Andreas Lehnert clarinet solo (10)
Christian Giger cello solo (13)
Burak Marlali double bass solo (6)
Andris Nelsons conductor

CD 2    57:54

MAURICE RAVEL (1875–1937)
1. Pavane pour une infante défunte M. 19    5:57
Version for Piano
CLAUDE DEBUSSY (1862–1918)
Petite Suite CD 71a
for Piano 4 Hands
2. 1.    En bateau. Andantino    4:14
3. 2.    Cortège. Moderato    3:35
4. 3.    Menuet. Moderato    3:40
5. 4.    Ballet. Allegro giusto    3:13
GABRIEL FAURÉ (1845–1924)
6. In paradisum    3:44
No. 7 from Requiem op. 48 · Arr. for Piano by Emile Naoumoff
LÉO DELIBES (1836–1891)
7. Lakmé: Flower Duet    2:14
Arr. for Piano by Emile Naoumoff
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921)
8. Toccata d’après le cinquième concerto    4:03
Toccata after the Fifth Concerto
No. 6 from Six Études pour piano op. 111
GABRIEL FAURÉ (1845–1924)
9. Pavane op. 50    6:13
Version for Piano
LOUISE FARRENC (1804–1875)
10. Étude No. 10 in F sharp minor    5:28
from 30 études dans tous les tons majeurs et mineurs pour piano op. 26
CHARLOTTE SOHY (1897–1955)
11. Romance sans paroles    3:15
Song without Words
No. 4 from Quatre pièces romantiques op. 30
GERMAINE TAILLEFERRE (1892–1983)
12. Valse lente    2:46
MÉLANIE BONIS ALIAS MEL BONIS (1858–1937)
13. La toute petite s’endort    1:56
No. 13 from Miocheries. 14 scènes enfantines pour piano
LILI BOULANGER (1893–1918)
14. D’un jardin clair    3:21
No. 2 from Trois morceaux pour piano
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921)
15. Le cygne     3:15
The Swan
No. 13 from Le carnaval des animaux R. 125 
Arr. for Piano 4 Hands by Emile Naoumoff
Lang Lang piano & Gina Alice piano (Petite Suite)