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:

LP 1 48:49

CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921)

SIDE A

Le carnaval des animaux R. 125
Carnival of the Animals · Karneval der Tiere
Grande fantaisie zoologique pour 2 pianos et orchestre 
Grand Zoological Fantasy for 2 Pianos and Orchestra
Große zoologische Fantasie für 2 Klaviere und Orchester
1. No 1 Introduction 0:31
2. Marche royale du lion 1:36
The Lion’s Royal March · Königlicher Marsch des Löwen
3. No 2 Poules et coqs 0:45
Hens and Roosters · Hühner und Hähne
4. No 3 Hémiones (Animaux véloces) 0:40
Jackasses (Wild Animals) · Die Esel (Wilde Tiere)
5. No 4 Tortues 2:18
Tortoises · Schildkröten
6. No 5 L’éléphant 1:38
The Elephant · Der Elefant
7. No 6 Kangourous 0:52
Kangaroos · Kängurus
8. No 7 Aquarium 2:30
9. No 8 Personnages à longues oreilles 0:43
Personages with Long Ears
Persönlichkeiten mit langen Ohren
10. No 9 Le coucou au fond des bois 2:18
The Cuckoo in the Deep Woods
Der Kuckuck im tiefen Wald
11. No 10 Volière 1:18
Aviary · Das Vogelhaus
12. No 11 Pianistes 1:15
Pianists · Pianisten
13. No 12 Fossiles 1:26
Fossils · Fossilien
14. No 13 Le cygne 3:09
The Swan · Der Schwan
15. No 14 Final 1:53
Finale

SIDE B

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in G minor op. 22
Konzert für Klavier und Orchester Nr. 2 g-Moll
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

LP 2 57:54

SIDE A

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
pour piano à quatre mains · for Piano 4 Hands · für Klavier zu 4 Händen
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
Blumenduett
Arr. for Piano by Emile Naoumoff

SIDÉ B

CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921)
8. Toccata d’après le cinquième concerto 4:03
Toccata after the Fifth Concerto · Toccata nach dem fünften Konzert
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
Etüde Nr. 10 fis-Moll
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 · Lied ohne Worte
No. 4 from Quatre pièces romantiques op. 30

GERMAINE TAILLEFERRE (1892–1983)
12. Valse lente2:46

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 clair3:21
No. 2 from Trois morceaux pour piano

CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921)
15. Le cygne 3:15
The Swan · Der Schwan
No. 13 from Le carnaval des animaux R125 
Arr. for Piano 4 Hands by Emile Naoumoff

Lang Lang piano & Gina Alice piano (Petite Suite)