Pianist's journey continues with a second album, a global tour and a vision of making music part of everyday life, Chen Nan reports.

Imagine a young Lang Lang, his eyes glued to the television screen, completely absorbed in the misadventures of the Tom and Jerry cartoon. Like most kids, he was laughing at the antics of the cat and mouse. But Lang was also listening to something entirely different. Beneath the comedy, he heard the piano — its rhythm narrating every chase, its melodies punctuating each crash and triumphant escape.

The cartoon was funny, but to him the music was profound. The energetic rhythms and playful tunes made perfect sense, planting in his imagination a seed that would grow into a lifelong love of the piano. Without realizing it, the boy watching cartoons in his family's home was already stepping onto a path that would one day inspire millions.

Fast-forward to today, and the 43-year-old internationally celebrated pianist is sharing that same passion through his new album, Piano Book 2, the highly anticipated sequel to his album Piano Book, which was released six years ago.

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Scheduled for release on Oct 17 by Deutsche Grammophon, the album distills the same spirit of fun, discovery and adventure that first captivated Lang as a child, reimagined for a new generation of listeners.

His Piano Book took the classical world by storm upon its release in 2019. With more than 1.2 billion streams globally, it quickly claimed top spots on classical music charts in countries worldwide. The album resonated with listeners of all ages, offering an accessible and joyful introduction to the piano through a collection of timeless works.

"The original idea behind Piano Book was to let more people fall in love with the piano and make it a part of their everyday lives. I realized that many of the pieces I loved to play as a child were difficult to find recordings of. Professional pianists would often avoid recording these pieces, but I felt they were worth sharing," said Lang in Beijing last Tuesday.

"I hope there will be more volumes of Piano Book in the future — perhaps 3, 4, and beyond, because there are so many more pieces I want to share," he adds.

The new album brings together an eclectic mix of classical masterpieces by Bach, Mozart, Satie and Debussy, alongside fresh cross-genre arrangements.

Lang has also woven in cinematic favorites from films such as La La Land and Amelie, as well as music from the globally popular video game Black Myth: Wukong.

At the album's launch event in Beijing last Tuesday, the pianist performed the theme song from Black Myth: Wukong, receiving a standing ovation from the audience.

"Last year, Black Myth: Wukong became a global sensation, and I was so thrilled. As a huge fan of the Monkey King, I believe that through these musical works, Chinese culture can be better shared and recognized around the world," says Lang, adding that he believes that the Monkey King, or Sun Wukong, and Mozart are equally powerful and magical.

"The Monkey King is famous for his shape-shifting abilities. He can transform into anything, like a rock, a tree or even another creature. He's unpredictable and fluid. Mozart, in a sense, also transformed through his music. His compositions cover a wide spectrum of styles, from operatic arias to symphonies to chamber music."

The pianist believes that mixing genres and eras keeps music relevant to everyday life. "There are some film scores I really enjoy, which have been newly rearranged for this album. I believe that through this approach, music can become part of everyone's daily life, something you can listen to anytime, anywhere," he says.

"Whether it's a classical piece from 200 years ago or a Chinese classic, even though they come from different times, the core remains the same — they all tell stories about humanity, emotions and everyday life. The key is to first capture the emotion, and then the music will naturally resonate in the heart," Lang adds. "Over the years, I've also tried to make music more engaging by telling the stories behind the pieces. This helps children feel the works are speaking about things they understand. When they make that connection, motivation comes naturally."

At the event, rising star pianist Tony Ann, signed to Universal Music's Decca label, joined Lang onstage to perform a newly arranged four-hand version of Icarus, a piece Lang specially commissioned for his Piano Book 2. The piece had gone viral on social media, catching Lang's attention and leading to this collaboration.

"It's such an honor to collaborate with Lang Lang on this piece. When I started learning the piano at 12, Lang Lang inspired and motivated me in so many ways. His influence has been a constant companion on my musical journey. This collaboration feels like a dream come true," says Ann. A classically trained pianist, he studied at two music schools in the United States — Berklee College of Music for composition and production and the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied classical piano. The pianist was 14 when he started his YouTube channel and uploaded short clips of his live performances and piano covers of popular pop songs.

Lang's career, however, has never been confined to recordings or concerts. This summer, a Chinese movie, titled You Are the Best, by director Jiang Wen, was screened in cinemas nationwide. The movie is an adaptation of Lang's life story and artistic journey from his early days of learning piano at the age of 3 to international stardom at the age of 17.

"I admire director Jiang Wen's bold idea of making this movie, which reminded me of my early days as a pianist. I tried to control myself when I watched it in the cinema. I didn't want to cry in front of the cameras," Lang laughs.

The pianist also announced details of his current global tour, making appearances at some of the world's most prestigious concert halls, collaborating with top orchestras and musicians.

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The tour's repertoire is as vast as it is demanding. Lang will perform an impressive lineup of 12 piano concertos, including the complete set of Beethoven's piano concertos, Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No 2, Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No 1, and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.

In addition, his new season will feature more than 30 solo and chamber music performances, built around five different program sets. Currently on tour, his solo repertoire includes Faure's Pavane, Schumann's Carnaval, and Chopin's Mazurkas.

As for his collaborative lineup, Lang will perform with two of the world's most iconic orchestras — the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic. In three concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic, to be conducted by the legendary Paavo Jarvi, Lang will perform Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major. Meanwhile, his six performances with the Vienna Philharmonic, to be held at Vienna's Golden Hall, Carnegie Hall, and Boston Symphony Hall, will see him join forces with the rising star conductor Andris Nelsons to perform Bartok's Piano Concerto No 3 in E Major. In addition, Lang will continue his role as the artist in residence at Carnegie Hall for two consecutive seasons.

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn