Tchaikovsky's 'Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy' from The Nutcracker originally assigned its delicate chimes to the celesta, an unusual instrument.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Chopin's Études, such as the 'Aeolian Harp' on this album, were not merely technical exercises but brief musical poems rich in atmosphere.
Performer Biography
Lang Lang is a UN Messenger of Peace, focusing on youth education, and established the Lang Lang Foundation in 2008 to widen the audience for classical music.
Composition History
Schubert's 'Ave Maria' is not a setting of the Latin prayer, but an extract from Walter Scott's epic poem The Lady of the Lake.
Performer Biography
Lang Lang, the pianist on this album, is a dynamic former prodigy who has become a global superstar, inspiring millions of children to take up the piano.
Cultural Impact
Bach's 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' was made famous by English pianist Myra Hess, who organized daily lunchtime concerts during World War II, and was a favorite encore of Romanian pianist Dinu Lipatti.
Composition History
Tchaikovsky's piano cycle The Seasons was a commissioned work for the music journal Nouvelliste, which published one piece per month throughout 1876.
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Nacht und Träume
Nocturnes
Time Remembered
Nocturnes
Idylle
Rêve d'amour
Evening
Encores
Piano Nocturne
Piano Recital: Stott, Kathryn - Shostakovich, D. / Ginastera, A. / Bartok, B. / Dvorak, A. / Tchaikovsky, P.I. / Sibelius, J. (Dance)
