Melodies played by the Book

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.

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.