MEDIA RELEASE PR40941
Sony Classical Releases LANG LANG 'LIVE IN VIENNA' on August 24
NEW YORK, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Vienna Recital Released On Multiple Formats
Sony Classical is proud to announce its debut release "LIVE IN VIENNA" from one
of the most thrilling and inspiring musicians of our time, the world-renowned pianist
LANG LANG. Recorded and filmed live in Vienna's legendary Musikverein concert hall,
the Sony Classical debut will be available on August 24 in multiple formats. This
release represents Lang Lang's second live recorded recital to date after the best-
selling "Live at Carnegie Hall" in 2004, which marked his international breakthrough
as a recording artist. He has performed the new album's program at the world's major
concert venues and will continue to tour with it throughout 2011.
As Lang Lang puts it: "For me, there are few halls around the globe that
have the same prestige as Carnegie Hall and the Musikverein. Of course there
are other great halls, but I always feel these two have a unique place in
people's hearts. So I felt that after Carnegie Hall, the Musikverein would be
the place where I should do another live recording."
The program for his Sony Classical debut features Lang Lang's first-ever
recording of Beethoven sonatas: The famous Appassionata, a milestone in the
piano literature, is paired with the composer's youthful C major Sonata op.
2, no. 3. Virtuosity of a different order is displayed in Albeniz's
impressionistic memories of his native Spain in Book 1 of Iberia. The program
closes with one of Prokofiev's explosive War Sonatas, the revolutionary
Seventh Sonata. Finally, to celebrate the Chopin Bicentennial we hear three
encores of this Polish genius's most popular works: the "Aeolian Harp" Etude,
the "Heroic" Polonaise in A flat major, and the sparkling Grande Valse
Brillante No. 2.
This recital, one of 2010's most eagerly-awaited classical recordings,
will be released in its entirety on the following multiple formats: Deluxe
limited edition, Blu-ray, DVD, LP vinyl and Digital formats. For the first
time Lang Lang will be performing some of the album's repertoire in the new
spectacular 3D format which will be a bonus feature on the Blu-Ray. This will
include the first movement of Beethoven's Appassionata Sonata, Evocation from
Albeniz's Iberia suite, the explosive finale of Prokofiev's Seventh Sonata
and Chopin's "Heroic" Polonaise. This forms part of Lang Lang's commitment to
reaching new audiences through innovative technologies, a goal he also aims
to realize through his global brand ambassadorship with Sony Electronics. The
Blu-Ray will be released on October 12, 2010. The standard DVD will be
available on September 7, 2010. The CD, LP vinyl, CD/DVD combo and the first
classical iTunes LP will release on August 24, 2010.
Lang Lang began playing the piano at the age of three and had already won
the Shenyang Competition and given his first recital by the tender age of
five. He shot to world-wide fame at seventeen when he triumphed in the
Tchaikovsky Concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the "Gala of the
Century". Since then he has become one of the most sought-after musicians
around the globe and was listed by TIME magazine among the "100 Most
Influential People in the World". Watched by more than five billion viewers,
he played at the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and
performed alongside Herbie Hancock at the 50th Grammy Awards. In December
2007, Lang Lang was guest soloist at the Nobel Prize concert in Stockholm, an
event attended by the Nobel Laureates and members of the Royal Family. He
returned as soloist for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize awarding ceremony and
concert for President Barack H. Obama.
Lang Lang is an inspiration to young musicians everywhere and has made it
his personal mission to broaden the appeal of classical music to the widest
possible audience. He has founded the "Lang Lang International Music
Foundation" with the aim of identifying and supporting exceptionally gifted
piano students between the ages of six and ten, and he made a historic
appearance on the finale of "Oprah's Search for the World's Smartest and Most
Talented Kids," duetting with three young musicians from his Foundation. Ever
since the pianist shot to fame, China has been in the grip of a
piano-learning frenzy known as the "Lang Lang Effect," and Steinway has
recognized the pianist's popularity with children by creating five versions
of the "Lang Lang Steinway," designed for early music education.
In recognition of his commitment to young people he was made a Goodwill
Ambassador for UNICEF in 2004. He has also been appointed one of the World
Economic Forum's "Young Global Leaders," and is an official Ambassador to
this year's World Expo in Shanghai where he has performed in the opening
ceremony.
2010 U.S. Tour Dates
--------------------
September 18 - Dallas, TX - Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center
September 20 - Santa Fe, NM - Santa Fe Opera House
September 22 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Hall
September 25 - Washington D.C. - John F. Kennedy Center Concert Hall
September 29 - NYC - Carnegie Hall
December 31 - NYC - Avery Fisher Hall
SOURCE: Sony Classical
CONTACT: Angela Barkan,
angela.barkan@sonymusic.com ,
+1-212-833-8575,
or Larissa Slezak,
larissa.slezak@sonymusic.com,
+1-212-833-6075
NEWS 
