After Piano Book And The Disney Booktwo “click factories” albums formatted for online listening, projects separated by Goldberg Variations whose media career had its wings clipped by the pandemic, Lang Lang returns to “real business”, and does so flamboyantly in every way. Her Carnival of the Animals of Saint-Saëns and his Small suite by Debussy are shared with his pianist wife Gina Alice. The couple puts real soul and real attention into it, with moments that captivate, like “Aquarium”. same for me Small suite, of absolute tenderness, very moving. There is a finesse of playing and touch which is striking and which we find on the part of Lang Lang in the French solo pieces, including several compositions by women (Farrenc, Bonis, Sohy, Boulanger, Tailleferre). Precious programmatic intelligence, too! And to top it all off, finally a concerto, the 2e by Saint-Saëns, which is added to his discography, an exhilarating fireworks display. Return of the flamboyant Lang Lang as we like it.
To watch on video