The Gtand Pianists V

Thank God It's Friday, I am really ready for the Weekend, aren't you?  It is also day 5 of our focus this week on The Grand Pianists.  Rubenstein, Horowitz, Gould, Barenboim, all Grand Pianists and today's featured artist lives the legacy of those who have come before him.  There is a Grand Tradition in Classical Music of passing one's legacy on to the next generation.  From the publication of music, to the teaching of performance techniques to inspiring a new generation with the love of Classical Music.  All of our featured artists have participated in this Grand Tradition.   Chinese Virtuoso Lang Lang, who I featured in last Saturday's Evening Concert, is himself a product of this Grand Tradition.  His teacher (after his parents) was Gary Graffman who was one of only 7 students acknowledged by Horowitz to have been taught by him.  Lang Lang demonstrated his unique ability to transmute his technique and the ability to emotionally connect with the music to deliver the composer's message and add one of his own when he introduced the world to his protoge, young Marc Yu in his London Debut playing beside him at Royal Albert Hall.  Lang Lang's International Music Foundation, which he founded in 2008, carries forward the Grand Tradition of Classical Music, empowering and inspiring young people around the world to pursue their musical talents and interests.

For someone who has not yet attained middle age, Lang Lang has quite the Legacy already.  From child prodigy to global phenomenon, Alan Yentob, in today's documentary imagine... Do or Die: Lang Lang's Story (Winter 2012, BBC), reveals the extraordinary life of Lang Lang, China's classical music superstar.

With sell-out concerts around the world and a growing popularity that reaches far beyond traditional classical audiences, Lang Lang has redefined the idea of the celebrity concert pianist. His ability to connect with a younger generation has played a significant role in inspiring over 40 million Chinese children to take up the piano.

In this feature-length documentary, imagine... explores the compelling personal story behind the Lang Lang phenomenon.  The companion piece over on my tumblr today is Lang Lang's 2011 Proms performance of the Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Flat Major accompanied by the BBC Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Edward Gardner. 

Visual inspiration today is provided by this week's edition of Fantasy Fuel posted down below and today's Hottie of the Day! over on my tumblr who is asking "Shag, Anyone?".  Thanks  for the visit, see you tomorrow for the Saturday Evening Concert with another Fabulous Live Performance.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!

Saturday Evening Concert

Welcome to the Weekend and your Saturday Evening Concert. I have quite the program lined up for your entertainment this evening. 'The BBC Proms, or The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hall in London. Founded in 1895, each season currently consists of more than 70 concerts in the Albert Hall, a series of chamber concerts at Cadogan Hall, additional Proms in the Park events across the United Kingdom on the last night, and associated educational and children's events. In 2009 the total number of concerts reached 100 for the first time. In the context of classical music festivals, Jiří Bělohlávek has described the Proms as "the world's largest and most democratic musical festival".[1] (*source Wikipedia) 

The Proms in the summer of 2008 offered a very special performance by one of China's gifts to the world of Classical Music. On the occasion of his 26th Birthday, Chinese Piano Virtuoso Lang Lang was in Recital at Royal Albert Hall on a specially built dais raised in the center of the Hall. Lang Lang performed beautifully in his usual evocative style, surrounded by his mesmerized British fans. The program was rather lengthy and included:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Piano Sonata in B flat major, K 333 Proms premiere
Sergey Rachmaninov - 10 Preludes, Op 23 No. 2 in B flat major & No. 5 in G minor
Chopin - Andante Spianato in G major, Op 22a
Franz Schubert - Fantasie in F minor, D 940
Claude Debussy - Préludes Book 1 No. 8 La fille aux cheveux de lin & No. 5 Les collines d'Anacapri
Traditional - Moonlight Reflections
Traditional - Spring Dance
Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsodies, S 244 (solo piano version)
Chopin - 12 Études, Op 10 No. 3 in E major - encore
Traditional - Two Horses - encore

The concert offered two very special moments. The first was during the Schubert Fantasie in F minor (arranged for Piano 4 Hands) where Lang Lang introduced his young protege and student Chinese American Prodigy Marc Yu. Marc then made his London concert debut playing alongside his mentor exhibiting how well he has absorbed the signature style and emotional caressing of the music to go along with his already superb technique. Marc and Lang met through Jay Leno and now Marc travels to China regularly for lessons at the hand of his idol. Not only is Marc a budding Concert Pianist, he is also a prize wining Cellist and all this at the tender age of 9.

The second very special moment came during the encore when Lang Lang introduced his Father, Lang Guoren. The encore was the Chinese Traditional melody Two Horses and Guoren joined his son, playing his instrument of choice, the Erhu, a two stringed bowed musical instrument whose sound is generated by the thrumming of the strings on the Python skin covering the front end of the resonator body (or sound box if you will). A delightful ending to a marvelous Birthday Celebration Concert.

Additionally you may join Vladimir Horowitz in Concert at the White House on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of his first appearance in America at Carnegie Hall in 1928 over on my tumblr. So an evening of great Piano Music which is to be complimented by the accompaniment of the fine art and other remarkable photographs in this scrumptious edition of Naked or Nearly So down below. Then there is the Hottie of the Day! who is 'A Real Sweetheart' over on my tumblr. Thanks for sharing a part of your Weekend with me, see you again on Monday for another week of Music Men and More! Until next time as always, enjoy!