Lang Lang, Nikolaus Harnoncount And The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Release Their First Joint Recording Project: The Mozart Album

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Classical is delighted to announce Lang Lang's first album entirely devoted to the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart available now. World renowned pianist, Lang Lang, will be joined by the legendary Nikolaus Harnoncourt and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Harnoncourt is famous for his ability to match deep knowledge of 17^th and 18^th century musical language with an interpretative mind of outstanding originality. 

Lang Lang says of the iconic conductor: "I've never seen anyone with such a passionate way of working, or such authenticity. He has a way of explaining the music that takes me straight to the time it was composed."  For Harnoncourt, too, this is a stimulating partnership:  "It's rare to find someone who is so open-minded," he says of Lang Lang. "I can only work with soloists who are ready to collaborate with me on a concept, and very seldom have I experienced a reading of the work that developed so quickly."

The first part of this two-album set was recorded in spring 2014 in the Goldener Saal of Vienna's Musikverein and sees Lang Lang and Nikolaus Harnoncourt perform Mozart's two famous piano concerti – K 453 in G major and K491 in C minor – together with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under Nikolaus Harnoncourt.  The second part of the album showcases Lang Lang as soloist in Mozart's three early piano sonatas together with the Rondo alla turca, the Allegro in F major K 1c and the Konzertstück in F major, K 33b. The three early Mozart sonatas form part of his latest recital program which Lang Lang is touring around the world. These performances were captured in November 2013 at the pianist's sold-out Royal Albert Hall concerts, which earned him the following praise in the Guardian: "… exhilarating flair and brilliance … melodic lines were gracefully yet firmly profiled … Above all there was a measured yet flexible approach to tempo that gave individual ideas space to breathe and placed them within their wider contexts with seemingly effortless deliberation."

A documentary will also be available that explores the behind-the-scenes moments when these two extraordinary musicians came together to record these masterworks. 

Sony Classical will release the concert, Lang Lang – Live at the Royal Albert Hall on DVD, Blu-ray and digitally along with The Mozart Album this fall. This video captured the full concert and includes the three Mozart sonatas (K 282, K 283, K 310), Chopin's four Ballades as well as all the eight sparkling encores which the pianist treated his audience to at both of his sold-out London concerts. 

Sony Music Masterworks comprises Masterworks, Sony Classical, OKeh, Portrait, Masterworks Broadway and Flying Buddha imprints. For email updates and information please visit www.SonyMasterworks.com

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SOURCE Sony Classical