Editing Lang Lang (section)

== Career ==

[[File:Katherine McPhee.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Lang and singer [[Katharine McPhee]] perform at the [[National Memorial Day Concert]] in Washington, D.C., United States, 24 May 2009.]]

Lang has been noted by musicians and critics around the world—the conductor [[Jahja Ling]] remarked: "Lang Lang is special because of his total mastery of the piano... He has the flair and great communicative power."<ref>[http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080928/news_1a28lang.html Valerie Scher, "Around the world in 88 keys: The piano has taken Lang Lang from poverty to superstardom"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081102135508/http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080928/news_1a28lang.html |date= 2 November 2008 }}, ''[[The San Diego Union-Tribune]]'', 28 September 2008. Retrieved 13 September 2011.</ref> [[National Public Radio]]'s [[Morning Edition]] remarked: "Lang Lang has conquered the classical world with dazzling technique and charisma."<ref>[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10060309 "Lang Lang's Journey to Beethoven"], NPR Music, 8 May 2007. Retrieved 13 September 2011.</ref> It is often noted that Lang successfully straddles two worlds—classical prodigy and rock-like "superstar", a phenomenon summed up by ''[[The Times]]'' (London) journalist Emma Pomfret, who wrote, "I can think of no other classical artist who has achieved Lang Lang's broad appeal without dumbing down."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110615105334/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6073244.ece Emma Pomfret, "Lang Lang: China's classical superstar"], ''The Sunday Times'', 11 April 2009. Retrieved 13 September 2011.</ref>

Lang's performance style was controversial when he stormed into the classical music scene in 1999. At that time, pianist [[Earl Wild]] called him "the [[Jennifer Lopez|J. Lo]] of the piano."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/classical/news/pianist-lang-lang-hits-out-at-bang-bang-critics-2292453.html |title=Pianist Lang Lang hits out at 'Bang Bang' critics |last1=Sharp |first1=Rob |date=3 June 2011 |work=[[The Independent]] |access-date=26 August 2013 |location=London}}</ref> Others have described him as immature, but admitted that his ability to "conquer crowds with youthful bravado" is phenomenal among classical musicians.<ref name=WOW>[[Alex Ross (music critic)|Ross, Alex]]. [http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/musical/2007/04/02/070402crmu_music_ross "The wow factor"], ''[[The New Yorker]]'', 2 April 2007, vol. 83, issue 6.{{dead link|date=June 2024}}</ref> His maturity in subsequent years was reported by ''[[The New Yorker]]'': "The ebullient Lang Lang is maturing as an artist."<ref name=WOW /> In April 2009, when [[Time (magazine)|''Time'']] magazine included Lang in its list of the 100 most influential people, [[Herbie Hancock]] described his playing as "so sensitive and so deeply human", commenting: "You hear him play, and he never ceases to touch your heart."<ref name=Time>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090503142304/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1893836_1894420,00.html Herbie Hancock, "Lang Lang"], ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', 30 April 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2011.</ref>

In 2001, after a [[Carnegie Hall]] debut with [[Yuri Temirkanov]], he traveled to Beijing with the [[Philadelphia Orchestra]] on a tour celebrating its 100th anniversary, during which he performed to an audience of 8,000 at the [[Great Hall of the People]].<ref name=DG>[http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/special/insighttext.htms?ID=langlang-recital&DETAIL=1 "Lang Lang Biography"], [[Deutsche Grammophon]]. Retrieved 13 September 2011.</ref> The same year, he made his [[BBC Proms]] debut, prompting a music critic of the British newspaper ''[[The Times]]'' to write, "Lang Lang took a sold-out [[Royal Albert Hall]] by storm... This could well be history in the making".<ref name=DG/> In 2003, he returned to the BBC Proms for the First Night concert with [[Leonard Slatkin]]. After his recital debut with the Berlin Philharmonic, the ''[[Berliner Zeitung]]'' wrote: "Lang Lang is a superb musical performer whose artistic touch is always in service of the music".<ref>[http://www.la-jolla-music-society.com/content/view/560/107/ Lang Lang, piano] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017114412/http://la-jolla-music-society.com/content/view/560/107/ |date=17 October 2007 }}. La Jolla Music Society: 2007.</ref> In 2004, Lang was featured in Radio Television Hong Kong's TV documentary Outstanding Young Chinese Musicians.However, recent reviews have been mixed. Lately, a plethora of music critics have protested against too much showmanship; not enough care; not enough sensitivity. But audiences continue to adore him. Lang has become one of those artists whose career prospers outside the boundaries of critical approval. The pianist is bemused by the backlash: "You get many good reviews from the beginning", he says, "and then the critics start criticising you. It's strange. The things they liked you for first—unique, fresh—they say is great. And then later they say you're too fresh, too unique. But they're the same thing!"<ref>{{cite web|author=Jasper Rees |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3563054/Lang-Lang-piano-star-the-critics-love-to-hate.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3563054/Lang-Lang-piano-star-the-critics-love-to-hate.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Lang Lang: piano star the critics love to hate |work=The Telegraph|date=10 November 2008 |access-date=23 May 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Lang was the featured soloist on the [[Golden Globe Award|Golden Globe]]-winning score of ''[[The Painted Veil (2006 film)|The Painted Veil]]'' and can be heard on the soundtrack of ''[[The Banquet (2006 film)|The Banquet]]''.<ref name=SFS>[http://www.sfsymphony.org/music/ProgramNotes.aspx?id=40318 "Artist Biography: Lang Lang"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406095804/http://www.sfsymphony.org/music/ProgramNotes.aspx?id=40318 |date=6 April 2012 }}, ''San Francisco Symphony''. Retrieved 11 September 2011.</ref> He has recorded for the [[Deutsche Grammophon]] and [[Telarc]] labels. His album of the [[Piano Concerto No. 1 (Beethoven)|first]] and [[Piano Concerto No. 4 (Beethoven)|fourth]] Beethoven piano concertos with the [[Orchestre de Paris]] and [[Christoph Eschenbach]] debuted at No. 1 on the Traditional Classical Billboard Chart.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/306438/lang+lang/biography |title=Lang Lang – Biography |magazine=Billboard|date=14 June 1982 |access-date=23 May 2017}}</ref> In 2008, he was the pianist on [[Mike Oldfield]]'s 2008 album ''[[Music of the Spheres (Mike Oldfield album)|Music of the Spheres]]''.<ref>[http://audaud.com/2008/03/mike-oldfield-music-of-the-spheres-lang-lang-pianohayley-westenra-lead-vocals-sinfonia-sfera-orchestrakarl-jenkins-decca/ John Sunier, "Mike Oldfield: Music of the Spheres – Lang Lang, piano/Hayley Westenra, lead vocals/ Sinfonia Sfera Orchestra/Karl Jenkins – Decca"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406104552/http://audaud.com/2008/03/mike-oldfield-music-of-the-spheres-lang-lang-pianohayley-westenra-lead-vocals-sinfonia-sfera-orchestrakarl-jenkins-decca/ |date= 6 April 2012 }}, Audiophile Audition. Retrieved 12 September 2011.</ref> In 2010, he signed with [[Sony]] for a reported $3 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a7bLa9pIgrek |title=Sony Pays $3 Million to Win Pianist Lang Lang|author=[[Norman Lebrecht]]|website=[[Bloomberg News]] |access-date=16 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103163410/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a7bLa9pIgrek |archive-date=3 November 2012}}</ref> [[Metallica]] performed the song One alongside Lang at the [[56th Annual Grammy Awards]] in 2014.

In December 2008, Lang partnered with Google and YouTube in the project [[YouTube Symphony Orchestra]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://asiapacificarts.usc.edu/article@apa?lang_lang_is_returning_to_walt_disney_concert_hall_to_perform_17623.aspx | title = Lang Lang is returning to Walt Disney Concert Hall to perform | publisher = Asia Pacific Arts | date = 1 November 2011 | access-date = 30 January 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131019123246/http://asiapacificarts.usc.edu/article@apa?lang_lang_is_returning_to_walt_disney_concert_hall_to_perform_17623.aspx | archive-date = 19 October 2013 | url-status = dead}}</ref>

Lang has also recorded piano works for the video game ''[[Gran Turismo 5]]''{{'}}s soundtrack, mostly under the "Classical" subgenre.<ref>[http://blog.dmx.com/latest/5397 "An Interview With Pianist Lang Lang"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110405214524/http://blog.dmx.com/latest/5397 |date= 5 April 2011 }}, dmx. Retrieved 11 September 2011.</ref> This included versions of [[Danny Boy]], "[[The Entertainer (rag)|Scott Joplin's The Entertainer]]", Beethoven's [[Piano Sonata No. 8 (Beethoven)|8th Piano Sonata]], and one of the game's intro pieces, the third movement from [[Piano Sonata No. 7 (Prokofiev)|Prokofiev's 7th Piano Sonata]].

Lang has played for UN Secretary General [[Kofi Annan]], President [[Barack Obama]], [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]], President [[Hu Jintao]], President [[Horst Köhler]], [[Charles III|Prince Charles]] (now Charles III), then Prime Minister [[Vladimir Putin]], President [[Nicolas Sarkozy]], and Polish President [[Lech Kaczyński]].<ref>[http://www.camimusic.com/details.asp?webid=1849 "Lang Lang"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204075249/http://www.camimusic.com/details.asp?webid=1849 |date= 4 December 2011 }}, Cami Music. Retrieved 13 September 2011.</ref>

He cancelled performances from March to July 2017, after injuring his left arm.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/LangLangPiano/photos/a.158507513351.144492.16325423351/10155508715633352/?type=3&theater |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/16325423351/10155508715633352 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|script-title=zh:Lang Lang – 郎朗|website=facebook.com|language=en|access-date=12 February 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|script-title=zh:Lang Lang – 郎朗|url=https://www.facebook.com/LangLangPiano/photos/a.158507513351.144492.16325423351/10155558025378352/?type=3&theater |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/16325423351/10155558025378352 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|access-date=12 February 2018|website=facebook.com|language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In 2023, Lang Lang became a judge on the [[Channel 4]] television series ''[[The Piano (TV series)|The Piano]]'', alongside singer [[Mika (singer)|Mika]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.channel4.com/press/news/claudia-mika-and-lang-lang-return-channel-4-piano-recommissioned-two-further-series-also|title=Claudia, Mika and Lang Lang return to Channel 4 as The Piano is recommissioned for two further series, also commissioned a Christmas Special and documentary on the incredible Lucy &#124; Channel 4|website=www.channel4.com}}</ref> He returned for the follow series in 2024, as well as a [[Christmas special]], but departed afterwards to be replaced by American musician [[Jon Batiste]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/jon-batiste-joins-the-piano-season-3-newsupdate/|title=The Piano announces Lang Lang's exit – confirms Grammy-winning replacement &#124; Radio Times|website=www.radiotimes.com}}</ref>

=== White House state dinner ===

At the White House state dinner in honour of President of China [[Hu Jintao]] on 19 January 2011, one of the tunes Lang played was the song "[[My Motherland]]" from the movie ''[[Battle on Shangganling Mountain]]'', a film about a Chinese victory in the [[Korean War]]. The song's lyrics include the line "We deal with wolves with guns", which in the film referred indirectly to the United States Army.<ref>{{citation
 | last1 = West
 | first1 = Philip
 | last2 = Levine
 | first2 = Steven I.
 | last3 = Hiltz
 | first3 = Jackie
 | title = America's Wars in Asia: a Cultural Approach to History and Memory
 | publisher = M.E. Sharpe
 | location = Armonk, New York
 | year = 1998
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}}</ref><ref name=WSJ>{{cite web | url = https://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2011/01/22/lang-langs-performance-at-the-white-house-display-of-harmony-or-subtle-dis/ | title = Lang Lang's Performance at the White House: Display of Harmony Or Subtle Dis? | last = Yan | first = Cathy | work = [[The Wall Street Journal]]| date = 22 January 2011}}</ref> Although the tune is popular and has lost much of its political and historical significance in China,<ref>{{citation
 | last = Zhang
 | first = Hong
 | title = The Making of Urban Chinese Images of the United States, 1945–1953
 | location = Westport, CT
 | publisher = Greenwood Press
 | year = 2002
 | isbn = 0-313-31001-7
 | page = 161
}}
</ref> the performance was interpreted by American conservatives as insulting the US.<ref>{{citation | last = Ford | first = Peter | url =http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2011/0126/How-pianist-Lang-Lang-stirred-up-trouble-for-US-and-China-at-a-White-House-State-dinner | title = How pianist Lang Lang stirred up trouble for US and China at a White House State dinner | work = The Christian Science Monitor | date = 26 January 2011}}</ref>

In response to the controversy, Lang denied that he intended to insult the United States.<ref name=latimes/> He later released a statement stating that he "selected this song because it has been a favorite of mine since I was a child. It was selected for no other reason but for the beauty of its melody."<ref name=latimes>{{citation |last = Richter | first = Paul | url =http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-white-house-pianist-20110125,0,52927.story | title = Chinese-born pianist denies he played song to insult U.S. | work = [[Los Angeles Times]] | date = 25 January 2011}}</ref> White House spokesperson [[Tommy Vietor]] also responded by saying "My Motherland" is "widely known and popular in China for its melody. Lang played the song without lyrics or reference to any political theme... any suggestion that this was an insult to the United States is just flat wrong."<ref name=abc>{{citation | last = Tapper | first = Jake | url = http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/01/white-house-says-chinese-folk-song-played-during-state-dinner-was-not-an-insult-experts-divided.html | title = White House Says Chinese Folk Song Played During State Dinner Was Not An Insult; Experts Divided | publisher = [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] | date = 24 January 2011 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110126213143/http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/01/white-house-says-chinese-folk-song-played-during-state-dinner-was-not-an-insult-experts-divided.html | archive-date = 26 January 2011}}</ref>