On May 20, 2022, on the special day of “520”, Chinese pianist Zuo Zhang released his second solo piano album “Traveling Years” on the Decca label of Universal Music. Today (June 9), Zuo Zhang shared the planning and recording process of this album with the national media through a video connection, and announced the future performance and recording plans to everyone.
“Traveling Years” not only refers to Liszt’s piano works, but also can be understood as an unusual experience in the journey of life. Zuo Zhang is borrowing this concept and creating the album’s tracks around the music of Liszt’s “Traveling Years” . At the beginning of the sharing session, Zuo Zhang introduced the album planning concept to the guests, “Liszt is one of the most important pianists and composers in the history of music, I planned and produced this album with his “Traveling Years” as the core. An album in tribute to Liszt. I have selected one of my favorite masterpieces from each episode of Liszt’s Traveling Years that have deeply influenced contemporary and later musicians. They either explore the same theme , or elaborate on Liszt’s innovative writing style, and finally present it to the audience through the three themes summarized.” Zuo Zhang, with his special observation and understanding, skillfully combines Liszt, Wagner, Schoenberg, Ravel The works of other composers are linked together to present a brand new version of “Traveling Years” to the audience.
The recording process of this album also experienced many inconveniences caused by the epidemic, which made Zuo Zhang more cherish the power of music to lead the audience to travel the world, “Although travel faces many inconveniences, I still hope that everyone can travel through time and space through music, Take a cloud journey.”
Dialogue with pianist Zuo Zhang, recording engineer Yang Zhen, and host Zhou Jie
Pianist Zuo Zhang
Solo Lucerne, “Crazy”
“These repertoires selected from Liszt’s “Traveling Years” have also been with me on my musical journey, and they have become my current repertoire on tour in Asia, Europe and the United States.” In August 2021, Zuo Zhang was invited Participated in the world-renowned Lucerne Music Festival in Switzerland, where she opened her first piano recital. The theme of the music festival that year was “Crazy (Crazy)”, and Zuo Zhang performed some of the tracks in the new album. The bold track arrangement and superb acting skills made this solo concert amaze all four. As one of the few Chinese pianists invited by the Lucerne Summer Music Festival, Zuo Zhang and Lucerne’s “Music Fate” also perfectly fits the theme of “Traveling Years”.
Carefully polished, sincere work
The album “Traveling Years” will be recorded in Guangzhou Xinghai Concert Hall Symphony Hall in July 2021. For the pianist, recording in the concert hall gave her a stronger “liveness”, “This is something that is difficult to feel when recording in a recording studio. Although there is no audience in the hall, I still enjoy it. In the recording, Zuo Zhang completely immersed himself in the musical journey, felt the feedback of the live environment, and conveyed the notes under the keys in the most natural way, trying to bring the listeners the most authentic and detailed listening experience.
The sharing session also specially invited the album producer and famous recording engineer Yang Zhen, who also shared with the online guests the recording process of the album and the experience of working with the pianist, “As a recording engineer, we must not only understand music, but also understand Musicians, but also know where to record. We quickly reached an agreement, got to know each other, and aesthetically fit, which is very happy. In the recording, we tried to return to the music itself as much as possible, so that the audience can feel the piano He is playing for him at home.” Zuo Zhang also shared his recording anecdotes with everyone, “There will also be unexpected situations when recording in the concert hall, such as a sudden heavy rain, so that you can hear the sound outside the concert hall in the concert hall. Movement. Although the recording was forced to be interrupted for 3 hours, we used this time to discuss a lot of details about the recording, which was also a very interesting episode.
In addition, it is particularly worth mentioning that Zuo Zhang is also the co-producer of “Traveling Years”, “As the co-producer of the quotation marks, I have made great efforts to select and modify the recording version together with the real producer, Mr. Yang Zhen. In-depth discussion.” Zuo Zhang said.
Think calmly and look forward to the future
Due to the epidemic, Zuo Zhang stayed in China for a long time. As for the rhythm of work and life that used to be “one city a day, one country in two weeks, and one continent in three weeks”, now she has more opportunities to slow down Footsteps, meditate on your own “life music travel”, “Traveling Years” was born under such an opportunity. As for the future, Zuo Zhang also has bigger plans, “After the release of the album, in addition to this set, I have other pieces such as Debussy and Schumann to perform on stages around the world, including concertos and solos. I am very much looking forward to the next musical journey!”
In addition to being a pianist, Zuo Zhang is also a member of the ZEN trio. Zuo Zhang also has a great passion for chamber music. “In addition to the solo piano album, I am also working on a new trio album with two other artists.” This will be the third ZEN trio after the trio albums released on DG Deutsche Grammophon in 2017 and 2020. A studio album.
Surprise video, best wishes
At the end of the sharing session, Zuo Zhang’s friends also sent blessing videos from all over the world, including conductor Yu Long, violinist Ning Feng, violinist Liu Aisha, violinist Chen Rui, composer Tan Dun, etc., which surprised her quite a bit . Zuo Zhang’s daughter Yueyue even congratulated her mother on the release of her new album in the video, which became the most heartwarming scene at the sharing session.
About the left chapter
Zuo Zhang is an imaginative and infectious performer, unique among the younger generation of pianists. China Gramophone describes her as “full of passion and charm, radiating youthful brilliance”, and the Los Angeles Times calls her “pure.” Powerful, passionate and gripping representation of art”.
Zuo Zhang began his musical training in Germany at the age of five. After returning to her home country, she became one of the most sought-after young artists in the country. Zuo Zhang won the first prize in the 1st China International Piano Concerto Competition, the Gina Bacall International Artists Piano Competition and the Kleinev International Piano Competition. She is also the winner of the 2013 Queen Elizabeth Competition.
Zuo Zhang’s highlights in the last two seasons include appearances at the Beijing International Music Festival with the China Philharmonic Orchestra; performances by Pavo Jarvi at the Royal Festival Hall in London with the British Philharmonic Orchestra; Cooperating with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra; participating in the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra’s full set of Beethoven piano concertos and the full set of Saint-Saens piano concerto projects; performing the first solo concert at the famous Lucerne Music Festival in August 2021, etc.
In October 2019, Zuo Zhang’s first album after signing with Universal Music was released by the classical label Deutsche Grammophon DG. He collaborated with Pavo Jarvi and the British Philharmonic Orchestra to record “Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major” and “Lisz” Special Piano Concerto No. 2.
Zuo Zhang is also a passionate chamber musician, often performing in the ZEN Trio with violinist Esther Yoo and cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan. In 2017 and 2020, the ZEN trio released two albums on the classical label Deutsche Grammophon DG.
“Traveling Years” track list
1. Richard Wagner : Tristan und Isolde : Prelude to Act 1（Transcription by Kocsis Zoltán）
Richard Wagner: Prelude to Act 1 of Tristan and Isolde Arrangement: Zoltan Korcis
2. Arnold Schonberg: Three Piano Pieces, Op.11 – 1
Arnold Schoenberg: Three Pieces for Piano, Op.11, No. 1
3. Arnold Schonberg: Three Piano Pieces, Op.11 – 2
Arnold Schoenberg: Three Pieces for Piano, Op.11, No. 2
4. Arnold Schonberg: Three Piano Pieces, Op.11 – 3
Arnold Schoenberg: Three Pieces for Piano, Op.11, No. 3
5. Franz Liszt: Years of Pilgrimage: First Year: Switzerland, S.160 – Obermann Valley
Franz Liszt: Traveling Years: Episode 1: Travels in Switzerland, S.160 – Obermann Valley
6. Maurice Ravel: Water Games
Maurice Ravel: Playing in the Water
7. Franz Liszt: Years of Pilgrimage: Third Year, S.163 – The Water Games at the Villa d’Este
Franz Liszt: The Traveling Years: Episode 3, S.163 – The Fountain of the Manor of Astor
8. Francis Poulenc: Napoli Suite for Piano 1. Barcarolle
Francie Planck: Napoli Suite 1, Boat Song
9. Francis Poulenc : Napoli Suite for Piano 2. Nocturne
Francie Planck: Napoli Suite 2, Nocturne
10. Francis Poulenc : Napoli Suite for Piano 3. Caprice Italien
Francie Planck: Napoli Suite 3, Italian Capriccio
11. Franz Liszt: Years of Pilgrimage: Venezia e Naples, S.162 – Tarantella
Franz Liszt: Traveling Years: Venice and Napoli (Addendum to Episode II) S.162 – TarantellaReturn to Sohu, see more