WORLD-RENOWNED Chinese pianist Lang Lang brought his new album “Piano Book” to New York City on Tuesday to share his thoughts on piano playing and music education.

Consisting of 41 popular and easy-listening pieces such as Beethoven’s “Fur Elise,” Debussy’s “Clair de Lune,” and traditional Chinese ballad “The Jasmine Flower,” the collection records Lang’s own journey of piano training since childhood.

“These pieces have been my favorites and they inspired me to be a pianist in the first place,” said Lang at a meeting with the press in Midtown Manhattan.

Globally released March 29, “Piano Book” has already become the fastest-selling streaming classical album of 2019, topping Amazon’s classical charts in China, Japan, Germany, France, the United States and Britain, according to its distributor Universal Music Group. Even to Lang’s own surprise, the album also entered the top 10 of iTune’s pop charts, an area of fierce competition for popular singers.

“It felt like dreaming during the past week,” said the 36-year-old pianist. “This unexpected popularity demonstrates that people appreciate good music regardless of its type.”

Lang also hopes that this album can inspire millions of piano learners around the world to improve their skills and make them truly love the instrument.

“The album is also a gift to my students,” he added, referring to children attending music schools or programs he helped establish across the world through the

Lang Lang International Music Foundation.

“I hope that after listening to the album, they won’t get bored practicing these pieces but feel those classics by their heart,” he said.

Apart from digital and CD versions, “Piano Book” will also be released with music scores this Friday and as vinyl records June 14.(Xinhua)