HANREN ZHANG

"The recital reveals an artist with a catholic taste and a natural affinity for diverse styles, especially those indulging in purposeful ambiguities of rhythm and tonality... The liner notes well provide the historic and musical contexts of the pieces... A pleasant, colorful hour of music awaits the listener, who if motivated, will wish to seek Zhang in a sustained investigation into an established musical persona."

Gary Lemco, Audiophile Audition [June 2024]

"[This CD is] a personal exploration by Zhang of dance-inspired music that speaks meaningfully to him... Zhang plays 6 Romanian Folk Dances by Bartók, giving each miniature a distinctive character... the delicacy of In One Spot is quite effective... [Dance of Spring by Yiqiang Sun] does convey a sense of awakening, followed by a pleasantly regular rhythmic expressiveness... Zhang clearly enjoys playing all these pieces."

Mark J. Estren, InfoDad [June 2024]

"Pianist Hanren Zhang invites us at his keyboard to dance and dream our way around the world in a series of 24 short compositions by highly regarded and lesser-known composers... Rather than treating all these tiny compositions in the same way such that they would obviously flow together in a single performance, Zhang has devoted distinct attention to each of them, their characteristics, idiosyncrasies and rhythms, as the recording unwinds one to another, beginning to end... Zhang demonstrates his range of expression at the piano, while imparting the rhythmic passion of dance and the 'what if?' quality of dream to his pianism. Here is a recording to enjoy with abandon and no reservation."

Joel C. Thompson, Cherry Grove Music Review [May 2024]

Dance, in its many forms, adorns human life and marks many of our most important moments. On this album, pianist Hanren Zhang explores music rooted in dance from thirteen countries, four continents, and two centuries. Each of the thirteen composers represented here brings a distinct sonic palette that is inspired by national forms of dance. Zhang's reading of these pieces celebrates this diversity and investigates the inherently physical nature of dance.
 

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Hanren Zhang has concertized in the United States, Europe and Asia in solo, chamber music and concerto performances. A winner of the 2017 Honors Recital Award in Omaha, Nebraska, he later worked with conductor Cynthia Turner as part of the premiere performance at Georgia State University of Michael Martin’s Lontano – Symphony for Wind Ensemble. In 2019, he was a participant in the premiere performance at Georgia State of George Crumb's  Metamorphoses, playing No.8 Contes Barbares. In 2020, he won the first prize in American Protégé International Piano Competition and the third prize in the Odin International Piano Competition. In 2021, he won third prize in Charleston International Piano Competition. Zhang received a Bachelor s Degree from Shenyang Conservatory of Music, studying under Yamaha Artist Fang Zhang, a Master's Degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, studying with Dr. Washington Garcia, and a Doctor's Degree from University of Georgia, studing Dr. Liza Stepanova. curentlly, he is a lecturer at the School of Art in Nantong University in China. 

  ISAAC ALBÉNIZ
El Puerto (from Iberia, Book I, No.2)
 
FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Mazurka in A-flat major, Op.59, No.2
Mazurka in F-sharp minor, Op.59, No.3
 
BEDŘICH SMETANA (1824-1884)
Polka in A minor, Op.12, No.1
Polka in E minor, Op.13, No.1
 
BÉLA BARTÓK (1881-1945)
6 ROMANIAN FOLK DANCES, SZ.56
No.1 – Stick Dance
No.2 – Sash Dance
No.3 – In One Spot
No.4 – Horn Dance
No.5 – Romanian Polka
No.6 – Fast Dance
 
EDVARD GRIEG (1843-1907)
NORWEGIAN PEASANT DANCES, OP.72
No.2 – John Vaestafae’s Springdans
No.13 – Havar Gibboen’s Dream on the Oterholt Bridge
 
MODEST MUSSORGSKY (1829-1881)
Hopak (from Sorochinsky Fair)
 
JOSHUA UZOIGWE (1946-2005)
Nigerian Dance No.1                                           
 
KWABENA NKETIA (1921-2019)
Volta Fantasy
 
ALBERTO GINASTERA (1916-1983)
Milonga
Pequeña Danza (from Estancia, Op.8)
 
DARIUS MILHAUD (1892-1974)
SAUDADES DO BRASIL, OP.67                                      
No.1 – Sorocaba (Dedicated to Madame Regis de Oliveira)
No.2 – Botafogo (Dedicated to Oswald Guerra)
 
ERNESTO LECUONA (1896-1963)
La Comparsa (from Danzas Afro-Cubanas)
Y La Negra Bailaba (from Danzas Afro-Cubanas)
 
WILLIAM ALBRIGHT (1994-1998)
Sleepwalker’s Shuffle (from The Dream Rags)
 
YIQIANG SUN (b.1980)          
Dance of Spring

 



MSR Classics