Songs of `The Pianist' Released in America; Pop Compositions from the Subject of Roman Polanski's Latest Film Brought to Life After Half Century
Nov 08, 11:35 AM
Business Wire
Entertainment Editors

    LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 8, 2002--Wendy Lands Sings The Music Of The Pianist- Wladyslaw Szpilman (Hip-O Records):

-- "This CD is testament to the power of music and the will to live of a man who survived the difficult years in hiding, not least by recalling note by note, bar by bar, every piece of music he ever played or composed."

-- Andrzej Szpilman, Liner Notes, Wendy Lands Sings The Music Of The Pianist- Wladyslaw Szpilman

    For the first time, the elegant and beautiful songs of Wladyslaw Szpilman, whose astonishing life story is told in The Pianist -- Best Picture winner at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival -- come to America with Wendy Lands Sings The Music Of The Pianist- Wladyslaw Szpilman (Hip-O Records), released November 26, 2002. The film premieres in the U.S. December 27 to qualify for Oscar consideration.

    A celebrated pianist and composer of both popular and classical music in his native Poland, Szpilman's harrowing tale of survival in the Warsaw ghetto of World War II is horrifying, profoundly important, and ultimately uplifting. Wendy Lands Sings The Music Of The Pianist- Wladyslaw Szpilman presents a dozen of his popular music compositions from the `40s and `50s that were brought to America by his son Andrzej earlier this year. With new English language lyrics, the album is a new studio recording by Canadian songstress Wendy Lands produced by John Leftwich.

    The Pianist, directed by Roman Polanski, winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes, is the film based on the autobiography Szpilman wrote after the war. The autobiography had been suppressed by the Communist authorities in Poland, only to be rediscovered with a 1998 German-language edition. A subsequent English translation became a best-seller.

    On September 23, 1939, Szpilman was performing live on the radio while German shells exploded outside. It was the last live music broadcast from Warsaw. During the war he lost his father, mother and sister. After the liberation, he resumed his career and many of his songs became evergreens in Polish pop culture. He also performed around the world as a soloist, in a duo with Bronislav Gimpel and with chamber groups such as the Warsaw Piano Quintet. Szpilman died on July 6, 2000, in Warsaw.

    Montreal-born Wendy Lands is a rising star, already known in her native Canada. After a year of performing in the Canadian production of "Les Miserables," she self-released her debut album, Angels & Ordinary Men, which shot to #3 on the indie charts. When re-released on a major label, the title track went national Top 10 and she was nominated for a Juno Award for Best New Solo Artist. Her voice has since been heard on the CBS animated series "Mythic Warriors," "Beverly Hills 90210" and numerous network specials and series as well as major TV commercials. Now she gives voice and life to the music of Szpilman. "I felt so honored to have this kind of connection to such a special human being," says Lands of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a man she never met but whose music has found new life through her.