< For the Music Genius - Episode 130 >
“A special stage?”
Adam, Gramophone’s chief editor, tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.
“Maestro, I know it may be presumptuous of you to tell me exactly which stage you are referring to.”
“It will be a stage different from what the Berlin Philharmonic has shown so far.”
“A different stage?”
Adam’s eyes lit up with interest.
The reason was simple. An orchestra has its own identity. In particular, the Berlin Philharmonic, one of the world’s leading orchestras, writes down such colors and melodies as if they were traditions.
But this is a different stage from before.
“Can you elaborate a little more, Maestro?”
Moreover, he is the lion of the Berlin Philharmonic. He is a conductor who is second to none in terms of strictness and colder than the north wind of Siberia.
It was at that moment that Adam’s throat began to shake violently.
“The reserve members will come on stage.”
“You’re a reserve member?”
There were often reserve members in the orchestra. However, they never actually appeared on stage. They were literally ‘reserves’.
What would be so special about a reserve member taking the stage instead of the original members? But it was something special for the Berlin Philharmonic.
“Maestro, has there ever been a reserve member on stage with the Berlin Philharmonic?”
“Not once during my time conducting.”
What the heck, I felt like I had won the lottery unexpectedly. The old saying that you need to empty your mind for opportunities to come was not wrong. I smelled a scoop in Berlin, where I happened to stop by. The questions continued as if I was taking off a Russian doll.
“Are you the winner of this year’s Paganini Competition?”
“Not if you mean William of England.”
“Then are you a member of another symphony?”
The Berlin Philharmonic, isn’t it one of the best philharmonic orchestras in the world? Its reputation is so great that most musicians can’t even hand out business cards. No wonder there are musicians who make joining the Berlin Philharmonic their lifelong dream.
Surely even the reserve members would be in a bad mood. Especially since the Lion of Berlin was the one who had caused such a sudden action that had never been seen before.
“Since you hit the player in London, I’ll tell you who I am.”
“Huh? You hit a player in London?”
“The editor-in-chief probably already knows about this person. I heard that the editor-in-chief took interest in him before I did.”
Yuri’s voice was as thrilling as watching a fishing rod that was about to sink into the water. Soon, the fishing rod was slowly raised beneath her cold eyes.
“This is violinist Hyun.”
It wasn’t a squid, it was a large fish that was caught.
* * *
“It’s a moonfish!”
Alberto, the first violinist, shouted in an excited voice.
Didn’t the fishing rod bend in a parabolic arc? As he said, the hook had a large fish’s mouth pierced through it.
Where is this place? I came here to enjoy freshwater fishing with my group members during the holiday. If I practice without even a moment of rest, I will end up making mistakes.
“Hyeon, did you often go fishing with your father?”
“No, I’ve only done it a few times.”
One of the members added as he watched the fish being expertly reeled in and the hook removed. I just smiled faintly as if trying to avoid it.
When I think back, I don’t remember ever going fishing with my father. Not only in my past life, but also in this life, my father was just working hard. When I go back to Korea, I have to make time for my father.
“The way you cast your fishing rod doesn’t look like something you’ve done once or twice.”
“is it so?”
“Yes, many Germans enjoy fishing with their fathers instead of playing catch since they were young. When I see Hyun’s skillful appearance, I think of my father back then.”
Of course, in my past life, I had to learn not only golf, but also mountaineering and freshwater fishing. Didn’t I go on outings to the mountains and fields with the chief prosecutor every weekend?
On the surface, it was for the purpose of health, but if you look inside, it was like a tightrope ride. I couldn’t neglect any of the activities, including golf, mountain climbing, and fishing.
“Miguel, can I prepare dinner?”
“Hyeon?”
“And now we have some fresh dinner on the way.”
The traps were full of large fish caught throughout the afternoon, more than enough to feed a dozen members.
“Hyun, are you sure you’re okay?”
“I wanted to treat the members to a meal at least once. If I had the chance, I had to grab it. Why would I miss it? It would be a shame if not all the members gathered.”
He answered Miguel’s question while cleaning the fish. Only then did Miguel feel relieved, seeing how skillfully he was cleaning the fish with a small knife.
At that moment, Alberto happened to pass by and joked, “We’re not going to starve at this rate, are we?”
‘Don’t be surprised.’
At that moment, the essence of Korean spicy fish stew was unfolding at my fingertips.
The reddish color and the sharp, spicy smell stimulated my appetite. A glass of soju would have been the icing on the cake, but I consoled my excited heart with orange juice instead.
“Hyun, what on earth is this food?”
“It’s spicy stew.”
“What? Whatever the name, it tastes really amazing!”
Alberto kept moving his spoon as if he had never done that before, exclaiming in admiration. The other members were the same. The market was a side dish, but the spicy fish stew must have tasted so good.
I was only grateful to the members. As we practiced more and more, I could see clearly that they were professionals and had incredible skills. Aren’t their palms and fingertips covered in calluses from their experience?
“Thank you all for accepting me.”
The members, including Alberto, burst into laughter at the unexpected confession.
“Hyeon, sometimes you really seem like a student of that age, but on days like today, no matter how I look at you, you seem like my peer. The reason we accepted Hyeon is not because of anything else. It’s because Hyeon’s skills convinced us that much.”
Alberto said it casually, but I know how hard they tried to accept me.
For example, it was as if a young kid with still blood on his forehead had stepped forward to lead them. No matter how much skill is valued in this world, experience and seniority are equally important.
Then Alberto put his hand on my shoulder and said,
“There is only one thing that Hyun can do for us.”
The attention of the members who were eating spicy fish stew was focused on him all at once. Alberto was looking at him with a serious look in his eyes that was different from usual. Somehow, this atmosphere wasn’t all that bad.
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“Showing great conducting until the end―!”
As I nodded my head vigorously, a large fish jumped into the sky from the freshwater shore as if it had been waiting.
Leaving a great tremble in my heart like ripples spreading across calm waters.
* * *
“Kang Seo-bang, you wrote the report on the Graifin’s practical application plan very well. Whenever I read Kang Seo-bang’s report, the context and gist are clearly revealed. It’s as if the report speaks.”
Chairman Yoo praised Mr. Kang right from the breakfast table. That was because there had been a series of good news reports about the development of new materials recently.
Moreover, Kang Seo-bang’s skills are also extraordinary. It’s hard to believe that he used to run an ordinary laundry shop.
“Son-ga, that old man said he wanted to play golf 2-on-2 again. It seems like he got some lessons from a famous golfer. His confidence was so high that it was painful to the ears. How about it, Mr. Kang, are you ready to break Son-ga’s nose?”
“Just leave it to me, Master―!”
Chairman Yoo, who was usually quiet at the dinner table, started enjoying conversation with Kang Seo-bang at some point.
It would be better to say that they fit well together. To the point where I don’t know why I pushed Kang Seo-bang away so much in the past.
Meanwhile, Kang Hyun’s mother looked at the scene with a pleased smile. It was the sight she had been longing for.
“Mr. Kang, does your second son still come to see you these days?”
“No. My brother-in-law hasn’t come to see me since I got scolded severely by my father-in-law the other day.”
“Really? If you ever show up at the company again, you should break my forehead for me. After all, aren’t you older than Beom-gyeong?”
There were few people within the company that Chairman Yoo could trust.
Business has always been like that. You have to be on guard and read the other person’s mind. There were only a few people I thought were my real people, and Kang Seo-bang was one of them.
“By the way, when will our Hyeon-i come? Hyeon-ja, what did she say on the phone yesterday?”
“I guess there was a lot to learn in Germany. I couldn’t talk to you for long because I had to practice something. But I told you to call your grandfather when you have time. Dad.”
“Hey, you little brat. You’re just born with the ability to make people’s livers burn.”
It was then that the housekeeper came into the kitchen with quick steps.
“Sir, please take a look at this for a moment!”
The housekeeper hurriedly handed the morning newspaper to Chairman Yoo.
As time passed, Chairman Yoo’s wrinkled eyes grew bigger and bigger. The reason was simple. The face of the grandson he had longed to see so much was printed in the newspaper as big as a door. Moreover, the large text caught his attention right away.
-Violinist Hyun to take to the stage with the Berlin Philharmonic!
* * *
‘indeed.’
Adam took a deep breath of anticipation and moved forward.
‘Violinist Hyun.’
Isn’t this someone that the Berlin Lion would never have expected to be mentioned? The person that we had hoped for so long would be performing with the Berlin Philharmonic.
It was the moment when the first part of the Maestro’s performance ended and the second part was about to begin.
‘You can’t see it?’
No matter how hard I searched with my eyes open, I couldn’t find violinist Hyun.
At that moment, a boy wearing a dark-colored tuxedo appeared on the stage. The audience sitting in the auditorium began to stir, and Adam also sat up even more and opened his eyes wide.
Why? Because the boy was holding an old baton in his hand.
What on earth is going on?
Kang Hyun bowed politely to the audience, lowered his head, and then looked at the members.
In contrast to the audience who were agitated and confused, the members’ gazes were calm. They were like the waves of a calm lake, without even the slightest disturbance.
It was proof that he trusted Kang Hyun that much.
Didn’t someone say that you shouldn’t sweat when conducting? It’s not you who should be hot, it’s the audience.
Kang Hyun thought that the proverb was a truly excellent expression.
As I took a deep breath, I felt as if I was one with him, from his raised shoulders, to his elbows, to the tip of his baton.
Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 6, Pathetique.
It was a sonata form with an introduction in adagio 4/4. Kang Hyun’s baton and left hand began to move slowly as if he was soothing a newborn baby.
The audience, who had been swaying to the deep melody of the contrabass, focused their attention as if it were a lie.
Just as the sun in the sky looks out over the vast ocean, Kang Hyun scanned over the numerous members without missing a single one.
As the tip of the baton moved along with the flow of the melody, a dark and anxious, tragic mood was recreated.
The woodwind melody surges up like a wave, subsides at the tip of the baton, and the brass fills the void with a fierce roar.
The strings gently embraced it all, creating the illusion that magic was unfolding at Kang Hyun’s fingertips.
Gulp!
Adam was speechless. The members of the Berlin Philharmonic were moving at the boy’s fingertips. What was this melody and flow?
The eerie low tones and explosive anxiety brought Tchaikovsky’s tragedy to life.
His sharp eyes dug into the members without hesitation, and the tip of his baton showed no sign of hesitation. That was when.
Drumroll!
The melody was heightened by the rising sound of the trumpet.
The hem of his dark tunic fluttered wildly to the melody. The little boy’s shoulders moved ceaselessly, and the huge instrument followed his instructions.
The rapid rhythm of the scherzo evokes heightened emotions as the timpani and cymbals strike, reaching a peak like an active volcano erupting.
The audience held their breath as they welcomed the performance. It felt like their entire bodies were dripping with sweat.
At that moment, Kang Hyun’s fingertips slowly turned to the members. It was a series of melodies that expressed the title of the song as it was. Not only the audience, but even the members’ faces were tense.
Because it seemed to depict Tchaikovsky writing down the last notes of his life. Doesn’t the pizzicato of the strings leave a deep lingering impression in the mournful melody that seems like a sad dream?
At the end of that intense emotion, the audience shuddered. And they saw. The world unfolding at the fingertips of the young maestro.
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