< For the Music Genius - Episode 261 >
“What does that mean?”
Victor’s brow furrowed roughly. The Sotheby’s employee’s expression was not good. It was clear that the little brat had acted rudely without knowing what was happening.
But Kang Hyun looked straight at the Stradivarius ‘Desiderio’ and said.
“The stability of the melody is slightly distorted.”
Are you saying that a violin is like a car? In fact, there is a difference in sound between a cheap beginner violin and an expensive violin.
But what I saw before my eyes was a Stradivarius violin, known as the trinity of violins.
It was an instrument with such beautiful melodies that it was enough to enchant the ears of Victor, who was known to be second to none when it came to being picky about music.
At that time, Sotheby’s employee Michel looked at Kang Hyeon with sharp eyes.
“Violinist Hyun, I am sorry to be so presumptuous, but the Stradivarius ‘Desiderio’ prepared by Sotheby’s is undoubtedly the real thing. I think it is disrespectful to the Stradivarius and to Sotheby’s to judge the melody of the Desiderio based on the bow touching the strings just once without playing it.”
Mikel was firm, as if he had no intention of tolerating Kang Hyun’s rudeness any longer. But Kang Hyun was the same.
“If I’m wrong, I apologize. But the Desiderio melody is strangely lacking. To someone who doesn’t know, it might sound deep and clear, but to me, it just feels like they’re trying to follow along. If the Desiderio Stradivarius in front of you is really a genuine piece, it’s so good that it could be considered a poor work by Antonio Stradivari.”
Michel swallowed hard. What kind of ears did the man in front of him have that allowed him to make such a statement after only touching the strings twice?
“Desiderio, which is clearly visible in appearance, clearly brings out the characteristics of Stradivarius. The soundboard, which has become more elegant over time, and the types of wood such as willow, maple, and rattan selected for each part of the instrument, as well as the asymmetrical structure of the F holes. That’s why it’s even more incomprehensible. It has such a perfect appearance of Stradivarius, but the melody is like that. Isn’t that right?”
“Violinist Hyun, now that you say that, you are disrespecting our entire Sotheby’s.”
Kang Hyun smiled faintly. As a violinist, wasn’t this the place to select a violin?
In his opinion, one of the two Stradivarius was in poor condition. If it wasn’t broken, it would have been a replica.
At first I thought it was simply a structural failure, but Mikel’s shaking pupils made me sure. That was it.
“for a moment!”
Everyone stopped for a moment at Victor’s voice. Victor looked at Desiderio with a sharp gaze that seemed like a bad impression. After checking for a while, Victor finally nodded briefly and said.
“Call Mr. Hawk.”
“Okay, teacher?”
Michel seemed agitated for a moment, but then added:
“Excuse me, Mr. Hawk is not the type of person who comes just because I call him.”
“If you don’t call me, I’ll call you.”
At that moment, Mikel’s expression suddenly distorted. He had never expected his name to be called here.
Kang Hyun was puzzled. Who was this guy called Hawk that made Mikel so upset?
Kang Hyun’s gaze was still directed at Desiderio. He wanted to get up and play.
If you ever play it, you’ll know for sure whether this guy is real or fake.
* * *
– Obviously, the type of wood used for each structure, as well as the special chemicals added to the paint made in Northern Italy, are very well represented in the curves and angles according to the design. In particular, the asymmetrical structure of the F hole and the engraving on the side clearly show the characteristics of Stradivarius. The melody is the same. I’ve heard the melody of the Samsingi many times, but it’s a good tone no matter when I listen to it. If Antonio Stradivari were alive, he would have applauded this instrument. Because he ‘copied’ his own work so well.
Victor poured the whiskey into his mouth. The plane was leaving Italy, but Mr. Hawk’s words were still lingering in Victor’s mind.
– An accurate judgment is a problem that requires precise instrumentation to measure the age. It probably won’t be completed in a short period of time. However, in my opinion, it is a well-made replica. Even someone who has been making violins for a long time would have a hard time recognizing it at first glance. Of course, you know that all this is off the record, right?
Mr. Hawk was a renowned instrument maker in Europe. He was unrivaled in stringed instruments, so much so that he was called the Antonio Stradivari of the 21st century. Hawk continued to examine the exterior and interior of the Desiderio and continued speaking.
-But how did you know? Even I, who has encountered countless replicas, would have a hard time making a hasty judgment without examining the exterior and interior in such detail.
It was a terrible thing. I couldn’t even touch the Stradivarius. I could only look at the instrument locked in a glass case and evaluate it.
Moreover, he had only touched the bow and strings twice. However, Kang-Hyeon could tell whether it was real or fake just by listening to the melody.
Michel, who was an employee of Sotheby’s, was immediately questioned by the police. It seemed that Sotheby’s was also unaware of this.
If an ordinary person had claimed that the Stradivarius was genuine, no one would have listened, but two of the Queen Elisabeth Competition judges, as well as a renowned European instrument master, gave their support.
– It has been a common occurrence since ancient times to swap fakes and genuine items at auctions. No matter how famous an auction house is, you can never be completely at ease. Especially when it comes to art and musical instruments, it is difficult to tell the difference between genuine and fake unless you are an expert, and it is even more difficult when it comes to such well-made replicas. They must have been made by an unknown master craftsman. But how did you know?
Mr. Hawk asked back as if he really didn’t understand. After all, the Stradivarius ‘Desiderio’ was a perfect replica.
Even Mr. Hawk said that he would have been fooled if he had not examined the exterior and interior so meticulously.
“Glenlivet.”
Victor felt his throat burn. The hot whiskey flowed down his throat, but instead of feeling hot, it felt cold.
He was also present at the scene. However, he did not know, and the guy he had looked down on as a child noticed it right away.
I was embarrassed. I felt a brief moment of ecstasy when I heard the melody of the instrument called the replica. As I got older, did my hearing become damaged? For a moment, Kang Hyun’s words came to mind.
– It was clearly a copy, but it was an instrument with beautiful melodies. If it had its own name instead of the name Stradivarius, it would have been loved by more violinists. Also, if I had played Desiderio, Mr. Victor would have noticed whether it was a copy or not.
Victor was not confident. Even if he had played Desiderio on the spot, he would not have been able to be as certain as Kang Hyun.
Viktor began to see Kang Hyun, whom he had simply thought of as an arrogant brat, differently.
* * *
‘I just told you that I knew?’
After visiting Italy, Kang Hyun had to face many questions. He had to answer questions not only from the judges of the Queen Elisabeth Competition but also from the police dispatched from Italy.
The questions had one thing in common: how on earth did anyone know that the Stradivarius ‘Desiderio’ was a copy?
There was no way to answer. The moment I heard the melody, I felt uncomfortable, as if I had phlegm stuck in my throat.
After hearing it twice, I was convinced that Desiderio was either broken or a replica.
Moreover, he had worked as a senior prosecutor at the Western District Prosecutors’ Office in his previous life. It wasn’t that difficult to figure out someone’s intentions just by looking at their facial expressions, voice, and gestures.
Also, thanks to the advanced software, the senses were much sharper and more sensitive than before. It was enough to detect the emotional turmoil that Sotheby’s Michel showed in an instant.
“Crrrrr, crrrrr.”
Kang Hyun covered his ears. Here we go again.
At night, I couldn’t sleep because of my roommate Viktor’s snoring. Normally, I would have fallen asleep before Viktor did.
Perhaps because the room was spacious, Victor’s snoring resonated in my ears like the sound of an orchestra.
“Phew.”
Kang Hyun had no choice but to get up from bed and pick up his violin case. The water that had already been pouring down ran away as if it were a lie.
“Hmm.”
Victor got up from his seat, feeling a burning sensation in his throat. It was probably caused by drinking too much on the plane.
Outside the window, only the moonlight was shining bluishly. But Kang-Hyeon was nowhere to be seen. That was when.
Jiying.
Victor started walking without realizing it, hearing the melody coming from outside the mansion.
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It was a mansion located near Chapelle. Because of that, there was not even a single streetlight outside, except for a spacious garden and a forest path. The melody coming from Chapelle was louder and clearer.
Thump.
Victor walked along to the melody as if possessed. For a moment, he doubted his own eyes and roughly rubbed his eyes with the sleeve of his pajamas.
There was someone there. The shoulders swaying gracefully in the pouring moonlight were like a painting.
Moreover, the wind blowing from the forest path became an accompaniment, making the melody even richer and more beautiful.
Victor hid behind a wooden pillar and eavesdropped on the performance, just as he had done when he was young and had been spying on his crush.
‘Ecstatic.’
If your ears were truly ecstatic, this would be the feeling. The ecstasy I felt while listening to Desiderio felt like a lie.
I wanted to see who it was, but I couldn’t see the performer’s face, which was shrouded in darkness.
Among the judges, there are only a handful who are still playing. Perhaps it is the Japanese maestro Hirose.
Gulp.
Victor’s throat rippled violently, as the lyrical melody quickly turned into a surge of passion, like a rising wave.
The leaves dancing, rustling and touching each other, added to the timbre.
Victor felt a surge of emotion. He had been a judge at the Queen Elisabeth Competition and had seen countless new violinists perform, but he had never felt anything like this.
As the passionate melody continued, Victor’s voice also grew louder.
At that moment, the performer’s figure was clearly visible in the pouring moonlight.
Victor grabbed the tree as if he had been struck by lightning. Thanks to this, the dancing leaves stopped rustling and tilted their heads to look at Victor.
His eyes were trembling violently, as if he had witnessed something unbelievable. The performer who had clearly made him ecstatic.
“hyeon?”
He was a sweetheart.
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