musicians of old

Chapter 218 Time Homeless (4.8K [-] in [-])

The two masters put themselves into it, and both felt that Fanning's variation should be coming to an end.

But Fan Ning, who ended the 12th lively canon, did not stop for a moment, and began to create a plump and continuous long tone line with his left hand, and at the same time played a large number of thirty-second notes and sixteenth notes A melody composed of chromatic notes.

"Anything else?" Schillings and Nieman glanced at each other, and the next words that came out of the other's mouth were particularly obvious.

Does this Mr. Fanning need no money for his inspiration?
Variation 13, sarabande, originally meant sacred and marching in Spanish, with a slow rhythm, elegant and approachable melody, especially the extensive use of baroque ornamentation here, which makes the work more free-flowing and long-lasting , intriguing.

According to the structure of three variations, this means that there are at least 15 variations.

"Forget it, don't guess, just concentrate on listening." Nieman held his breath again, for such exquisite polyphonic music, as long as you don't pay attention, you will miss a lot of wonderful details.

Variation 14, Fanning's state became slightly tense again, and the left hand popped out a fast and delicate decomposition arpeggio.

This is the most difficult touch piece in the mid-term of the work. The whole variation is full of running elements. From the 9th bar, there is a rapid Boeing sound group. Fanning's hands are once again making a large distance across the high and low ranges. Movement, quickly tapping those notes that are loose in form but concentrated in solid form.

Variation 15, Canon of Fifths, appears for the first time in the bleak G minor key, and the speed also changes to a medium-slow Andante.

Fan Ning first played the descending fourth-degree progressive sound series in the middle voice, and then imitated the reverse reflection in the high voice. The different movement directions of the two voices caused the effect of the sound being "stretched" , let the audience experience an extremely difficult dynamic.

Hearing this, the audience with less insight gradually grasped the rules.

Even those who are obtuse about art can understand the horrifying majestic structure of this variation from other people's mouths.

Microscopically, the number of bars of each variation can be divided into the smallest music unit according to 32:16:8:4:2, and maintain the consistency with the overall bass direction of the aria; The most advanced canon summary, every multiple of 3, the interval imitated by the canon will be one degree more, and the genre layout will continue to cycle according to the cycle of "dance music-touch music-canon music", and various gorgeous techniques emerge in endlessly...

The change of color in G minor brought uneasy and depressed emotions to Variation No. 15. Fan Ning seemed to become cautious even in his breathing. Choose the touching non-legato method to touch the keys, and move your steps like a wandering person.

In the end, the music gradually slowed down, and the melody sound came to the main chord of the third note B flat, and continued to struggle forward, C sound, D sound, getting slower and lighter... Like lying on the boundless grass, looking up at the vast starry sky, consciousness Gradually drifting towards the cool clouds.

"finished?"

Seeing that the atmosphere was extremely quiet, the ending sound lingered for a long time, and Fan Ning, who raised his head and closed his eyes, did not move for a full three breaths. Many listeners behind thought so.

With such a magnificent structure, huge volume, unparalleled ingenuity, inspirational but yet mathematically beautiful masterpiece, you can listen to the process of its birth on the spot, even those who are eclipsed in comparison. Mature artists also feel that today's trip is worthwhile.

"Shouldn't it be a minor tune?" Roy, who listened with bated breath the whole time, put his hands in front of him and asked his father softly.

"Naturally, it won't end with such a wandering sense of hearing in the minor key." McAdam, who felt the sublime meaning, had a very solemn expression at this time, "But I think the 'sense of climbing' created by the ending of the 15th variation, As well as the 'cold feeling' of the minor itself, it seems that Fanning has built this cathedral to the dome, to where the divinity goes, and I don't know how he will deal with it next..."

Lord Marquis has not yet realized that his original calm attitude has quietly changed: "...No matter what, it's very good that you can serve as the chief under him. In the future, get along with him more and ask for advice."

As an existence with extremely strong inspiration among those who understand, McAdam obviously has a very accurate understanding of variation No. 15.

This is only the first half of the arched structure of the "Gothenburg Variations". After climbing to the dome of the cathedral, the second half is not only a perfect turning point in form, but also a symbol of the final journey of the closed loop of enlightenment.

For Fanning, this lonely pilgrimage completed by the pianist alone is not over, but all the anxiety and self-doubt at the beginning of the performance have disappeared, leaving only the most calm thinking and most pious thoughts on notes. Express.

The cool and ethereal ending was almost absent, and Fan Ning, who closed his eyes and meditated, slowly opened them.

A gratified and joyful smile appeared on his face, and his whole state became positive again. He raised his left hand and played a full and powerful G major main triad in the bass area.

"Boom!—"

A series of passionate scales rush up from the middle range, and then turn into powerful dotted steps in the high range, and then the second scale imitates and deforms in the low range.

Variation 16, with the French overture style in 2/2 time, opened the curtain for the second half of this masterpiece. The interspersed combination of flowing rhythm and walking rhythm seems to be watching a grand and gorgeous ritual event.

In the second half of the music, it becomes a three-part fugue in 3/8 time. The theme presents a light and natural dance style in the chase, such as the opening of the palace gate, the sun shining on the carpet, the fire of colorful cannon salutes, and the high spirits. The guards greeted the spectators.

"We completely underestimated the richness of his inspiration." Bishop Christopher felt as if he was standing on the dome of the church. After quiet meditation, he began to look at the magnificent scenery below with a new mood.

After finishing with bright and full major chords, Fanning let go of the pedal again, and made humorous jumps on the keys with both hands.

变奏17，二声部触技曲。“1-3-2-4-3-5-4-6”先是左手旋律音级以三度迂回的方式向上模进，随后右手旋律又以六度迂回的方式向下跳去，营造出动感十足、趣味盎然的音响效果。

Variation 18, the sixth-degree canon arrived as promised, and Fan Ning played a swaying melody with his left hand, which was like a Gavotte dance. Under the background of the low voice of this free counterpoint, two canons were played one after another. Half a bar apart, the imitation counterpoint is unfolded in an intimate gesture.

The interspersed long and short notes are like the stretching and coordination of two people's limbs in a pas de deux, and the elastic, light and lively music image is vividly displayed in front of the listener.

"It's actually reached 18, which is already the sixth group structure." Roy sat upright with his hands on his knees, completely immersed in the music under Fanning's fingertips.

She felt that Mr. Fanning on the stage, starting from the originally empty and boundless wasteland, gradually built a magnificent cathedral with bricks and stones by himself. Compared with the towering building, his figure is so It's so small, but he built it, which makes it a feat and a tear
"Is this what Mr. Fanning said before, the sublime in 'number' and the sublime in 'power'?." Roy, who was listening, gradually clenched his dress with his hands on his knees.

The seventh group of genre cycle units.

Variation 19, Minuet.The genre of dance music most familiar to the public first originated in the French countryside. During the reign of Louis XIV, it was the first to use it as a backup dancer in the court, so it entered the high society's field of vision.With his left hand, Fan Ning tapped out an octave-decomposed jump, with the theme bass as the direction, as a bright three-time dance step, while his right hand weaved a sweet melody of two parts, the middle part always kept flowing, and the high part kept flowing. Lazy and relatively static, it shows an elegant temperament that cannot eat otherworldly fireworks.

Variation 20, touch technique.At the beginning, Fanning stretched out his hands wantonly, struck keys alternately quickly and flexibly, and played the reverse progression of broken chords.In the 9th section, a new triplet-style sound group appears, sweeping the high and low ranges, and the two materials develop in a reflective way in turn, creating an extremely virtuosic musical image, and finally disappears with lightly decomposed chords.

Variation 21, Canon.The imitation relationship rises to the seventh, and the gloomy color of G minor appears for the second time. Fan Ning pops up the theme with a serious and slow expression, first the ascending fourth scale, and then the descending fifth scale. The chase is like prayer and confession intertwined, and finally the atmosphere falls into silence, ending with the breakdown of chords in a descending minor key.

The other half of the arch structure is gradually completing its closed loop.

The eighth group of genre recurring units.

Variation 22, Gavotte Dance.Fanning presents the theme's bass line again in the most succinct way—one bar, one whole note.On this basis, the upper three voices enter a short and distinct material in turn, and the simple and plain counterpoint method brings a touch of chicness. The whole variation is completed in the regular question and answer, with a distinct mathematical beauty.

Variation 23, touch technique.Fanning adjusted two breathing times, stretched his fingers a few times, and then played a series of clean descending scales with his left and right hands one after another. Embellishments of ornamental notes are interspersed, and finally it turns into a two-tone group with alternating hands, ending on the main chord.

Variation 24, Canon.The imitation relationship rises to an octave, and there is also a low voice background with free counterpoint, but the canon form of this variation is not very strict. Fanning shows the audience its polyphonic lines in a lazy and casual state, as Rest and rectify yourself.

Because, the most dramatic part of the whole song is coming.

"Mr. Fanning, are you finished?" Roy always regarded listening as a conversation, and subconsciously asked.

On the stage, Fan Ning kept his hands lifted from the keyboard, just hanging in the sky.

Or, is he thinking about how to proceed next?

"No, it's not over yet." McAdam's voice came from the front, very soft, but it sounded clearly in Roy's ear, "From his conception, the biggest dividing line is between the 15th and 16th variations. Should be of equal length."

"He seems to be brewing an emotion, or looking for a state..." Vyadrin said with a serious expression, "It's as if he is about to tell about some kind of event that is definitely not worth ignoring."

Fan Ning gently put his left hand on the keys, then raised it again, hesitating to speak back and forth twice.

For the third time, he finally found the feeling of timbre and emotion. He closed his eyes, dropped the key with his left hand, and played a weak but dignified G minor dominant third double tone. A chromatic roundabout, this sound takes a difficult step to the upper sixth, and then slides down step by step like a sigh.

Variation 25, Sarabande, slow triple time.In a previous life, this variation had an alias, known as the "Black Pearl" of the "Goldberg Variations", to imply its extremely unusual texture, color and mood.

At this point in the music, the listeners suddenly fell into grief. On the stage, Fanning’s breath became like a spring, his left hand filled the middle and low voices with pity and deep touch, and his right hand played A slow, dignified, winding melody.

The sound pulls and entangles with each other, and the strong sense of stagnation makes the pace of time moving forward extremely slow and difficult.

"This is a profound life monologue." Christopher's mouth moved a few times, but he didn't make a sound. He felt that various memories in his heart were awakened, and one picture after another flashed through his mind, making people unable to help but think about it. Those that are painful or pleasurable, regrettable or fulfilling.

Under the constant chromatic harmony in the left hand, the light in the church seems to be dimming inch by inch.

The descending melody in the treble area tells of pain, but from time to time, it is mixed with treble notes that suddenly break in and jump upwards. Many of them are outside the mode, forming an out-of-tone modulation without any transition at all, standing abruptly on a high place , the difficulty of finding the way and seeking, and the longing full of pain are really heart-wrenching.

In the last four short bars, the music continued to descend nearly four octaves, and finally stopped at the G sound of the big character group.

The "black pearl" sank to the bottom of the emotional valley, and everyone's spiritual bodies seemed to fall into the abyss. Suddenly, a dazzling light rose suddenly, and a whirlwind of sound carried great joy and radiant glory. It burst out on the stage!

Variation 26, touch technique, 18/16 beat, a very special beat, which secretly inspires the player to adopt a very fluid and high-speed processing method.

The sixteenth notes played by Fanning from the middle range quickly and continuously spiral upwards, and the dominant third double tone in G major, which is struck first by the high voice, seems to imply the improvement of the minor double tone at the beginning of the previous variation. sublimation.

In the 9th bar, the sixteenth note is moved to the low voice, from a lower place - the G sound of the big letter group rises again, and in the 16th bar it brilliantly reaches the d sound of the small letter three group.

This ecstasy that suddenly releases all repression is directly reflected in the spirit state of the audience cheering. The violent light from the will of the world pours down from the height of the church, soaking the whole body on the stage who is playing the extremely fast sound stream. figure.

"The core of the will, the tower of light is right in front of the dream, this is the grace given to me by the 'Endless Fugue', the crown bestowed on me."

As if an electric current touched the whole body, Fanning, who reproduced this great work of Bach, was finally surrounded by the spiritual resonance of a large number of artists, which further changed the intensity of inspiration and approached the high-level level.

He continued to perform in his hands, and finished Variation 27's vigorous Nine Degrees Canon in one go. Variation 28 was written in Courant dance music, with a lively and playful vibrato section, and full of alternate tremolo with both hands. Majestic Variations 29.

Coming to Variation 30, according to the previous rules, it seems that it should be a canon that has risen to ten degrees of imitation relationship, but it is not.As a final variation, Bach replaced the ten-degree canon with a Quodlibet, a genre that combines different secular folk songs with superb counterpoint.

Warm, reminiscent and family-like melodies sounded from various parts of Fanning's hands. After experiencing various rigorous variations before, Bach wrote his own musical philosophy with the simplest secular folk songs: Seeing the glow on the dome, he walks in the world again with a sense of fate to comfort suffering and enlighten all beings. This seems to be a metaphor for the return, fusion and sublimation of divinity to humanity.

The church was silent.

All the prosperity and skills are gone, and the quiet, sacred, and spotless aria resounds in Fanning's hands, as if returning to the original point.

Perhaps in music, there has never been a repetition that has such moderate and ambiguous emotions as here.

Only then did the audience realize that, after 30 variations, they were so eager to return to the aria again that they had returned without knowing it.

All the feasts and gatherings are gone, and the bumpy journey is over. You should be glad, because in the souls of the world, there are divine sparks that were first thrown out from the gathering point. Nostalgic nostalgia.

——It's time to go back to where I came from.

They will not feel that the appearance of the aria is superfluous.

It may not be the end in the true sense, but the beginning of a new cycle, which means the eternal arrival, or the eternal arrival of small but great beings.

Time is homeless here.

The ending sound dissipated quietly, and Fan Ning gently raised his hand.

He stood up, with a serene smile, leaning sideways on the piano to salute the audience.

(End of this chapter)