Please, come home and practice the piano

Chapter 957 217. A good show never starts early

Let’s talk about it in detail.

Before talking about the details, Ang Lee needs to recall and sort out some things.

This question starts with another song in the final.

Obviously Liang Shan was not in a hurry to get an answer from Li An. Now it was Li An's turn, and he just had to wait quietly.

After about five or six seconds, Li An said:

"I remember that day I was about to get off work when I received an email from the organizer of the Xinhai Cup. The content of the email was the designated repertoire for the finals."

Liang Shan: "Teacher Li Hongchang's memories of Yunxiang."

Li An: "Yes, I took a quick look and thought it was bad."

Liang Shan: “Strange.”

Ang Lee: "Not only are they unfamiliar, there are tens of thousands of unfamiliar scores. Usually when I get a new score, even though it is unfamiliar, in most cases I can tell how to play it after taking a quick look at it. But at that time, I was completely helpless, and I didn't have any ready-made ideas in my mind to deal with it."

Liang Shan: “I have no idea.”

Ang Lee: "I had no clue. It took me about an hour or less than two hours to finish it, but I still had no clue."

After a pause, he said, "There are too many scattered beats in it. I really can't express myself. I don't even know what it is. For example, when we play a Beethoven sonata, what are its three movements like, what is the form structure, what is the theme, and where does it unfold? The whole work is a coherent and rigorous whole. No matter how complicated it is, it has a starting motive."

Liang Shan: "Experience is no longer effective."

Li An gave a thumbs up: "Experience is no longer effective."

Liang Shan: "But on the final stage you presented a work that sounded very rich to me."

Ang Lee: "Now it seems too full. If I play it again, I think I will play it in a different way. At that time, I was not sure whether it was reasonable to play it that way. However, in the process of studying this piece, I found some issues worth thinking about."

Liang Shan: “Oh?”

Ang Lee: "In the early days, I practiced like crazy. Although the results in my understanding were minimal, I still discovered some differences between Eastern and Western works."

“The rules of Western music are actually to split time up and then reassemble it.”

Liang Shan: "Under the rules."

Ang Lee: "Yes, for example, each measure is fixed in two or three beats, and it will never allow even half a beat to be added. Once there is an extra half beat, the music will be forced to stop."

"But our works are indeed inclusive, and such problems will never occur during performance. Although they have relatively more independent fragments and the connection between each fragment is not close, they are almost continuous and peaceful in the process of time. Even if you extend a certain note freely, it will not affect the progress of the whole music."

Liang Shan nodded: "Indeed."

Ang Lee: "To make an inappropriate analogy, time is eternal in our works, but it is the present moment in Western works."

Liang Shan: "It's a very fitting description. You have found a way to crack this piece of work here."

Ang Lee: "I'm still not sure at this point, because ideas are one thing, and putting them into performance is another. Just like music cannot be fully expressed in words, whether ideas can be realized in music still needs to go back to the actual performance."

"At this time, I returned to Mr. Li, the creator of this work."

Liang Shan: "Start from the root."

Ang Lee: "When I learned that Mr. Li had been educated and lived in Germany for twenty years, I knew what was going on. And based on this, I began to reflect on how I should view the performance of Western works."

Liang Shan: "How do you say that?"

Ang Lee: "Before, I always thought about how to play like Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven, but I ignored the fact that I was in another cultural background."

Liang Shan: "You have also been troubled by this problem."

Ang Lee laughed: "It's not that I'm troubled. I don't have high expectations for my performance. I just want to figure this thing out."

Liang Shan: "Does this refer to playing the piano?"

Ang Lee: "Yes, it doesn't matter if I really don't understand it. It doesn't affect my life. Mr. Li's works are an opportunity for me. His works tell me that what is in my bones is objective, even if I have received Western music education."

"There is really no need for a Chinese person to play Bach like Bach"

"Or is this a false proposition in itself? Is it necessary for a German to play Bach like Bach?"

“Who defines what Bach is? Even Bach himself may not be able to give the most authoritative explanation.”

"Bach is the father of Western music, and Western music is a branch of world culture. Culture itself is part of the historical process, and the inherited Western music culture is also facing the challenges of the times at any time."

Liang Shan: "Otherwise, Western music would have ended with Bach."

Li An: "I only dare to listen to these words."

As they spoke, they both laughed at the same time.

After a moment, Ang Lee said frankly: "So back to the second question, I like piano and I also like Western classical music culture. I can refer to how Westerners play the piano, listen to how Westerners play the piano, and study why Westerners play the piano that way, but I don't advocate imitating Westerners' piano playing, because the result of doing so will eventually make yourself lost."

Liang Shan: "Genetic conflict."

Ang Lee: "I don't know about others, but at least for my personal performance, I hold this view."

Liang Shan: "Your teaching must be extremely rigorous."

Lee Ang: "All I can say is try to make as few mistakes as possible. In my opinion, teaching is actually much more complicated than performing."

Liang Shan: “I totally agree.”

Li An: "Because every child has a different personality, as a teacher, I often can't use the same method to teach two children the same problem. What should I do? I can only use the dumbest method, which is to integrate myself into the children's world and become one of their kind, and then find a solution."

Liang Shan: "My son really likes this."

Ang Lee: "Although it is troublesome, doing so will allow me to find a new perspective and see another side of my child. I really like this process of discovery."

Liang Shan: "Maybe you are born to be a teacher."

Ang Lee smiled: "Perhaps, it's the same. Back to your first question, adding Eastern understanding to Western music is also a process of discovery for me."

Liang Shan: “Huh?”

Ang Lee: "It may sound like our cultural differences are not conducive to our approach to Western music, but I think this is precisely our advantage because we can look at these notes more objectively."

Liang Shan was slightly surprised. The answer given by Li Ang was completely beyond his expectation. He thought Li Ang's starting point was fusion.

Ang Lee: "Part of history is real, and part of history is invented, or fabricated through semi-fiction, such as Mozart."

"Mozart's music is always full of joy and as warm as the sun. Some of his works are also used as models for music enlightenment for piano children. I saw a description of the essential difference between Beethoven and Mozart's music, which I found quite interesting."

"It is said that Beethoven used his courage to fight against fate and his giant-like perseverance to knock on the door of heaven with his music. But when he entered the door, he saw Mozart's music playing everywhere."

"How can anyone associate music like this with the Nazis?"

Unconsciously, Liang Shan found that today's interview was heading in a direction beyond his control, but he had to say that Ang Lee's words once again made him feel a little excited.

Liang Shan: "Hitler's ideological needs." Li An: "But who did Mozart hang out with when he was alive? The Freemasons were later labeled heretics, but Mozart was still whitewashed by them."

Liang Shan: "It's probably to prove the superiority of their own culture. After all, no one can deny that Mozart's music is a symbol that transcends culture and race."

Ang Lee: "Let's imagine that if Hitler had not launched the war beyond national borders and simply erased the republican elements in Mozart's music, if he had called for world peace, then our understanding of Mozart's music today would be completely overturned."

"Like Wagner, Mozart will be portrayed as someone who is committed to the rise of German opera and trying to bring Germanic culture to the top of the world."

"We had no idea at the time that we knew he was just another musical prodigy who had been created."

Liang Shan smiled and looked towards the side of the stage, as if he was digesting Ang Lee's words. It was wonderful, really wonderful.

Ang Lee: "As for us, I think we just need to look at these notes objectively. Mahler once said this."

Liang Shan: "The most important part of music is not in the notes."

Ang Lee: “Mahler is also German.”

Liang Shan: “Hahahaha.”

Ang Lee: "Mahler can say that, it's fine, the notes were invented by them, they don't need to pay attention to the notes, the notes are in their blood, but we can't listen to it that way, which of our children doesn't start learning the piano by recognizing the notes."

Liang Shan: “The truth is out.”

Ang Lee: "Not only should children pay attention to notes, but as a performer, I also need to pay attention to notes. I am not a genius, and I cannot rely on self-consciousness to play. The only things that can guide me are the notes on the score and some of the history of music development."

Liang Shan: "Because part of history is true."

Ang Lee: "Hahahaha."

The two burst into laughter again.

After a moment, Li An politely asked, "Editor Liang, am I off topic?"

Liang Shan: "No, no, it's just that I wasn't well prepared. Now thinking about the K414 you played during the music season, I think it's perfectly reasonable."

Li An: "Just a little personal attempt. It was Commander Fang who gave me this opportunity to try."

Liang Shan: "Are you satisfied with the result?"

Lee Ang: “Very satisfied.”

Liang Shan: "I heard you have arranged ten performances this year."

Li An sighed: "Let's talk about something lighter."

Liang Shan laughed: "Brahms may be the composer who combined the classical and romantic styles most perfectly. Have you ever heard of this?"

Li An: "I have heard of it. What do you think?"

Liang Shan was stunned, wondering why the smile in his heart had turned upside down.

Li An pretended to listen: "Actually, when I saw you in the hall just now, I wanted to ask you this question."

moment.

Liang Shan: "Music is a highly subjective art form, so we usually avoid the word perfect."

Li An nodded.

Liang Shan: "But Brahms, whether in artistic achievements or artistic characteristics, has managed to integrate the essence of the two periods in a highly concentrated way in his own personal way."

"We know that Brahms was not a prolific composer, but each of his works was born out of thousands of trials and tribulations."

"What do you think, Mr. Li?"

Li An: "I will probably have to wait until after tonight before I can answer your question."

Liang Shan: "You've made me impatient. How about this? Let's talk about Brahms after tonight's performance. Is it convenient for you, Mr. Li?"

Li An: "I hope I can still face you with a smile by then."

This time even the cameraman laughed.

Liang Shan: "Can we talk about rehearsal?"

Lee An: “Yeah.”

Liang Shan: "If the full score is 100, how many points can you give to Guangjiao's Bo Er?"

Oh my god, how about we talk about Classicism and Romanticism, or even Brahms’ private life?

Li An never expected that if he relaxed a little, Liangshan's "fangs" would be immediately revealed. How could he respond?

"About 90 points." Li An replied.

Liang Shan: “What a high score.”

Ang Lee: "Brahms' symphonic works are very demanding on every voice because they require the music to always remain full."

“If an orchestra can control the sound scale when playing Brahms and not make people feel overly agitated, then in my eyes it is a perfect Brahms orchestra.”

“As the piano part, I was worried at the beginning that the sound of the orchestra would drown me out, but during the actual rehearsal, I found that it was my voice that kept drowning out the orchestra.”

Liang Shan: "Then you should give Guangjiao full marks."

Li An: "But how many points can I give to Guangjiao Bo Er for your question?"

After a pause, he said, "In my opinion, Bo Er is basically a symphonic work. I have never regarded the piano as the protagonist. The piano in this work is just a slightly larger part like other instruments."

Liang Shan laughed again: "So you deducted ten points for the piano part."

Li An grinned self-deprecatingly: "I hope I can get those ten points back tonight."

Liang Shan nodded, stood up and took the initiative to shake hands with Li An again, "Then I wish Teacher Li success in advance."

"Thank you, Editor Liang," Li An said, turning to look at the cameraman and thanking him, "You've worked so hard."

Due to time constraints, Liang Shan had to pause the interview. It can be said that except for the first question, all the questions he prepared had not been asked yet.

It doesn’t matter, his gains are already great enough.

As expected, seeing is believing. This Teacher Li is indeed interesting.

Ninety points, wow, that’s pretty sneaky!
But Liang Shan liked it very much. When he thought back to Ang Lee's insightful comments on the musical culture behind Mozart, he could still feel his pores expanding rapidly.

All that's left is to wait for tonight's concert.

Half an hour later,

"Mr. Fang, this Teacher Li is indeed different."

"That's not nonsense."
-
Two hours flew by.