Old-time musicians

There was no applause in the church, but as Fan Ning stood up to pay tribute, all the audience members stood up one after another.

There are countless ways to recognize such occasions and performances. Listening and standing in silence are the most appropriate ones, and cheers and applause may not be necessary.

The beams intertwine, the particles float, and the atmosphere is peaceful and sacred.

Master Svelink, who was over 80 years old, stood up from the altar tremblingly.

Under the gaze of everyone, he walked slowly to the stone platform on the side, picked up a bouquet from it, then climbed onto the altar, holding the bouquet and presented it to Fan Ning.

"I heard philosophy, enthusiasm and glory, and all sacred things." Swearinck's old voice sounded, and light and dark light and shadow flowed between the wrinkles on his face.

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Fan Ning thanked him in a low voice, took it with both hands, and found that the old man was bowing slightly. He was so frightened that he quickly stepped back and bowed even bigger.

"This is really interesting." Nieman's voice came from the audience. "Although I heard it a long time ago that each variation has 32 bars and can be divided into the smallest bars in a geometric sequence, but I didn’t realize until the moment the last aria ended that Mr. Fanning composed a total of 30 variations, and including the beginning and end, the entire piece of music is divided into 32 parts.”

Schillings on the side said: "When I heard Variation 16, I was confused as to why there was an exception here, why this overture is not a dance genre, and it does not meet the 32-bar rule..."

"Then you realize it's half-and-half, right?" Niemann laughed.

Schillings nodded: "This is the unique structure and scenery of the church vault, and the overture ends at 16 bars. It actually has an extra 32 bars at the top. Mr. Fanning started from 2 The overture in beat /2 turned into a dance music in 3/8 with a small fugue. It actually returned to the normal cyclic structure of the genre. It seemed like an exception, but in fact it was still within the rule. Even He took all these rigorous details into consideration.”

Svelink looked up at the mural on the dome with a distant look: "Yes... On the one hand, it's hard for me to imagine that this lofty sound cathedral only started with 8 basses, but on the other hand, I feel that it should be like this, starting from the very end. Starting from simple inspiration, using rational poetry to express the beauty of rigorous mathematics is the pious and great artistic legacy of the medieval music era. "

Hearing the emotions, analysis and discussions of these three masters, Fan Ning was in awe.

He asked himself about the first time he heard this masterpiece in his previous life. Although he was immediately moved by its wonderful listening experience, his rational understanding of its majestic structure only came to him through repeated listening and his own study and practice in the later period. gradually built up.

Aesthetics is a moment of intuitive impact, but the more you learn about Bach, the more you are in awe of Bach.

And these three masters, without the music score, mastered most of the secrets and details hidden in the notes with just one auditory recognition. The analysis and understanding of this piece of music was also straightforward. It’s close to what I have studied and accumulated for so many years.

Fanning responded sincerely: "It was Mr. Bassani who chose this theme that is closest to divinity, and Sir Viadrin and Master Niemann took the lead in demonstrating the entire process of their search for enlightenment, so that I was able to follow them."

He Meng, who was sitting in the center of the banquet, gradually realized that his previous judgment of Fan Ning's "character" had been underestimated by at least a whole level!

Steadily reaching the level of "Bridegroom" or "Sower", infinitely close to "Blade Bearer"?

Looking at it now, his potential is at least the ceiling of "Blade Bearer". As long as he ensures that the level of creation and performance does not drop, gets more responses, and leaves a wider awareness, he can soon be upgraded to "Lion Forged". ”, when he was 23, or 24 years old!

He Meng secretly compared the artistic career trajectories of Fan Ning and Niemann.

Master Niemann was born in the year 876 of the New Calendar. He premiered his first piano concerto at the graduation concert in 898. The following year, he was judged as a "forged lion" by the discussion group and was nominated. He was judged eight years later. As "Crescent Moon", he received the official title, and thus became the youngest generation of music masters in the world today.

Fan Ning is also at a similar age, and judging from his recent representative creations...

He may be an existence comparable to Master Niemann. He Meng believes that he needs to remind the leader to move his attention to him one level higher among the complicated things.

"Dear Mr. He Meng, I have a bold suggestion." Just then Nieman spoke.

"Master, why should you be so polite?" Although He Meng's expression was always cold, his words conveyed an excellent attitude towards the youngest "Crescent Moon", "As the most precious wealth that the empire and the people are fortunate to have, there is no presumptuousness in your will. One thing to say.”

So Niemann said directly: "I propose that the motion process be started directly to include Mr. Carolne Van Ning in the nomination list of 'Boethius Artists'. This has nothing to do with alumni status."

As soon as the words that went straight to the core came out, the crowd that had been silent for a long time finally began to whisper and discuss.

These mature artists who devoted all their efforts to burn inspiration on the altar never expected that the first nomination slot would be occupied by a young composer who later came on stage to try, and the subsequent inspection process had not even begun. .

The first reaction was human nature, with reluctance and jealousy, but... they really had nothing to say. If this performance was compiled into a sheet music and published, they would buy it for practice and study.

According to the previous rumors, there are at least two nominations this year, and there is still a chance.

... Directly propose a nomination? He Meng pondered in his heart. One nomination was determined without a complete investigation. Although the value judgment and general direction are correct, there seems to be no precedent. Will it comply with the process regulations?

And in this way, the Guidance School has a great advantage.

"What do you think?" He Meng asked to his left and right.

"I second." "I second." The other two masters, Sweelinck and Schillings, expressed their opinions without hesitation.

So He Meng looked at the three profound masters on his left, McAdam, Christopher and Viadrin.

He Meng knew that among the ten famous artists participating in the competition, seven were born in aristocratic or academic families, six were religious, four were related to the imperial factory owners, and two were even related to the royal family. These statistics were superimposed, and the Special Patrol Office had had different degrees of preliminary contact with all of them, and the relationship between the forces supporting them was complicated.

Just as the three seemed to be about to speak out, Fan Ning, who was still standing on the stage, spoke: "Thank you for your kindness, three masters, but it's not necessary."

So everyone's eyes were focused on Fan Ning.

"On the one hand, the preset process of the inspection team has not been completed." Fanning explained, "Another important point is that I went up to the altar the latest, which left me the longest time to conceive. You may not know that from the moment Bishop Mir revealed the theme, in addition to being nervous, I was always holding my pocket watch and gesturing in the audience. It took me 4 hours and 17 minutes to conceive. If I had been asked to go on stage next to Master Niemann, I would have been finished."

Fanning's overly specific time made the crowd laugh.

He emphasized the side of him desperately "racking his brains" and downplayed the side of "swaying inspiration" casually, which more or less made everyone feel more balanced.

"More ample time allows me to think more calmly about the structure of the music. Therefore, I think it is unfair to other artists to determine the nominations based solely on the performance of this theme exploration. Everyone knows that the progress of artistic creation is inherently jumpy and discontinuous. If the friends who went on stage earlier had more time to conceive even an hour, the results would definitely be very different."

...Yes, yes, yes, that's true. The frowns of those people who had five mixed feelings in their hearts finally relaxed gradually.

Although they knew very well in their subconscious that they might not be able to create Fanning's interpretation for a long time, their psychological gap and self-doubt had been eliminated a lot, and they admired Fanning's attitude more and more.

Marquis McAdam took back the words that had not been fully organized in his mind, and looked at Fanning with a thoughtful look.

"Respect your wishes." Seeing Fanning's own attitude, Niemann did not say anything more.

"It's just a matter of a few months, it has nothing to do with the fundamentals." Sweelinck also said, "However, Mr. Fanning, I sincerely hope that you can give this work a name, and sincerely hope that you can spend some precious time to organize it into a score afterwards."

Naming is indeed a meaningful thing, and the audience agreed with Sweelinck's proposal.

If it can be published in the future, it will undoubtedly be an extremely important document in polyphonic music, and it will also become an important repertoire for countless pianists to practice and perform.

"I'll consider sorting it out." Fanning smiled, "But I'm not really good at naming things, can you be more casual?"

"As the creator, your naming at will or at random is the most authoritative will." Sweelink said.

"Then I'll really just let it go. Well, let me think about it..."

Everyone held their breath and waited for more than ten seconds, and then Fanning said: "Keyboard Etude with Aria and Thirty Variations for a Fixed Bass Theme."

Roy in the audience seat couldn't help but burst out laughing, and then buried his head under the bench where he couldn't see.

"Mr. Fanning is really casual... He's really interesting..."

Many people, including the Marquis McAdam in front, felt the same way and couldn't help laughing.

"This name is very good and very pure." The old man Sweelinck nodded very seriously and repeated, "This is another historical event, and we are all witnesses."

And Schillings, who himself is a proponent of the untitled "pure music" concept, greatly appreciated this name at this time, and believed that Fanning had indeed inherited the free and pious legacy of those great artists in the Middle Ages.

The fourth agenda of the condolence event, the discussion of art themes, came to an end here.

It was past six o'clock in the evening, and everyone had finished their lunch. In the following period of time, Fanning received too much attention in free social occasions, and soon accumulated a large stack of business cards in his hands and pockets, including those of artists and upper-class people.

Fanning enjoys talking to people, especially in-depth exchanges in the field of art. In contrast, he doesn't like this kind of social interaction that is too superficial or utilitarian, but he also knows that this is the norm in society, and the art circle is no exception. Making friends more widely can indeed expand one's horizons and help create a greater response in the future. Moreover, today he did meet several masters with outstanding talents and temperament.

Fortunately, he is not as immature as when he participated in Roy's music salon when he was still a student. He has also prepared his own business card, so Fanning spent some energy to expand as many connections as possible with people who feel good when they first talked.

But in the hustle and bustle of the crowd, he occasionally feels lonely.

This feeling has existed since he performed "The Goldberg Variations" alone on the stage. Now, he feels that loneliness still exists in the gaps between conversations, in the contrast between the crowded corridors and the empty and tall arches of the church, and in the dancing candlelight on the altar and the silent flowers.

It's not a negative feeling. In fact, to some extent, I enjoy this feeling.

It's just that the source and cause of this loneliness are worth savoring.

Was Bassani lonely when he was dying? After he passed away, was he nothing? Fanning couldn't answer.

There was still some time before the burial. According to the mourning schedule and the poet's last wishes, the church would arrange a choir, band or organ to perform. First, several musicians composed art songs based on Bassani's poems, and then the "Requiem in A Minor" by the master of classical art Tarakani.

There was nothing to continue to invest energy in, just listen quietly and feel.

The church was brightly lit at night. Fanning withdrew from socializing for a while and looked up at the vault again. At this time, a big hand patted his shoulder.

"President." Fanning turned around and saw who was coming.

"Your spiritual state changed in the later stages of the performance." Viadrin walked around Fanning. "It is indeed hard to imagine that you can achieve such a rich creative harvest in less than a year. Last winter, I heard that you had advanced to the middle level. If my feelings are correct, you may now start to visit the 'Basin Area' cautiously and directly feel Huita's enlightenment to you."

"You haven't started teaching me piano yet."

"You can come to Saint Taran Castle regularly to learn from me... But now that the tense period is over, it is rare to have free time and be amazed by a beautiful woman, why don't you go and talk to Miss Roy from McAdam's house?"

"This is the first time I have seen this kind of vaulted mural in the night light." Fanning said.

"Go up and take a look?" Viadrin pointed to the direction of the high lighting pavilion.

"Okay."

The two climbed the side spiral staircase, gradually moving away from the whispers of the crowd below, and then came to the high corridor and stepped onto the semi-hidden steps.

Viadrin asked: "Are you wondering about the 'Boethius Artist' or the discussion group? Or some secrets about the Enlightened?"

Fanning said honestly: "I learned some secret information from Miss Roy last night, but what I am most puzzled about now is the name and keyword about 'style' that I heard from others many times later."

"The characteristics of artistic personality? Objective artistic attainments? Or a comprehensive evaluation mechanism for the artist's creative achievements subjectively prepared by the discussion group?"

He asked the legendary pianist: "...'style', what exactly is it?"

Viadrin was silent for half a minute, and then brought up a topic that seemed to have nothing to do with it, and Fanning didn't even dream that he would bring up.

"Carlon, have you ever heard of the Abnormal Zone?"