Old-time musicians

The next day, Santa Ramburg, the Hoffman Records Building.

"Mr. Fanning, you have finally put your plan to record the First Symphony on the schedule."

"To tell you the truth, Prince Louis, who just welcomed you to visit the company, has asked me several times recently when Commander Fanning will release his second album after signing the contract."

In the clean and bright reception room, a gentleman with a big nose and a slicked-back hair was stirring the condensed milk in his coffee: "Music fans have high expectations for it. I believe that after it is released, they can quickly rush to it with their eyes closed." Four star rating.”

The reference for the market response of a four-star album with a proportion of only one in a thousand is the first batch of copies sold or the accumulated copies.

Previously, Fan Ning's Summer Music Festival album was rated as one of the top three-star albums, with 4,450 copies sold in the first batch. As the accumulated market demand from early publicity and performances was digested, additional sales in the following half month were more than 370 copies. .

After all, records, a non-essential luxury product, do not have as wide a consumer audience as other industrial products.

It should be said that reaching the four-star "Legendary Performance" evaluation is only "hopeful" and will take several years. If the timeline is extended longer, the cumulative selection reference standard will continue to be raised.

The main thing is that after all, no matter how well this record sells, the honor will be in vain. Hoffman Records will not get any money!

If "Symphony No. 1" can sell as well as expected, it will definitely cure investor Prince Louis' "depression" of losing the dividends from his last record. He will also receive a record-high bonus at the end of this year.

The eyes of the big-nosed gentleman also shone with the aura of money: "Look, when I bring the artists from the old symphony orchestra here as guests, I have prepared the largest symphony rehearsal hall in advance, and then arranged for the most authentic Santa Ramburg A palace-style dinner.”

"Mr. Chapman, I don't know where my artists are right now." Fan Ning sat on the sofa next to the green plants and laughed. "Today I will record "Arias and Thirty Pieces for a Fixed Bass Theme". "Variations of the Keyboard Etudes", I am considering recording the symphony after the New Year, when the time will be more mature."

"It's also a good plan." Chapman stood up, "I will prepare a solo recording studio for you. If you are in good condition now, you can go pick up the piano with the staff first."

The other party's reception was full of grace and enthusiasm, but Fan Ning's spiritual sense was actually keen to grasp his subtle disappointment.

Although Mark told his colleagues about the performance at the time during his lifetime, the words did not have the inspirational vibration and sound impact of the scene.

Moreover, Fan Ning did not choose their publisher for the music score that had just been compiled, because the one-year contract signed with Pushall Publishing House had not yet expired.

The new executive who was handed over to be responsible for Fanning's affairs is obviously more interested in "Symphony No. 1", which has clearly gained market response.

In the quiet recording room, the light shines softly on the echo-treated wooden walls.

Fan Ning sat in front of the "Boethius" piano surrounded by pick-up electrode microphones. After slightly adjusting his breath, he played the legendary aria again.

I have to say that every time I listen to or perform the "Goldberg Variations", I feel that there are new changes, a new state of mind, and a new divine perspective.

The possibilities for this great work are simply endless.

Bach did not set limits for pilgrims. This work was originally written for a double harpsichord. The original score contains only notes, rhythms, and a few ornamental hints. There is nothing - no intensity, no expression, no speed.

No one can say for sure what should be done authoritatively on a modern piano.

Fan Ning's first performance was radical and tough, with a desire for expression and utilitarianism.

Last night's performance had more of a desire to talk and inner expression. The repetitive part was good for sleeping, but there was a little less variety.

The above are all excellent expressions, but during today's recording process, his speed was somewhere in the middle of the previous two, and he recited Bach's process of building a sound building more calmly.

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When each variation was repeated for the second time, some changes were made in the distribution of intensity, timbre and decorative sounds, trying to explore as much as possible the dialectical relationship between "stylization" and "improvisation" of music in that period.

Completed in one breath at a time, it returns to the perfect interpretation of the music itself.

The efficiency is so fast that the staff are stunned.

"Mr. Fanning, would like to share with you the follow-up work plan for this second album."

After the recording was completed and before going out, Chapman asked the staff to collect Fan Ning's opinions on the rendering of the cover photography, and he informed the record production and release time points, as well as the arrangement of promotional recommendations.

It should be said that his process is very dedicated, and the arrangement of recommended resources is also based on Fan Ning's "great" signing level.

I just feel that this year’s bonus should have been higher. After sending Fan Ning to the arranged car and waving goodbye, the big-nosed gentleman shrugged with a sense of disparity.

He returned to the main office floor with two middle-level department managers.

Production and marketing plans still need to be arranged. For an artist of this caliber, no matter how bad it is, he can still make more money than the damn "buyout system" by releasing a record.

"Sir, I'm sorry I don't know the situation."

"It seems that there is no news about cooperation with us for the time being."

"Mr. Lord Raymond, I'm very sorry, but its publisher is not us."

"Sorry, can I record your personal information? I will contact you as soon as there is progress."

As soon as Chapman entered the large office floor, he heard the professional apologies from the staff answering the phone in the cubicle.

"What's going on? Why do so many customers seem to be asking about something?"

"Mr. Chapman, in recent days, many customers have asked if we have a large keyboard variation score by Carloen Van Nin for sale." The staff replied.

"What a coincidence?" The big-nosed gentleman and the other two managers smiled at each other.

"Mr. Fanning just said that the contract with Pshor Publishing House has not expired yet. You can tell the customers the truth and suggest them to buy there. By the way, give us a preview of our record." Chapman responded casually, picking up the workbook of a staff member who was responsible for counting the call records. "It seems that Mr. Fanning's piano work has received a greater response than expected, which is a good thing. Well, but music publishing is not as profitable as records these days-"

He suddenly lost his voice and quickly flipped through seven or eight pages.

The call records on it were densely packed with call records for the past week, and some of them were written with the names of the old customers behind the callers:

Minister Noel of the Ministry of Culture, Director Humphrey, Adonis, Chief Conductor of the Royal Academy of Music, Uchilo, Master of Virtuoso Piano, Dutoit, Genius Pianist of the Western Continent, Yetus, Editor-in-Chief of Theolian Cultural Weekly

Master Sweelinck, Master Schillings, Master Niemann, Master Zimmermann, Bishop Mir, Bishop Christopher

In addition to the bigwigs, there are also various old customers from aristocratic families.

"Are all these people here to ask for the score of this piece?" Chapman stared at the call record book in his hand with a dull look.

...

Fanning asked the farewell car to drive directly to Santaramborg City College.

"10 concerts? It's enough to support the opening season. Let me perform one of them, right?" A careless voice sounded.

"If possible, I hope to perform three shows." Fanning said.

"Can't the three movements be performed separately?"

"It's three pieces."

"It's three independent pieces of music."

"No, it's three works."

"Single-movement works, a total of three?"

"Three works, nine movements!" Fanning finally found the score he wanted from the layers of documents in his briefcase.

This is a top-floor place with parquet floors, an area of ​​more than 60 square meters, and floor-to-ceiling windows from north to south. Perhaps it should not be called an office, but a whole "office floor".

Its decoration and display are simple, low-key, and full of cultural atmosphere. Looking around, apart from the necessary office furniture, there are a large number of bookcases, musician portraits and plaster sculptures, and two Boethius nine-foot pianos are placed in the middle.

Viadrin is sitting in front of one of them, holding three scores in his hands. His eyes, which are usually as sharp as a knife, now look like he has seen a ghost.

"No. 1 in B flat minor, No. 2 in C minor, No. 3 in C major"

He turned the cover over and over again, then turned his head: "Are you writing piano concertos as if they were cabbages?"

That's why the previous conversation happened.

"President" Fanning still habitually called him, "I'm planning to put your three performances at the beginning, middle and end. Your brilliant skills and the fame of your return will surely maximize the influence, and then other people's violin, cello and flute concertos will be interspersed in the middle field"

"Other people's concertos? You..." Viadrin finally understood what he wanted to do after hearing this.

This guy didn't write a piano concerto as a heavyweight premiere in the opening season. He wrote ten concertos and prepared to premiere ten consecutive shows!

"Carlon, I have to say this." Viadrin's big hand with distinct knuckles opened the corner of the score. "Although many great musicians are known for their high productivity, the works they decided to keep are perfect and exquisite. Unsatisfactory premieres will damage the reputation of both composers and performers."

Of course, based on past experience, he is confident in Fanning's work.

Even if Fanning chose to "go for volume" due to market pressure this time, there should be some highlights. He plans to select a work of the highest level to help Fanning's opening performance "stand up".

Viadrin began to look at the "First Piano Concerto in B-flat Minor" by Tchaikovsky in front of him with a scrutinizing eye.

For ten seconds, his mouth opened wider and wider.

"fa, (b)re, do, (b)xi——fa, (b)re, do, (b)xi——"

Viadlin couldn't help singing the solemn introduction in B-flat minor played by four French horns at the beginning, and then sang the theme in D-flat major played by cello and violin.

His hands began to play the big chords across the low, middle and high ranges on the piano.

Epic splendor and majesty! Brilliant light!

First, 20 bars of column chords, then 4 bars of gorgeous wave, and finally a sonorous and firm theme presentation with dotted rhythm

"You have written something."

All big chords!

It's so cool to smash it!

"Let's go with this one, it suits me very well."

After playing 40 bars, this "Liszt" who is a replica of the old industrial world made a decisive decision.

"How about taking another look?" Fanning said with a smile.

President, with your brilliant skills that are almost invincible, you will sooner or later be promoted to "New Moon" after your comeback. If you are a little slow, it is purely because of the works. These people have not written enough, and they are not exciting enough. I will help you speed up.

Lee Viadlin took down this song and began to open the second booklet from the score of Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor".

"It still starts with a two-handed major chord? Are you prepared for my style?" The first six pages were lined up on the piano.

"Interesting, the previous song was the orchestra in front and the piano in the back, and you wrote this song in reverse, which is interesting." He shook his head and smiled, spread his hands, gently played the first group of f minor chords, and then raised his left hand, as an echo, and struck the dark and solemn f sound in the very low range.

The legendary pianist's brows were immediately tightened, and he was deeply dragged into this strange and oppressive sense of urgency.

In the slow eight bars, the deep major chords gradually approach from the weakest to the strongest, like the dark bells in the distance, reaching the heart and having the power to shake people's hearts.

The internal tension of the chord progression is getting stronger and stronger. After the eighth bar, there are three octaves that are gradually slowed down. The gravity of Viadrin's fingertips is completely released, making the suppressed and tense atmosphere stretched to the limit.

They sink to the bottom of the keys with the weight of the whole body, and are resolved to the main chord of the 9th bar, and then turn into a torrent of sound that rolls and stirs like a stormy sea.

On this basis, a broad, long, and hymn-like band theme melody hums out from Viadrin's mouth.

He has goose bumps all over his body.

What a decisive and abundant emotion, with a majestic epic temperament and invincible power!

And those tender and gentle passages are so sincere and courageous, and so tearful!

Do we need to choose these two songs?

All of them!

Viadrin finished playing the first movement of the second piano concerto at a relatively slow half-cadence, and then he looked at the third piano concerto in C major by Prokofiev.

Yes, all three piano concertos were written by Russian music masters.

This is Fanning's careful consideration. If the Western Continent, the birthplace of serious music, is compared with Europe, then Theolian is equivalent to the vast snowy northern country in the previous life.

All the broad and majestic, sincere and warm, or Hoffman national spirit musical characteristics of the northern continent, music fans will find resonance in these three piano concertos.

After Viadrin tried out the bright and joyful, jaw-dropping and virtuosic passages of the third piano concerto, he finally turned his head briefly.

"Anything else?"

"No more, just three." Fanning couldn't help but feel funny, President, didn't you think it was too much just now?

"If possible, I'll have some next time."

"President, do you think the piano concerto was written for free?"

The conversation had been mixed up at some point.

Viadlin ignored him, turned to the last two movements of each piano concerto, and continued to play with relish.

However, as a pianist of Liszt's skill level, he played this level of music as if it were a game, and the sound was more perfect than others who had practiced for several years.

Fanning stood and listened for almost half an hour, then coughed lightly.

"President, I came here today to..."

The piano sound stopped abruptly, and Viaadlin turned his head again.

Fanning, dressed in a formal suit, stood straight behind him.

"Oh, you are here for class."

"Right, right."

"What do you want to learn?"

He stood up and motioned Fanning to sit in front of the piano.

"Just these."

Fanning had adjusted his posture while speaking, raised his wrists and pressed the keys with both hands, and directly played the major chords at the beginning of the first movement of Tchaikovsky I.

"Dong! Dong! Dong! --" "Dong! Dong! Dong! --"

Vyadlin's eyes widened.

"Good fellow, you wrote a piece of music and you want me to teach you how to play it?"