Chapter 66
Warsaw, Poland.
"Ah, I see. I understand. Thank you for letting me know. Please stay in touch," Professor Lee Chan-ho said before hanging up.
Professor Lech of the Warsaw Conservatory put down his phone and stared at the screen. Although irregularly, he continued to receive information about Soo-hyun's education.
"Beethoven Competition," he murmured. "The one for children is Chopin, and for teenagers, Beethoven. It's an excellent way to build a career. But this time will be different. Teenage prodigies grow by the day. Their skills don't differ that much. It won't be easy for Soo-hyun, but I'm looking forward to it. I also wonder how Korea, which made me let him go, is raising the child."
Professor Lech pressed the intercom.
[Master, please bring me my schedule for late November to mid-December.]
An assistant handed him the schedule.
"I will postpone my attendance at the November recital. I would like to change my itinerary to Bonn, Germany. Could you please arrange the plane ticket and accommodation?"
"Yes, Professor."
When the assistant left, Professor Lech called someone.
"Professor Hermann? It's Lech from Warsaw. How are you? I'm contacting you to see if all the jury positions for this Beethoven Competition have been decided…"
Tap, tap, tap!!
"Not like that, you idiot! How can a genius be someone like you?" Beethoven shouted, hitting the piano with what looked like a baton.
'I think I did something wrong again.'
Chopin and Liszt used to be kind but strict. Although Soo-hyun was used to being scolded, it was the first time a teacher had yelled at him so loudly. He cringed.
"Piano Sonata No. 7 in D major, Op. 10, No. 3. Isn't it supposed to be played like this? The first movement, Presto, is performed in unison…" Soo-hyun explained, pouting.
Beethoven's expression grew fiercer. As Soo-hyun's voice trailed off, Beethoven shouted:
"This son of a bitch! If he studied with Chopin and Liszt for so long, of course his technique would be perfect! I'm talking about emotions, emotions! Don't let them consume you, you consume them!"
Soo-hyun looked resentful. The emotion of this song was melancholy. Even if no one explained it, it could be felt. To avoid being scolded again, he had practiced over and over, letting go of the poetry in his heart.
'Did I not convey them to Beethoven? What's the point of expressing them again?'
Beethoven threw a bundle of sheet music at him.
"Enough, you hooligan! That's all for today. Go home and practice some more. If you're still like this tomorrow, I'll make you practice until your fingers break!"
Soo-hyun looked sad.
'Hey, how can I practice more here? Could you explain it more kindly?'
Beethoven went into the cabin and slammed the door. Soo-hyun, who had been kicking the snow, silently opened the door back to the school's practice room.
Sigh.
'I thought I had practiced a lot, but I always get scolded.'
As Soo-hyun sat down on the piano stool, Professor Lee Chan-ho came in.
"What's wrong with you today? Are you still tired?" he asked, seeing his frown.
"No."
"Then? Is something worrying you?"
"I'm not good at practicing."
Professor Lee Chan-ho smiled.
'Because I felt I finally had a chance to teach him something.'
"Try playing it. Let's see what the problem is."
Soo-hyun sighed, placed his hands on the keyboard, and closed his eyes. Piano Sonata No. 7, Op. 10, No. 3. A song full of melancholy.
'Let's express sadness, sadness.'
He overflowed with melancholy through poetry. As the performance began, Professor Lee Chan-ho's expression hardened. When it ended, he slowly shook his head.
"Wrong."
Soo-hyun looked surprised. Beethoven and the professor shared the same opinion.
"What's wrong with it? Tell me exactly, Professor."
The professor uncrossed his arms and pressed the button on a recorder.
"Try playing the same piece again."
'Why are you turning on the recorder?'
Skeptical, he did as he was told. The professor gave another order.
"This time, try playing it completely mechanically. Leave all emotion aside."
Soo-hyun's eyes filled with doubt again.
'Weren't you, the professor, the one who taught us that such performances can't move people's emotions?'
The professor gestured to the recorder. After finishing the mechanical performance, the professor handed him a pair of headphones.
"Listen."
Soo-hyun put on the headphones with a dissatisfied expression. The professor watched him. Soo-hyun's eyebrows furrowed as he listened. His expression gradually distorted, until it finally turned sour. When the emotional performance ended and the mechanical one began, Soo-hyun's face started to light up. Lee Chan-ho smiled. When Soo-hyun took off the headphones, he said:
"How is it?"
"The second one…"
"Did you feel it?"
"Yes, Professor. Why did it turn out like that?"
"Tell me how it was."
"The mechanical performance was much more pleasant to listen to. The emotional performance made the notes lengthen and shorten. I understand what I wanted to say, but the overall balance of the performance was broken."
Professor Lee Chan-ho snapped his fingers.
"That's it. You got it."
Soo-hyun tilted his head.
'That's why Mr. Beethoven was so angry. But I tried to express my emotions as best I could. Yelling like that was too much.'
"Why… is it like that?"
The professor smiled.
"Remember when we met and talked about sadness? What did I say?"
"That sometimes a silent cry is sadder than a loud one."
"Yes, I remember."
"Why is that?" asked the professor, touching his shoulder. "The reason a silent cry can be sadder is because of the restraint of emotions."
'Emotional restraint? What does that mean?'
"Catharsis is when you are moved to tears by music, but you feel as if a corner of your heart is purified. That is something only allowed to those who listen. An artist should never do that. Look at this."
The professor played a video on his phone. A male singer appeared on stage. Soo-hyun watched as the man, singing a sad song, became so absorbed in his emotions that he shed tears, lost his voice, and finally bowed his head and cried. The fans shouted, "Don't cry!"
'This is no longer music.'
"That's right. A singer's instrument is their voice."
"But I don't raise my voice."
"The only difference is the instrument. Uncontrolled emotions are transmitted to the other person and are destroyed by themselves."
Soo-hyun looked back at the video. The singer was sobbing. No sound was coming from his microphone anymore.
'Don't let your emotions consume you. They will consume you.' Beethoven's voice echoed in his head. '[I didn't show you this so you would be consumed by it, you idiot!]'
'Don't be consumed, you consume them.' That's what it meant.
Soo-hyun asked, looking away from the video.
"What do I have to do?"
Professor Lee Chan-ho smiled slightly.
"Let's start now."
He waved his fingers wildly.
'Is it an illusion that he seems unusually happy?'
The professor spoke aloud, as he scribbled on a whiteboard.
"First, we need to learn about emotional control!"
Soo-hyun's expression as he looked at the professor, who seemed excited about something, today seemed empty.