Chapter 132
1st movement, Allegro ma non tanto. D minor, 4/4 time, free sonata form.
Soo-hyun, who had to start playing, nodded. It was as if only he could hear the music.
Rachmaninoff, who was watching the scene, stroked his chin.
'Huh?'
A two-bar introduction for violin and bassoon. He was very surprised to see Soo-hyun pressing the keys just as the piano theme sounded after the two-bar introduction.
"It's as if he has a metronome in his head."
It was natural for Soo-hyun, who was trained by Chopin, who had an obsession with rhythm, to play this, but Rachmaninoff had only made Soo-hyun practice until then, so this was the first time he had seen him play properly.
Soo-hyun lowered the volume whenever a new motif appeared on the clarinet or horn.
'My body balance is not yet right, so I need to reduce it a little more. But that doesn't matter right now.'
The second theme was presented as a piano solo. The development section introduced new phrases as the key of the first theme changed. This was followed by a dazzling cadenza, and the piece was performed on a gentle and wide scale.
Rachmaninoff had a vision of a large orchestra of about 80 people sitting behind Soo-hyun. A silver-haired pianist sitting in front of an orchestra playing magnificent music. Although he was playing alone, thanks to Soo-hyun, who calculated the rhythm of his rests with precise timing, Rachmaninoff felt as if he were listening to a piano concerto with the orchestra in silence.
2nd movement, Intermezzo. Adagio. It was a three-part form in the key of A major, 3/4 time. As in the first movement, Soo-hyun rested at the beginning of the passage that began with the strings and then reappeared with the oboe. This time too, he paused for a precise time and then returned with a solo piano piece. The key changed to D-flat major with the start of the solo, but it didn't feel strange at all.
Rachmaninoff's eyes closed as he played with perfect fluidity.
'The days when I was kicked out of Russia and put on a ship to the United States. I remember the moments when I would go out on the terrace at night and practice in front of a crudely painted black and white wooden keyboard.'
3rd movement, Finale. Alla breve. It was in D minor, 2/2 time, sonata form. Rachmaninoff's eyes lit up when he heard the beginning of the first theme presented as a piano melody over an orchestral accompaniment. Because it seemed to him that he could hear the sounds of real violins, cellos, and violas. But all he saw was Soo-hyun playing the piano alone.
Two themes were presented on the piano, with the key changing to G major. As the development section changed, it changed again to E-flat major in 4/4 time, but it was connected so smoothly that the listener didn't feel it. It was transposed back to F major. After a fast passage, a short cadenza was inserted, and the performance continued without interruption, leading to a coda.
When Rachmaninoff closed his eyes again, an image appeared in his head.
A sea route of over 4,000 kilometers. A journey that lasted a full 66 days. A ship carrying dried meat was battered by storms and waves. A cramped and poor environment, with only a small space to stretch out two legs and lie down.
A man standing alone on the deck, looking dangerously at the sea, despite the wind and rain, full of hope that he would go to the new world.
The blue and black paints created waves by drawing rough lines. The dark blue clouds created a sky as chaotic as a swaying ship, creating a whirlwind. The waves were drawn in deep and dark colors like the abyss. Perhaps it was the anxiety he had at that time.
The rain was expressed again in black on the black sea. Sailors running on the deck trying to prevent the ship from capsizing. A man standing inside, staring at the new continent across the sea.
Deep sea, high waves, rain and wind from storms, dark skies. Everything was uncertain, but the men were different.
He didn't even wipe away the raindrops that fell down his jaw with his face soaked in tears. Because of the man who prayed to see a new land across the distant sea, the painting contained an unknown sense of anticipation and hope.
With his eyes closed, Rachmaninoff was examining in detail the images before his eyes when a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Master?"
Rachmaninoff, who was usually indifferent and blunt, flinched slightly in surprise, unlike him. When he opened his eyes, he saw Soo-hyun looking at him after finishing his performance.
"I'm done playing."
The images that filled his eyes and the music that flowed through his ears and into his head had stopped. Rachmaninoff looked at the boy sitting in front of him with genuine surprise in his eyes.
'Actually, I expected it. A child who received education from Chopin and Liszt from the age of six, and then moved on to Beethoven and Schubert. A child who learned from such people would naturally be able to play a piece that touched the heart.'
Twenty minutes passed as Rachmaninoff, who had been silently staring at Soo-hyun for a long time, opened his mouth.
"I'll give you the next song."
Soo-hyun smiled brightly at his direct words. Beethoven was not the only one who was stingy with praise. Although he didn't praise him for his good work, the fact that he assigned him the next song meant that the work was already complete.
Soo-hyun grabbed Rachmaninoff's thick arm as he stood up to get another goal.
"Master! Hehe!"
Soo-hyun smiling mischievously. The physiques of the two people who held each other's arms and stood up together looked like a father and son.
"Hmm?"
"I did well, right?"
"…"
"You did a good job, didn't you?"
Rachmaninoff looked bewildered. This was because it was the first time that Soo-hyun, who was still young but had always acted maturely, acted cute. He coughed in vain and looked away, but he didn't let go of the arm that Soo-hyun was holding.
Soo-hyun turned around, stood in front of him, and said,
"Piano Concerto No. 3. That's all?"
"What… Hmm," Rachmaninoff stammered, but he didn't deny it.
Soo-hyun smiled slightly and slowly let go of his arm.
"Ah, and I'm going to see the elephants soon!"
'Huh? What on earth are you talking about all of a sudden?'
"Nose, elephant?"
Soo-hyun spoke with eyes full of anticipation, like a child going to an amusement park.
"Yes! Have you ever seen an elephant, master?"
"No. What's that?"
"It's so big! It's a thick, gray animal!"
Soo-hyun said, placing his index finger next to his nose.
"It's a huge beast with white ivory teeth!"
Rachmaninoff, who didn't know elephants, said,
"It must be frightening."
"Haha! No, it has very pretty eyes."
"Are you a herbivore?"
"I think so?"
"Well, it's a herbivore, but it has horns. I said it's big, so it can't be a deer or a sheep. What are its natural enemies?"
"Oh…?"
'Did elephants have natural enemies?'
"There's no one but humans, right?"
Rachmaninoff said it as if he were telling us to look at him.
"Look at that. There are no natural enemies. Only animals like lions and tigers have no natural enemies. They must be frightening animals."
'Isn't this? I felt weird as I was explaining it. Come to think of it, I think I've heard that there are no animals that eat elephants. Junwoo said that a snake that swallows an elephant is something that only happens in fairy tales. Are elephants really frightening animals?'
As Soo-hyun, who was having a hard time explaining because he didn't know anything, just scratched his head, Rachmaninoff quickly stood up and went into the room to get the score. His footsteps were quite fast, as if he were relieved to be free from the difficult aegyo.
Dean's Office of the Vienna University of Music.
Dean Boris, sitting opposite Professor Gruber, asked,
"Yes, what are you teaching Soo-hyun these days?"
"Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand."
Dean Boris looked surprised.
"Huh? It's going to be a tough year."
Professor Gruber laughed bitterly.
"The class is already over."
"…what?"
'What does that mean? I can also play that song. Of course, I started playing it in college, but I gave up because it was so difficult. Even when I tried again after becoming a professional pianist, I struggled for over six months.'
"Is the class already over?"
Professor Gruber shrugged.
"Eight days."
"Hmm?"
"It was finished in exactly eight days."
"…"
'Should I believe this? Both he and Professor Gruber have achieved fame as world-class pianists. But even for them, the concerto was not an easy piece. But Soo-hyun, who had just entered the first grade, finished the song in eight days? It's unbelievable.'
"Does that mean you finished it?"
"No, I mean he played it perfectly."
"Are you teasing me?"
"If you don't believe me, go and see her."
"…"
'This is absolutely unbelievable. But his friend is not one to talk nonsense. His expression is indescribably dejected.'
Dean Boris, speechless, stared at his friend's face. Professor Gruber said with a sigh.
"This is absurd."
"…"
"What on earth are we supposed to teach next semester? I submitted a curriculum that would be difficult to achieve even by practicing the entire school year. It was a safety measure to prevent Soo-hyun from becoming easily complacent. But Soo-hyun reached a point where practice was useless in just eight days."
"Ha ha ha..."
Professor Gruber rubbed his temples as if his head were throbbing.
"He's a child who makes me feel limited as a teacher…"
Dean Boris was surprised once again. He sank into the sofa.
"It must be true, since you wouldn't be talking nonsense with that expression. Hehe…"
"After...."
Professor Gruber just sighed. Dean Boris, who had been silent for a long time, rested his head on the sofa and looked up at the ceiling.
"Lech, did that guy know something like this would happen and send Soo-hyun here?"
'Come to think of it, it's annoying. If you had told me in more detail, I would have prepared the curriculum with all my might. He just said something like, "The silver-haired devil is leaving." His disciple was of no use to him.'
"Come to think of it, the worst guy was in Poland."
Dean Boris straightened his head, which had been tilted back at Professor Gruber's words, and said,
"He's a witty guy."
"He's a lethal guy."
"You're a punk."
"Coward."
Professor Lech, who has gained a world-class reputation. But to the two masters, he was just a disciple.
'He must be picking his ears like crazy in Poland today, having been cursed for a long time because of Soo-hyun.'
Dean Boris, who had been cursing and resenting Lech for a long time, said,
"But it's a good thing the vacation is coming soon."
Professor Gruber sighed deeply again.
"I was worried that he would stay at school and study, but luckily, he said he would travel to Africa. It was a great relief for me."
Dean Boris laughed bitterly.
"A student who makes the world-famous Professor Gruber think about running away? It's probably the first time since the Vienna Conservatory of Music was founded."
"Hehehe… I can't help but laugh."