Chapter 15, Song 15...
The game order was arranged according to proficiency. The first player was Xiang Min, who had just acquired a wooden wind instrument and randomly selected a song.
Xiang Min looked at the title and had a terrible headache. It was the third movement of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata". The piece was very fast-paced. He had tried playing the instrument in his hand, but he couldn't get the rhythm right, and he couldn't control the pitch either.
She could only barely imitate it. Xiang Min struggled to play a piece of music that sounded hoarse and mocking. Qu Jiaying was second, but she couldn't figure out what it was for a long time. There was no tune or rhythm. She blankly played a piece for the next person.
Yan Zheng unmuted the music, listened to the tuneless piece, frowned and thought for a long time, and then dejectedly played two bars for the last piece, Yue Yi.
Xiang Min covered his face, realizing that from the moment Qu Jiaying passed it on, it had absolutely no connection to the original work.
Le Yi gave an OK sign, set up his violin on the other end of the video call, and accurately played the third movement of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata".
"You actually got it right!" Xiang Min was extremely surprised.
Qu Jiaying and Yan Zheng were equally surprised: "You actually recognized this song?"
"After all, it's a famous piano piece, so I can still guess it. If it were a clarinet or harp piece, I wouldn't be able to guess it," Le Yi said with a smile.
In the second round, the pieces were played backwards. Le Yi drew a piece first. He looked at the screen with a troubled expression. This piece, "Libertango," was by the Argentine composer Piazzolla from the last century. He hadn't heard it much before. Moreover, it was an accordion piece with a distinctive style, combining classical music, jazz, and tango.
Yan Zheng listened to a few sections of Le Yi's music and found it unfamiliar. It felt somewhat like the style of "Carmen," but not quite the same. He frowned and imitated it once.
Qu Jiaying played a little bit with one finger, but she couldn't hear it at all and could only try to imitate the rhythm.
Fortunately, Xiang Min had a wide range of interests and had absorbed various styles of Piazzolla, so he immediately told him the title of the piece. Unfortunately, he couldn't play it with the wind instrument in his hand.
"Oh, it's this piece? I really didn't recognize it," Qu Jiaying said, feeling frustrated.
Le Yi apologized: "It's my fault for not listening to enough music usually, otherwise it would have been more or less accurate."
Yan Zheng suddenly realized: "No wonder it felt like 'Carmen'."
"Actually, when you think about it, the bold and innovative works since the 20th century are quite interesting," Qu Jiaying exclaimed.
Yan Zheng scoffed: "At most, I can only accept Shostakovic."
“His works do fit your style, being quite serious and profound, but due to political influences, many of his works are not as avant-garde,” Qu Jiaying said with a smile.
Xiang Min interjected: "Everyone has been innovating all along, but since the last century, they have become bolder. In art, there is Impressionism, and naturally there is music as well. Some pursue avant-garde forms, which may not be so pleasant to listen to, while others choose to integrate the characteristics of different ethnic groups. There are many schools. Jia Ying, if you want to know more, I can tell you."
“Okay, I’ve been playing a lot of famous pieces lately, and I’m really tired of them. I haven’t listened to or practiced many pieces from the last century. Can you recommend some for me to listen to first?”
"What have you been practicing lately?" Le Yi asked curiously.
Qu Jiaying said irritably, "It's all because of our good conductor. I took him to perform at Chen Li's bar, but he didn't want to play pop songs. He just kept practicing Carmen, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, Brahms' Hungarian Dances, and those classic pieces by the Strauss family."
"Isn't it very effective? The patrons all love it. Yang Jingyi said the attendance rate has increased," Yan Zheng said. "You'll have to get used to it. If you become a soloist in the future, you'll definitely be playing these pieces often."
Qu Jiaying was happy that he was so confident in himself, but at the same time she was both angry and amused: "You did it on purpose. You just can't accept any new music at all."
“Conductors and performers are inherently more outdated than composers. There may be many theories and schools of thought within the industry regarding classical music, but in the eyes of ordinary people, classical music is simply the classic pieces that frequently appear in different films and television shows. Once it gains recognition within the industry and wins first place in an international competition, it needs to be presented to the general public,” Yan Zheng explained his reasoning.
"So, I should thank you?" Qu Jiaying sneered.
Actually, she understands this principle. Classical music is not just something that circulates among industry professionals. Whether it's a symphony orchestra or a soloist, concerts are held for the general public. The New Year's Concert held at the Golden Hall every year mostly consists of pleasant and lively waltzes, rather than avant-garde works that are not well understood by the general public.
But she didn't like Yan Zheng's attitude, as if everything could be calculated, and that music shouldn't be so utilitarian.
Le Yi quickly smoothed things over: "Let's keep playing the game. It's only been two rounds, let's continue."
Qu Jiaying and Yan Zheng played a few more rounds. Xiang Min carefully observed the two of them. Before logging off, their atmosphere returned to normal. He was somewhat envious of such a relationship. He had no such experience in his life. Once they quarreled, they would never continue to associate with each other. Last time, if Qu Jiaying and Le Yi hadn't mediated between him, he would most likely have quit.
Xiang Min turned off his computer, took his toiletries, and went to the courtyard. The PhD student who lived in the same room as him and studied ethnic history was mingling with the villagers, even though he had only arrived yesterday.
Xiang Min declined the invitation to drink together. After washing up, he returned to his room. Still not sleepy, he looked up at the bright full moon. Qu Jiaying must look beautiful playing the violin here in that green dress.
He picked up the wooden pipe again and blew on it casually.
The lonely melody overflowed, accompanied by the chirping of cicadas and the croaking of frogs. Moonlight spilled across the pond and fell into the noisy courtyard, making the sounds seem very far away.
Xiang Min smiled quietly. He quickly wrote it down, thinking that adding a soft drumbeat might be even better.
Yan Zheng, on the other side, didn't rest either. He closed the piano lid, let out a long sigh, and his ears drifted back to what his parents had taught him since he was a child: if he couldn't play the violin well, he could switch to the viola; if he couldn't play well, he could switch to conducting. His family had connections, and as long as his level was professional enough, they could arrange everything for him.
It would be fine if he had no talent at all, but the fact that he has one is the most unfortunate thing.
His attacks on Le Yi all stemmed from his self-loathing. What made him even more disgusted with himself was that he utterly despised his parents' ways, yet he would still pass them on to Qu Jiaying.
Yan's mother told him to rest early, while Yan's father nagged him about why he hadn't studied the sheet music tonight.
Yan Zheng gave them a curt reply, went back to his bedroom, lay down, put on his headphones, and played Qu Jiaying's Symphony No. 5 for what felt like the umpteenth time.
Qu Jiaying, who is being missed, is feeling complicated. She has just received a message from Chen Li.
Grandma Chen Fang passed away. In her final moments, she was somewhat lucid and heard the call of fate, but she no longer had the strength to fight back.
"Her bow is still here. She said she would leave it to you. Play one more song for her."
A note from the author:
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