Chapter 285: Lucien, the Respected Musician
Translator: Kris_Liu Editor: Vermillion
The hall of the Musicians’ Association was the same, grand but quiet. No matter where, the Musicians’ Association was always the most quiet place among all the professional associations, as most musicians and instrumentalists were busy with all kinds of stuff—including training the bands, rehearsal, looking for music sheets in the library and so on. Therefore, very few of them would come to the association in the early morning.
Also, the Musicians’ Association was supposed to be a quiet place to let the musicians stay focused on their music works.
The two young girls behind the reception desk looked sweet and nice. Right now, they were a bit nervously talking to Mr. Hank, who was responsible for the association’s daily routine. Mr. Hank was introducing a beautiful young lady to them.
The young lady was about twenty something. She had impressive, long black hair and a pretty face. However, what attracted people’s eyes more was the white, huge wolf sitting beside her, which looked quiet and intelligent.
“Ms. Louise, we’ll ask other musicians whether they’re interested in nature music, and if we find any, we’ll tell you as soon as possible,” said one the young gir whose name was Polly respectfully to the new musician.
Ms. Louise was the envy of many people who had music dreams, including the receptionist girls. She was born in a noble family and she showed her music talent at a very young age. With the heritage she got and the money she made by playing music, she bought the magic potion and awakened her Blessing, which pulled her closer to animals and nature. This strange Blessing also made her playing skills even better and unique, and therefore she made herself famous over this music festival.
But for Polly, the person who she really admired was Miss Elena. Miss Elena started as a receptionist just like them, but she turned herself into a instrumentalist by working hard and now she was making good money.
Louise smiled and said politely, “Thank you. Music theme that is inspired by mother nature is not common in Aalto. Even Mr. Hank has no idea whether we have musicians who’ve put some thoughts into it. It all relies on you two now. Please ask the musicians for me carefully. Thanks a lot.”
At this time, a young, good-looking man wearing black suit and bow tie entered the hall through the stained glass door, followed by a few young musicians and instrumentalists.
Polly had been working there for a year, but she never met the young, good-looking man walking in the front. Meanwhile, she knew all of the several musicians and instrumentalists following him. Somehow, Polly felt the young man’s face quite familiar.
Hank turned around. He first looked confused, and then a big smile appeared on his face, “Welcome back, Mr. Evans!”
“Mr. Evans?!” Polly and the other girl suddenly realized who this young man was. They saw Mr. Evans’ brand new conducting skills and piano playing skills over the music festival in Aalto three years ago. The two girls were very young at that time, but they still remembered Mr. Evans’ elegance and talent.
“Good morning, Mr. Hank.” Lucien smiled and nodded. After the three years, Mr. Hank seemed even politer and more enthusiastic to him.
When Lucien walked to the reception desk, Polly and the other girl bowed to him excitedly and politely, “Good morning, Mr. Evans.”
“Good morning, Mr. Evans,” greeted Louise, also a bit excitedly.
Young girls in their age sort of spent their adolescence time with the company of Lucien’s music. Therefore, their excitement could be imagined.
Lucien, keeping the polite smile on his face, looked at the white wolf whose ears were pointing upwards and said, “You must be Miss Louise. I’ve heard people talking about your music, and I also heard your music. Very nice…”
Lucien made the hotel band play some popular music works over the dinner last night. Of course, only those ones that did not require a whole symphony band to perform.
“Thank you, Mr. Evans. I still have much to learn.” Louise’s face flushed. For a young musician, a sentence of compliment from a great musician like Lucien meant a lot to her. It was for sure a great encouragement, and it could also contributed to her career development a lot.
After greeting around, Lucian asked Polly and the other girl, “Nice to meet you. May I know if my teacher, Mr. Victor, and Mr. Christopher are here today?”
After finishing his last concert, Christopher has become the association’s honorary chairman.
“Yes, yes… Mr. Evans…” said Polly, a bit stammering. “Mr. Victor is the association’s director now. He’s always got a lot of things to do, especially after the music festival. He’s been working in his office for a while. Mr. Christopher’s also here. Recently, it seems that he has got some new music ideas.”
Lucien slightly nodded. No wonder Natasha asked him to come to the association first. She must have known that, very possibly, Mr. Victor and Mr. Christopher were here.
Lucien also checked whether Felicia and Elena were here today, but the answers were no. So then Lucien walked toward Mr. Victor’s office on the third floor under Hank’s guidance.
On his way, a few musicians who Lucien knew from before all greeted him respectfully.
Before Lucien left Aalto, no matter how big an achievement Lucien made, for those musicians and instrumentalists who witnessed the poverty he suffered before, Lucien was always the poor boy who started with collecting rubbish and working in the library, but then the poor boy suddenly became an overnight “millionaire”.
However, after those three years, Lucien’s talent did not fall like most geniuses who only made an overnight hit for once. Instead, his new music works, especially Moonlight Sonata, which was known as the most touching piano piece, still received huge success.
The fact that Lucien had been away from Aalto for three years left people with a greater room for imagination. Therefore, when Lucien came back, people respected him as a real great musician, a significant figure in the world of music!
Polly and the other young girl watched Lucien and Hank walking away from behind. After their walked upstairs, Polly held her face with both of her hands and said to the other girl excitedly, “Mr. Evans’s even more elegant than I thought! I really wonder what kind of music he’s brought back!”
…
“Good for Mr. Christopher.” Lucien chatted with Hank casually when they were close to the third floor, “He’s still composing…”
Hank nodded, “Although Mr. Christopher has finished his last concert, his passion for composing never stopped. Using his words—it should be called ‘Where there is life, there is music’. After hearing the splendid chorale over the music festival, Mr. Christopher wants to compose a piece of religious music. But you know, among so many religious music works, it’s really hard to make your own music outstanding. Right now, Mr. Christopher’s kind of stuck.”
Before Lucien brought the trend of theme music to the public, religious music played the major role on the stage. Religious music had become the eternal theme of Aalto, after the cardinal, Charlie I, set up the standards of chorale. Lucien believed that the status of religious music would still not be shaken for a long time, and the many classic pieces could hardly be challenged.
“Religious music…” Lucien nodded thoughtfully.
Soon, Lucien and Hank came in front of the door to Victor’s office.
“You might want to knock the door yourself, Mr. Evans… to give Mr. Victor a surprise,” suggested Hank.
Lucien agreed and knocked at the door gently.
Then, he waited in front of the door. With his sharp listening, Lucien heard that Victor was slowly walking toward the door.
Mr. Victor’s manner was still the same, which never changed after he became a director. Most directors would ask behind the door first to see who was visiting, and then decide whether they wanted to open the door.
The door slowly opened. Victor’s face also did not change much over the three years—light mustache, black curly hair, blue eyes. A man in his age was neither like a youngster who changed his look all the time, nor a man over fifty who aged very fast.
Victor looked in quite good spirits. The gloom he had before now turned into piece and calm, probably because the completion of Love Symphony had comforted his soul.
Seeing the young man standing in front of him, Victor first looked a bit confused. Then, he scanned the young man from head to toe, as if he was making sure if the young man was real.
After that, Victor reached out his right hand and put it above Lucien’s right shoulder. After a slight pause, Victor patted on Lucien’s shoulder and said to him in his low, gentle voice, “You’re back… Good… You’re back.”
Although his voice still sounded calm, Lucien could tell his excitement and joy from the hand on his shoulder.
Lucien felt the true emotion from the hand, trembling and grabbing his shoulder a bit hard. When his heart was filled with bitter nostalgia and joy, the melody that Lucien had been working on for a long time became complete.
True music came from true feelings.
