Chapter 296: Glory
Translator: Kris_Liu Editor: Vermillion
On the municipal square, around the crystal walls, when the several famous singers walked out from the backstage together with the adult and children chorus and stood behind the band in a half circle, people were very surprised.
“What is this? Why is Mr. Fabbrini also here? Is this a chorus?”
Being informed that the last piece was Symphony in D minor, people had no idea what was going on there.
Betty asked Jonna, “Is Mr. Evans gonna add the chorus part in it?”
“Impossible. I’ve never seen anything like this.” A man who was a symphony fan cut in.
Joanna responded, “Mr. Evans is known for being a reformer. His Symphony of Fate and New Country Symphony do not strictly follow the typical structure of a symphony either.”
People were talking to each other, and they were getting even more curious.
In the Psalm Hall, when Christopher saw Mr. Fabbrini and the chorus showing up on the stage, Christopher said with a smile on his face, “He’s gonna add a singing part in the last symphony piece… What a brave innovation.”
Although Lucien tried to make it a secret, it was impossible to hide the fact from the many musicians in the association. Many musicians and instrumentalists already had a brief idea of what Lucien was going to do.
Being used to the fact that Lucien loved seeking for changes, most musicians were taking a neutral standpoint. At the bottom of their heart, they were expecting some new forms of symphony, especially those open-minded ones like Christopher.
“I heard that it’s an excellent symphony piece!” said Natasha confidently, who was always on Lucien’s side. In her mind, she blamed Lucien a little bit for never telling her anything about the new symphonies in the letters. After all, there was no chance that Lucien could finish composing both New Country Symphony and Ode to Joy within the few months after he came back to Aalto.
Othello shook his head, “No one has tried this before. We will see.”
At this time, Lucien, who looked very handsome in his black tuxedo, walked out of the backstage and bowed to the audience.
The whole municipal square and the Psalm Hall became very quiet immediately.
This was the power of a great musician.
Turning around, Lucien stood at the center of the semicircle. He raised his hands and got ready.
Again, slightly closing his eyes, Lucien immersed himself in the memories. He remembered the day when he sat in the crate and saw Lazar wearing the black, double-breasted coat welcoming him, the day he finally arrived in Holm. That day was like a strong beam of sunlight that drove the dark clouds in the sky away!
Without enough life experience, a musician would find it very difficult to present a music piece in the way he or she wanted.
The baton and Lucien’s left hand rose and fell gently in the air like they were trying to catch the original emotions and feelings from afar. Then, the deep and profound melody followed, and the trill part brought the audience the blurry picture of a distant view.
Victor felt thrilled with the trill in his soul, either from the excitement when he heard the melody or from the reverence in his mind toward the deep emotions lying in the music notes.
Victor was not alone here. Including the cardinals, the entire audience had this essential, deep and direct sense of feeling in their mind toward music. The music was grand and serious, as if there was growing power in it, and also as if there was some kind of gloominess hiding in it. It was the great difficulties that everyone must experience from one’s birth to death!
Then, the power grew greater and greater. The strong rhythm shook the audience’s heart like waves. The secondary theme made them feel retained, just like the feeling that no one would like to face the difficulties and one’s fate. The two themes together presented the fighting spirit in the first movement, which was also the main idea of Fate and Pathetique.
From time to time, some more peaceful and gentle pieces of melody were used alternately, signifying the belief that darkness would definitely be overcome!
The first movement lasted for sixteen minutes, and the audience was completely lost in the music. Warm applause burst out. People applauded with great passion to show their appreciation to the movement.
“Grand opening! Profound and full of images! Very outstanding!” Othello finally spoke highly of the music.
Natasha agreed proudly, “If the following three movements can be of the same level, without doubt, Ode to Joy would be able to be compared to other classic masterpieces like Fate and the War of Dawn. What a great concert!”
However, the grand duke was a bit hesitant, “Although the first movement is for sure impressive, I feel that there’s something missing here… say, a climax.”
“That’s true. The structure, techniques, the melody… are all perfect. But it’s not as imposing and overwhelming as Fate, neither as touching as Moonlight and Pathetique,” said Christopher. “It still needs a point that people can remember. Right now, the first movement is like an extinct volcano with magma boiling underneath. The emotions need to burst out.”
“I totally agree.” Victor nodded, since he also felt the sense of oppression, “I’m expecting that Lucien can push it forward in the following movements.”
Count Hayne, Count Rafati and Cardinal Gossett found it hard for them to add any comments here, but they also had the same feeling.
The feeling was in fact shared by everyone.
Soon, the second movement began. Unusually, the second movement did not follow the tradition of using lento but adopted a cheerful and lively pace, as if an army was chasing after its enemy in the mood of victory under the blue sky and in the sunshine.
“Again, he’s not following what we expected.” Christopher had a spoiling smile on his face.
Othello first did not feel comfortable with it, but soon accepted the change here, since, according to the theme of the second movement, he did not have a better way to present the music other than using Allegro, and also Lucien’s way of transiting movements was quite acceptable to him.
The ones on the square who had even a little understanding in symphony had all noticed the difference there, but they focused more on the music itself, instead of on its structure. To them, the second movement was simply beautiful, so the change in structure was deemed as being necessary in their eyes.
The victory continued, but the darkness approached again. Enemies came back again from all directions. People felt nervous again with the fast pace of the music.
The second movement ended in a sense of nervousness. The audience applauded warmly again to encourage Lucien as well as themselves, as if the warmer the applause was, the more powerful they could be to fight against darkness and evil.
No one talked. They were silently tasting the sense of oppression and anxiety deep in their hearts, where the volcano deep within was still gathering more terrifying power…
After a short break, Lucien waved his baton again, and the third movement started.
The sweet and gentle melody made people think. No one ever tried to argue whether this movement should be lento or allegro anymore. Instead, they were simply contemplating. They needed some time after the first two movements. They needed time to think—why were they fighting? What was the meaning of fighting? What did it mean by victory? How did they come all the way here?
Did they ever meet difficulties?
Did they ever feel the sincere joy after overcoming the difficulties?
Did they ever feel that the difficulties in life seemed to be endless?
Did they ever want to give up when facing the difficulties?
Victor recalled the hard time he experienced. It was never easy for him to become a musician. He had to forget everything and lock himself in the room to work on his music, and he had to force himself to socialize with other musicians and nobles to have a chance to hold a concert. However, his first concert was a failure, during which many people directly left their seats… At that time, he was surrounded by bitter taunts and great pressure. Luckily, he had Winnie’s encouragement and then he worked harder ten times more. In the end, his dream was achieved, but he had never been able to see Winnie again…
Natasha recalled her own past. Although she was from a top noble family and had the most powerful Blessing, as if she was especially blessed by the God of Truth, her life as a princess was also not free of pain. Within a short period of time, her elder brother died on the battlefield, and her mom passed away. Therefore, she closed her heart and devoted herself to the hard knight training to escape from the pain. When she finally found her own knight spirit and decided to be brave for her love, the person she loved betrayed her and she had to kill that person with her own hands. Her cousin tried to kill her for power, but, fortunately, she was saved by her friend, Lucien…
While conducting, Lucien was also thinking of the great difficulties he encountered from before, as well as how his power grew out of the process. In the darkness, he never stopped running toward the sunlight and success with hope and belief.
Did they ever feel depressed facing the endless darkness in life?
Did they obtain power and lessons out of it and move forward with an even stronger will, or let themselves sink?
Did they long for brightness and success?
Were they prepared to face the challenges and pain on they way of pursuing them?
In the sweet and gentle melody, people were thinking and asking themselves these questions. They were still waiting, although their full-hearted emotions were almost ready to burst out. They were waiting for the very moment in the next movement to help them let it out.
The third movement ended. People could not wait any longer.
Lucien’s movement of waving the baton suddenly became forceful. The beginning of the fourth movement set off like an erupting volcano, giving all the thoughts and emotions great power to explode and to beat the darkness and all the enemies!
The audience on the square and in the Psalm Hall immediately got encouraged and excited, as if they could see the victory and sunshine ahead of them!
However, the darkness was still lingering, and the great difficulties did not disappear on their own. The fourth movement repeated the first three movements in fragments, and thus again gave people this strong sense of tension.
Victory was not there yet. They still had to march forward! They still need to run toward the light!
The major melody of Ode to Joy was played by double basses, comforting people and giving them hope.
But it was still not enough! Not enough!
People had made their effort, and they were already right at the edge of darkness and light, but they were still not there yet!
The melody of Ode to Joy started to become the major theme of the movement. The different parts of the band were joining together and playing the same song, like countless streams joining together into a great current.
But it was still not enough! Not enough!
It was just like when Lucien first arrived at the port in Holm, but the lid of the crate that he was in was not yet opened. Everything remained unknown and was still in darkness.
All the audience, including Natasha, clenched their fists, waiting for the last moment of victory.
At this time, a baritone sang with his deep and profound voice, “O friends, no more of these sounds! Let us sing more cheerful songs. More songs full of joy!”
“Joy!”
“Joy!”
Like being struck by lighting, like seeing an angel falling, the thrill in the depths of everyone’s soul surged and covered their whole bodies.
The whole space was filled with the passionate praise and the joyful and sacred melody. And the music was going to overwhelm and conquer everything!
“Joy! Joy!”
“Joy, bright spark of divinity, Daughter of Elysium,
“Fire-inspired we tread,
“Within thy sanctuary.”
…
People finally could let out their many strong emotions from their heart, and thus everyone’s soul became light and relaxed, full of the ultimate and sacred joy.
It was like after going through seemingly endless darkness and then finally seeing the first beam of sunlight piercing through the clouds and lighting up the world.
It was like Victor, that after experiencing lots of setbacks and difficulties, finally received warm applause and won himself the victory. At that moment, his eyes were filled with tears.
It was like when the lid of the crate was open, and Lucien saw the blue sky and Lazar’s big smile. His heart was full of all kinds of emotions and he realized that he could finally be entirely free from those worries he had in Aalto. All his hard work and the risk he took finally paid off.
If there was no bitter taste, there was no taste of sweet.
If there was no pain, there was no gain.
If there was no hard work, there was no success.
If there were no great sufferings, there was no ultimate and pure joy like this!
At this moment, people felt that they were shocked deep within their souls, and they were lost in the melody sung by the four parts. They found the ultimate joy with tears in their eyes, praising for the blessing from the God of Truth!
“All creatures drink of joy,
“At nature’s breast.
“Just and unjust,
“Alike taste of her gift.”
…
People believed that Ode to Joy was the praise to the God of Truth. Fabbrini also felt touched by the grandness and the divinity of this symphony. As he was singing, tears streamed down his face.
Since he was born, he suffered from the inhumane operation and forced himself to practice endlessly. For the first time, he felt the ultimate, pure joy given by the God of Truth. His tears were out of joy.
When he could take a short break when the choruses were singing, Fabbrini looked at the conductor standing in front of the band, watching how devoted this young musician was when presenting this great masterpiece to everyone.
What a great musician!
When it was his turn again, Fabbrini sang in an even more sincere and dedicated manner:
“Gladly, like the heavenly bodies,
“Which He sent on their courses,
“Through the splendor of the firmament,
“Thus, brothers, you should run your race,
“Like a hero going to victory!”
Listening to the lyrics, all the cardinals and pastors present, including Gossett, started to cross in front of their chests.
Again and again, the combination of human voices and the band was just perfect!
When the children chorus started to sing “Joy! Joy! Joy, bright spark of divinity, Daughter of Elysium” again, the audience was beyond thrilled when they let go of all their restrains and depression fully and delightfully.
They felt free. It was the ultimate freedom!
The sunlight kissed the whole world, and the world was filled with joy. Lucien’s baton made the last movement, and the symphony ended there in a perfect way.
After a few seconds of silence, people started to get crazy. The applause beyond warm was like an erupting volcano, making the whole space tremble. They could not control themselves but tried to go forward to stay closer to the great musician. They had tears in their eyes. They wanted to kiss the great musician to show their crazy admiration and respect!
Many nobles in the Psalm Hall hurriedly stood up and ran toward the stage.
The people on the square stopped in front of the crystal walls and cried aloud:
“Lucien Evans!”
“Lucien Evans!”
“Lucien Evans!”
They believed that their cry could be heard by this young musician, so he could know how much they loved him!
No concert had ever been crazy like this.
For a second, Fabbrini felt it was like a dream, but soon he realized their great success!
“Mr. Evans… It’s time to give your regards to the audience…” Fabbrini reminded Lucien, since he saw that Mr. Evans was still standing there with his head low.
Lucien slowly looked up, but his face was beyond pale.
After a big smile, Lucien turned around. His right hand was on his chest, and he started to bow.
To the great shock of Fabbrini and the audience, they saw Lucien falling to the floor like a swan that had lost all its strength in its wings.
The scene suddenly turned into black and white in Fabbrini’s eyes. On one side, there were people crazily cheering for the great success of the concert like boiled water; on the other side, the young musician’s body slowly collapsed to the floor.
