Old-time musicians

"Join the chorus? The next symphony?" Luo Yin's eyes widened and his eyelashes flickered, "Mr. Fan Ning said that he wanted to join the chorus during the writing of "Second Symphony"?"

"That's what it means." Fan Ning's eyes still stayed in the direction of the choir, "What do you think will happen?"

"There will be doubts. Questions from all sides, at all stages, with tacit associations."

"Are you there?"

"Of course there won't be me," she said, her tone quickening slightly for emphasis, "but there will be everyone else."

"The composers at the beginning of the Romantic period were overwhelmed by the tremendous pressure brought by Gilles when composing symphonies. Any Symphony No. 1 in any period of their artistic career will be heavily criticized. Peers, appreciators and music critics have compared themselves with this master of authenticism. Their common step before creating is not to conceive of inspiration first, but to build up their own psychology first."

"Mr. Fanning, you are only 23 years old, one year older than me, and you are just about to write the Second Symphony."

Fan Ning lowered his head and smiled helplessly. He admitted that Luo Yin was right.

In the previous life, there was a great master, Beethoven, and here there is a great master, Gilles.

Beethoven was not the first to add chorus to the Ninth Symphony (125). Long before writing "Beethoven", he created the "Choral Fantasy in C minor" (80) with an experimental attitude. His works The context basically follows the same vein of "pain-blocking-meditation-joy-transcendence", and the chorus theme sounds basically the same as "Beijiu".

Although this work is also written by a master, its ideological depth is naturally not as good as that of "Bei Jiu". Moreover, due to insufficient technical accumulation, Beethoven temporarily took out the piano as a medium for dialogue between the band and the choir. It is not so much a "vocal piece". Symphony" is actually closer to "Piano Concerto with vocals".

But from the perspective of experimental works, Beethoven was undoubtedly a pragmatic master. He did not aim too high right from the start. Instead, he started by exploring the possible integration of symphony and vocal music, gradually paving the way for the success of the Ninth Symphony. The last movement of "Beijiu" is composed with the lyrics and music of the German poet Schiller's "Ode to Joy", creating a majestic, solemn, philosophical, and magnificent ode that explores and pursues the ultimate meaning of human beings. It is the greatest work of his artistic career. This work is also the pinnacle work of that era.

From 80 to 125, Fan Ning in his previous life often used this example to demonstrate that "composing the sublime is by no means just a moment of inspiration from a genius." Greatness like Beethoven is also due to perseverance and diligence, as well as pragmatism and piety towards art. Achieve immortality.

Now in this world, as a master whose death marked the end of the period of Authenticism, Gilles also experienced a similar trajectory. His attempts to integrate vocal music into symphonies began with the Seventh Symphony, starting with small It started with two pipes + solo, then returned to three pipes + four choruses, and finally the huge scale of three pipes + quartet + two mixed choirs was written in the "Ninth Symphony".

The latter is also recognized as Gilles's highest achievement in the field of symphony, the pinnacle of his artistic career and a systematic summary of his lifelong techniques.

The discussion group believed that it was Giles's Ninth Symphony that elevated him to the position of "Torchbearer". His single-handed influence during and after his life made the spread of the abnormal zone lag at least two times behind what it would have been without him. century.

In this world, it is a great monument that is insurmountable and must be talked about when discussing music.

Although the achievements of romanticism so far have allowed composers to initially get rid of Giles' "shadow" and initially establish "vocabulary confidence", everyone has taken a different approach.

No one dares to choose to sublimate the work by adding a chorus to the last movement of the symphony.

Its nature is equivalent to picking up the microphone and announcing to the world, "I am ready to challenge Gilles's "Ninth Symphony, everyone, please stay tuned", or "I am ready to pay tribute to Gilles's "Ninth Symphony, everyone watch". I don’t know how to learn it.”

No matter which interpretation it is, it has taken a lot of effort and endured the greatest pressure and doubts.

According to Fan Ning's understanding, if a master who has entered the late stage of his creative career makes such a decision, then everyone's evaluation may be "respectable courage" and "a heroic act."

But 23 years old, "Second Symphony"? This may be "crowd ridicule".

"Why don't you wait a little longer?" Luo Yin tried to make a suggestion, "Mr. Fan Ning is still young. People who like you can afford to wait until '9th', even if it's only until -"

"Shh." "Yeah."

Seeing the conductor on the sacrament table raising his hand again, the two of them tacitly paused their brief, whispered discussion.

The prelude to the next act of the "Requiem in A minor" began to echo in the church.

It was almost 11 o'clock in the night, and Fan Ning was still impressed by the shocking expressive power of human voices uniquely created by master Tarakani.

Before attending the mourning event for the poet Bassani, Fanning had never experienced such a direct and strong aesthetic impact of vocal music.

From Master Niemann's free-spirited singing with organ accompaniment, to listening to more art songs, and now to listening to large-scale religious requiems in person.

Noble, holy, every syllable is filled with the glory and fragrance of divinity.

The thought in Fan Ning's mind is being reinforced over and over again:

"A symphony should be all-encompassing. A symphony should be like a world. My artistic career will inevitably be spent in the complex process of constructing and constantly revising huge symphonic works. As for poetry, the poems written by those admired poets, if they can become a reserve of my intentions, concepts and musical ideas, it is difficult for me to call and control them. It is difficult to accumulate materials and transform vocabulary, but perhaps only in this way can my "Symphony No. 2 in C Minor" support the macro narrative of the discussion of death."

"Don't write like that, it will fail." On the other hand, Gilles's various portraits, bronze statues and sculptures appear in front of him from time to time.

The symphony is already complicated enough. Why not use instrumental music to complete your accumulation and gain more recognition from music fans?

Today, Fanning finally feels how uncomfortable Brahms was when he wrote the symphony. No wonder he wrote the "First Symphony" for 21 years.

Fanning is convinced that such an attempt is not as good as bringing "Beethoven's Ninth Symphony" directly into the world. Let Beethoven and Gilles, the two "torch bearers", fight each other, and the "chance of winning" will be much greater than it is now.

Three roads are laid out at my feet, and I don't know which one to take.

The Requiem ended, and the time indicated by the poet for the transition from the old to the new is approaching. The convoy carrying the coffin left the church's preaching square and headed for the Tulip Central Cemetery, which is about a 15-minute walk away.

As if it was similar to a scene nearly a year ago, Fanning walked silently among the crowd.

If it were on a normal day, the Tulip Central Cemetery would be lush with trees, magnificent, and crisscrossed with marble monuments, but it was difficult to see its shape at midnight. The surroundings were dim and silent, and only the epitaph on the brand new stone monument nearby could be seen in my eyes. It was the declaration that the poet issued to the world when he was 16 years old.

Poetry is a rebellion against language.

Bishop Mir's introduction before the performance of the Requiem once again emerged in Fanning's mind.

"Everyone must follow the free will of his heart to produce truth again and again, otherwise he will wither. Even if it is not the ultimate truth, at least he will not be judged as disqualified by history."

Free will?

Fanning once again clearly realized that adding chorus to the symphony was what he had been looking for since he wrote the first key signature of C minor.

Although "Beethoven's Ninth Symphony" is great, his understanding of life has not yet risen to the level of "the ultimate joy of the universe". This is not the current free will. At this stage of life, what he wants to explore is different from "Beethoven's Ninth Symphony".

Although exploring death is also a grand narrative, Fanning has a hunch that he will explore it more than once in his artistic career.

"Your audience may be more than you think at the concert on the evening of the 21st." When saying goodbye, Marquise McAdam said something meaningful to Fanning.

A certain number of internal tickets will be reserved in the honored guest seats for each performance, inviting celebrities of higher status to attend.

"Even if there is only one audience, you have to be responsible for it when performing, right?" Fanning smiled calmly.

"Luo Yin, you take Mr. Fanning back. The car is waiting at the baptistery in the northwest of the square." McAdam waved his hand.

"Okay, Dad, goodbye, Mom."

Looking at the backs of the two in the night, McAdam's serious face showed a thoughtful look.

"What's even more incredible is that Mr. Fanning politely declined the nomination suggestions of the three masters. When there are only more than 100 nominations for the "Boethius Artist" in the world, is he so calm?"

The Marquise next to him smiled and said, "The masters' vision is certainly not wrong. A 23-year-old quasi-"Forging Lion" high-level artist. Just like this, the premiere of this violin concerto is even more lively."

In the early morning, the summer breeze blew into the car window, and the street scene and lights quickly retreated from both sides.

"Do you want to eat something? I know a few good late-night restaurants or taverns in the imperial capital." Luo Yin, who was sitting upright next to him, asked.

"Will you go to the tavern too?" Fanning still looked out the window. At this time, 90% of the pedestrians on the street had gone, but the city buildings of Santaran Castle were still lit up.

"Very few. It depends on the situation and the level."

"Let's go another day."

"Well, you seem to have made up your mind just now." The girl continued to talk about music.

Fanning turned his head and looked at her.

Luo Yin looked into his eyes: "It should be when the funeral is returning. It seems that the coffin is buried, the new tombstone is erected, and the next moment when the team turns around, a new state of mind is derived from the original emotion."

"You observe very carefully."

"Am I right?"

"Use chorus." Fanning nodded directly.

As long as you write what you want to write, why not?

Before, when I looked up at the murals on the dome of the church, the buzzing feeling with squeezing and trembling was also the a priori revelation before this impulse came.

He held the handrail on the side of the roof, and the cool wind poured in from his sleeves, washing his clothes, making his cheeks and skin feel inexplicably cool and refreshing.

"Do you have a text in mind?" The girl's hair fluttered, and her response was equally direct.

The message that Fanning conveyed to her was very decisive, which meant that the decision had indeed been made.

She felt that this was a high-level artistic discussion. Although it was Fanning's mental journey, she was also the witness who was asked.

"No. However, there is always an impulse first and then an idea." Fan Ning said.

"You are smiling slightly."

"Yes, what?"

"That's not the case the whole time before."

Luo Yin touched the tip of his nose with curiosity: "Well, of course, most of the participants were relatively restrained. Although the poet's condolence activities were informal, since it was a funeral, the general tone was always solemn and solemn. And now it’s finally over because of a successful performance and an upcoming nomination? I’m also very happy, which was something I didn’t expect during the exchange last night.”

"Or was it because of the difficult decision to join the chorus?"

"No, it's the second movement." Fan Ning said.

He stretched out, loosened the first button of his shirt, stretched his legs towards the front of the cabin, and changed into a more comfortable posture that was lower down.

"Really!" Luo Yin's eyes lit up, feeling slightly excited for Fan Ning, "Then you solved two problems at the same time. If the first movement is in C minor, what key is it probably in?"

"Maybe it's A flat major," Fanning said.

Just like the tonality of the warm and cantabile second movement after the conflict-filled first movement of Beethoven's "Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor" "Pathétique."

"But you told me that the first movement is a funeral, a giant's funeral with solemnity, solemnity and torture. Why is the inspiration for the second movement such a musical character?" The girl noticed it particularly keenly.

Fan Ning sat up slightly and explained to her seriously: "You are attending the funeral of a close person. It cannot be a person who is unforgettable like a true love. It is best not to have huge grief caused by unexpected blows or misunderstandings. Usually it is an old friend, an old friend, a person who has died well, or a hero-like figure that you admire, and it is better to have appropriate feelings of sadness or desolate haze."

"Then, maybe on the way home, a picture of a warm moment suddenly appeared in your mind. It was a long time ago. Although you have not forgotten it, you rarely think of it. It is like a ray of bright sunshine or a refreshing breeze. , there are no clouds or fog, so you may almost forget what happened just now, for a short time.”

Fan Ning smiled at her as he described it.

"This is my second movement."