Old-time musicians

"Okay, Carol, I'll go with you." Sheeran agreed very quickly, obviously she trusted Fanning very much.

"Uh, you guys..." Joan turned to look at Fanning, then turned to look at Sheeran, her black hair fluttering beside her cheeks, "Carol, are you serious? I think it's a little safer over there."

"Huh? Hahaha..." Cecil looked at Fanning in disbelief, "Fanning, you've written a song recently and you're so proud of it? You'd better have some self-knowledge, do your music research honestly, and strive to graduate smoothly, this is what you should do."

Cecil looked at Sheeran again: "Cousin, I'm telling you seriously for the last time, you are in danger, and then, this kid is useless, he can't resist the mysterious power in the dark, and there is only one result, you don't even know how you died."

Fanning seemed not to hear Cecil's words, and continued to explain to Sheeran: "It's the same during the day recently, don't be alone in a too remote environment, I'll pick you up from school."

"Okay." Sheeran responded obediently.

Cecil suddenly laughed.

"Fanning, this time, and last time, you thought your way of speaking could make me angry. Frankly speaking, I was indeed influenced by you, but it was nothing serious."

He paced back and forth slowly: "You may think that you know exactly what I want in my heart, isn't it just what adults think, right? But in fact, your understanding of me is very limited, and you don't understand what I really pursue."

"It's useless to say more. I won't ask about this matter anymore. May the professor rest in peace."

He leaned over to present flowers, and his salute was impeccable.

Fanning's eyes flashed with surprise.

This guy is not only inexplicable today, but also doesn't play by the rules?

To be honest, Fanning's mentality towards Cecil before has always been a feeling of "a time traveler pretending to be cool and beating up a little villain".

But now, Fanning's vigilance has risen several levels.

But his tone was calm and his eyes were sincere: "Team Leader Cecil, thank you again for coming here today."

Cecil smiled faintly, then adjusted his expression, bowed to the coffin, and then sat down in the back.

After he glanced at the figures on the stage, he took out the pen from his pocket, wrote a paragraph on the note paper, and handed it to the middle-aged man in formal clothes next to him.

"Forward it to Julius, the first violinist of the school symphony orchestra, and tell her that I will no longer interfere with their choice of the first option."

"Sir Cecil? You-" The middle-aged man's voice was a little surprised.

"Go quickly." Cecil gently raised his hand to interrupt, "I want too many things, and it is impossible to be perfect in everything."

Then, he put his thumbs together, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes.

"This is a critical period for my creation. As long as I succeed in the premiere of the symphony, I will definitely be able to break through that barrier and become the youngest knowledgeable person in the family history."

"Fanning, I hope you can understand that you can contradict me on some things, but don't stand in my way on some things."

...

At the edge of the altar, Joan said angrily: "Carlon, you said that Cecil is obviously deliberately making trouble and has bad intentions. Why are you thanking him?"

"One thing is one thing. I'm not talking about people." Fanning explained calmly, "Anyone who comes to Teacher Anton's funeral, I will sincerely thank him."

"As for Sheeran's problem, Joan, I am sure I can protect her. If you two are together, you may be in danger. Thank you for your kindness. I still need to ask you for the news. The recent period is special. You should also pay attention to your own safety. Some things should be done with caution."

Looking at the thin and calm Fanning in front of him, Sheeran felt much more at ease.

Joan stared at Fanning for a long time with her dark eyes, and finally nodded seriously.

Then she circled her hair with her fingers, her eyes flickering.

The funeral of Professor Anton Konar officially began at seven in the morning.

The bell rang, and everyone stood in silence. The priest from the Holy Sun Church went up to the stage to read the eulogy, remembering Professor Anton Konar's past life and summarizing his major achievements in musicology and composition.

The eulogy was very long and detailed - this is one of the attitudes of people in this world towards death. Most people's life span is at least 40 to 50 years, and at most 50 to 60 years. The unfortunate people have a shorter life span. Everyone's life is unique. In the final farewell stage, anyone who cares about the deceased is willing to spend more time listening to everything about him.

There is even a profession called "narrator" in this world, which specializes in helping illiterate poor people and even homeless people to sort out their life experiences and write funeral eulogies.

It was time. Fanning dressed up, stepped onto the altar, sat in front of the nine-foot black Boethius piano on one side, took off his white gloves and put them on the piano.

What should I play for my teacher at the last moment?

During the priest's eulogy, he lowered his head, closed his eyes, stepped on the pedal, and stroked the keys with both hands.

Feeling the cool and delicate touch from his fingertips, Fanning gently pressed the first chord with both hands.

The heavy, solemn, and sad sound of the funeral procession sounded in the church along with the priest's eulogy.

He played the third movement of Chopin's "Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor" (Op. 35).

In the previous life, not many people may be familiar with the full name, but the third movement is very well-known. It is a funeral march.

When Fan Ning was depressed in his previous life, or missing his deceased relatives, he often played it silently and repeatedly.

He even thought that before he died many years later, he would make a will to play this song at his funeral or ask someone to play it.

I feel really sad while playing.

I no longer have any relatives around me in this world. How great would it be if the teacher was still around?

After the strange, mournful and gloomy funeral pace, the middle part of the music is a warm melody similar to a nocturne, which is like a warm memory of the deceased's life, like a nostalgic look back in the hurried footsteps.

With fragile beauty and melancholy warmth.

Fan Ning recalled Teacher Anton’s life:

Thinking of his achievements in ancient music research;

Thinking of his efforts in promoting "Harmony" and "Counterpoint" to become independent subjects;

I am reminded of the twelve piano sonatas, ten string quartets, three piano concertos, one violin concerto, four symphonies, a large church mass, more than thirty art songs and a large number of other chamber music that he composed throughout his life. compositions and vocal works.

Fan Ning also thought of what he knew, the story of Teacher Anton’s ups and downs when he was young, and the loneliness of having only his little daughter by his side in middle age;

Thinking of his short stature, old-fashioned clothes, and devout faith;

I remembered his strange character of being dull yet sensitive, inferior yet confident, trapped yet free and easy;

Thinking of his success in the early stage of his creative career, and the coldness and lack of understanding in the later stage;

I remembered what I heard in his last two symphonies, the sublime and majestic sounds like the movement of celestial bodies.

Finally, I remembered that at the end of his last letter, he wished that he would be "accompanied by music and sunshine in this life."

Fan Ning closed his eyes tightly, and without stopping playing with his fingers, two lines of clear tears finally flowed out from the gaps in his eyes.

The warm memory-like middle section ends, and the solemn and sorrowful funeral pace reappears.

Some mourners in the audience began to sob quietly, and the number became more and more frequent.

"Sheeran should cry, Joan will take care of her." Fan Ning thought to herself.

The wonderful feeling similar to the last improvisation reappeared, establishing a strange connection with the entire audience like threads, inspiration gathered in the upper body, and resonance spread out. He felt that his soul became more powerful and independent, but after his promotion, he became more aware. Before, this improvement was constrained by bottlenecks.

The music faded and ended exactly with the priest's eulogy, and the last lingering notes of the chords lingered for a long time.

The auditorium was silent. Fan Ning took out a handkerchief and wiped his face.

A large number of threads of inspiration resonated and oscillated, and numbers floated in front of me from all directions, continuing to merge into the pale golden subtitles, and finally stopped at [390/100].

I can't imagine how intense this kind of accumulation will become after being promoted to a knowledgeable person, but Fan Ning feels very heavy now.

Standing up slowly, he saw Qiong holding Xilan, about thirty teachers standing at attention, most of the students majoring in music, a few students from other departments, and some people he didn't know. , estimated to be one or two hundred in total.

With sincere gratitude, he bowed deeply to the audience.

The funeral convoy slowly drove out from the west gate of the University of San Lenia.

After a short journey, the coffin was moved to the Lyofenas Garden deep in Oak Street, which is a small cemetery of the Holy Sun Church.

A group of people stood in front of the brand new tombstone.

The snow stopped, and Fan Ning looked at the black-and-white photo of Professor Anton Konard in front of him. He was a middle-aged and elderly man in his forties or fifties, with sparse hair, wide-set eyes, a big nose, and deep wrinkles. He smiled in front of the camera with a somewhat serious and reserved smile. .

The two stonemasons responsible for carving held tools in their hands and asked Sheeran about the content of the epitaph with their eyes.

Xilan looked at Fan Ning.

Fan Ning said without any hesitation:

"His time will come."