The Healing Life of a Music Genius - Chapter 42



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42 espresso

* * *

Franz Liszt, the representative composer of the Romantic era.

Along with Chopin, who is called the poet of the piano, he is one of the figures who had a great influence on the history of the piano.

Liszt was greatly inspired by Paganini, who was considered the best violinist of his time. After seeing his concert, Liszt arranged the theme of the 3rd movement of Violin Concerto No. 2 for piano, creating ‘La Campanella’.

La Campanella.

Means bell sound in Italian.

To express that sound, Liszt had his right hand repeatedly hit high notes.

Using only three fingers of the right hand.

To sound like a bell.

Three strings are mainly used in Paganini’s violin concerto. To take advantage of that characteristic, Liszt deliberately limited the use of his right hand.

Because of this, the performer must constantly move his right hand. If it were a violin, you could easily continue playing by changing the fingering, but in a piano, you have to constantly move from key to key.

There was no room for the pianist to relax in this song.

Han Seo-jin also didn’t have much time to spare.

He was just playing La Campanella instinctively.

Beads of sweat formed on Han Seo-jin’s forehead. Still, his hands moved faster and faster.

So that the listener may mistake this performance for the sound of a real bell.

So that the sound of the bell that has already started does not stop midway.

Han Seo-jin desperately ran ahead of the score.

Liszt created this song to show off his skills.

Just as Paganini was called the devil’s violinist at the time, Liszt was also called the king of the piano.

A person who immediately improved piano skills. Liszt did not simply imitate Paganini’s music. In his own language, he recreated Paganini’s music by taking advantage of the splendid characteristics of the piano.

Like Paganini, Liszt also had a virtuoso aspect.

Virtuoso (virtuoso).

A title for the best performer of his time.

Professor Kang Yu-han listened to Han Seo-jin play and felt like a virtuoso once again.

Of course, his playing is not yet ripe. From a technical standpoint, there may be more than one pianist in Korea who is better than Han Seo-jin.

But he had a unique ethos.

Your own style that cannot be easily learned anywhere.

‘Is there an American feel mixed in with Europe?’

If one were to name the best pianists from the United States, Arthur Rubinstein and Van Cliburn would be mentioned first.

Professor Kang Yu-han is meeting Han Seo-jin for the second time. Although he couldn’t know anything exactly, Kang Yu-han definitely got that feeling from Han Seo-jin.

So it was fascinating.

It is not at all easy to have this kind of ethos.

How on earth can this kid play like this?

How on earth is a child who studied under Ha-seon and watched NewTube already, and is already building his own music world?

None of the students that Professor Yuhan Kang had ever taught was able to create their own voice.

Those children ended up becoming someone’s clones.

I don’t know to what extent that will work in Korea.

But audiences around the world always wanted the original.

To become a unique pianist in the world.

What determined it was the ethos he called his own style.

‘But this child is already showing signs of that…’

Kang Yu-han had to scratch his arms because of the slightly raised goosebumps.

Han Seo-jin’s performance was coming to an end.

The restrictions on the right hand, which had been suppressed as Liszt intended, were completely relaxed in the second half of the score.

left hand and right hand.

Ten fingers cover all eighty-eight keys.

The music gets louder and louder.

The sound of a silver bell is heard brilliantly.

It reminds me of a small European village at sunset.

The sound of La Campanella suddenly stopped.

What remains in this space is

The only sound was Han Seo-jin’s small breathing.

* * *

‘I wish I could have had a little more time.’

I don’t think I would be this disappointed if I had been given just one more week to practice.

My small body was very uncomfortable.

Small hands could not press more than a certain number of keys at once.

Inconvenience caused by playing a song of high difficulty.

This was something I didn’t feel when I was doing pop music.

Fortunately, I managed to play Liszt by actively using the piano’s pedals and allowing for subtle beats.

As a pianist, I felt like I needed more time to achieve the perfect performance I wanted.

So it was disappointing.

At that time, Professor Yuhan Kang opened his mouth.

“Bravo.”

“··· thank you.”

Nevertheless, the professor’s reaction was okay.

“The term ‘born born with it’ may not suit you. According to Ha-seon, you were a child who worked hard. In that case, I guess you can say that your true colors are finally starting to be revealed. A different starting point from other gifted students. You should always remember that and use it as your strength. That’s great. “It’s great.”

To the professor’s compliment that started with Bravo, I had no choice but to reply, a little shyly, “Yes.”

“But Seojin. You sing this song… “No, is it really two days ago that you first saw this score?”

I answered after thinking for a moment.

“Because it’s such a famous song, I’ve heard it even when I was young. I also saw Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 2 on TV. But this was my first time seeing sheet music.”

“haha. But how come you don’t even look at the sheet music? I memorized it perfectly in just two days? “I can’t believe that he was able to play that well while practicing other songs first.”

“······.”

Only then did I realize that there was no sheet music for La Campanella on the piano music stand.

uh···.

What did I just do?

I wasn’t even thinking about it?

Once we started, the performance continued naturally. Thanks to Uncle Miller, did memorizing various scores become a habit?

Anyway, I guess I had memorized the score without even realizing it.

‘It’s good… isn’t it?’

Professor Yuhan Kang looked at me and smiled.

“Actually, you weren’t even aware of that? “You can tell just by looking at their expressions.”

“······ It wasn’t a very long song.”

“Hehehe. Seojin. You shouldn’t say things like that in front of college students. They’re all hard-working kids, but there are kids like you who aren’t as good. Even here at Korea University.”

“······.”

“It was such a wonderful performance. It was also good to try to solve something that couldn’t be solved physically with pedals. As I said last time, your playing had the feel of a virtuoso. So, how did you feel about typing out the list?”

“first······”

The conversation started with a question and immediately led to a lesson.

The editorial was not long and we got straight to the point.

Professor Yuhan Kang taught me even the most detailed information. How to use your fingers efficiently. How far should you press the pedal for each phrase? Shoulder movement. Finger number. posture. Sight. Breath.

I vaguely remembered the time when I was learning music from Uncle Miller on a deserted island.

‘You told me this in detail back then too.’

Although my emotions were a little shaken by many thoughts, I kept every word of Professor Yuhan Kang in my head. It was also carefully recorded in the sheet music.

The lesson started at 11 o’clock and lasted until 3 o’clock.

Still, I didn’t even notice how time passed. Professor Yuhan Kang was the first person, after Mr. Miller, to have such an exciting conversation about music.

The professor answered all of my questions without exception, and often asked questions that required answers from me, which sometimes made me break into a cold sweat.

‘Why did you make the emphasis weak in this phrase? According to the instructions, it should have been much stronger than the previous node.’

‘I wanted to give more contrast to the back. ‘It was a pause for fortissimo.’

‘But if you do this, there won’t be much difference from the 72nd bar. If Seojin was going to follow your intentions, things should change from the very beginning. You have to give a notice to the audience. Would you like to try that?’

‘······.’

It was a really tough lesson.

“I think this is enough. But has the time already come this far? this. “You must be hungry.”

“It was like that for a little while.”

I never pulled out in a situation like this.

Professor Kang Yu-han laughed and took me to the cafe on the first floor. I ordered a sandwich and orange juice, and Professor Yuhan Kang ordered an espresso.

Cut two pieces of sugar wrapped in paper and sprinkle them into a glass.

‘Espresso. ‘What does that taste like?’

“Would you like to have a taste?”

“······ Then just hold on a little?”

“Hehehe.”

For your information, I never take it out in these situations.

I’ve had some iced Americano before. I just don’t drink it because it doesn’t taste good, but I usually drink coffee (and milk) well.

Didn’t they even sprinkle sugar here?

At the risk of being rude, I gently put my mouth to the espresso cup.

and.

“······ Mmm.”

He frowned and immediately returned the glass.

“Why on earth are you eating this? “It just tastes like poison?”

The professor looked at me and burst into laughter.

“You’re talking as if you’ve tried poison before.”

“If there was a medicine, it would definitely taste like this.”

“But don’t you like the sweetness that remains behind? “I got into the habit of drinking espresso when I was studying abroad in Italy, and it always makes me feel better when I remember that time.”

The professor poured espresso into his mouth in one go.

‘hmm···.’

I just ate the sandwich and took a bite. And a sip of orange juice. Haha! A taste of heaven! Why on earth do I drink such a bitter drink? As expected, people’s tastes vary greatly.

While chatting with the professor, we even came up with a story about his students.

The professor says that when his schedule is busy, he sometimes leaves Korea University for a short period of time. However, he said that it was a pleasure to teach students while staying at Korea University for one semester.

Professor Yuhan Kang also quietly brought up a story about the student who gave the lesson right in front of me today.

“He’s my favorite student that I especially care about… It seems like you’ve been having a hard time lately. Today, my voice was particularly muffled. Now that I’m already in my fourth year of graduation, it’s time to worry a lot… ha. “When I look at it from the side, I feel sorry for myself.”

“······.”

It seemed like I wasn’t the only one who felt sad about his performance. It was easy to find such nuance in Professor Yuhan Kang’s words.

A man I briefly met in practice room 501.

His face and the situation at that time came to mind again.

I wondered for a moment whether I should say this to the professor or not. But I was able to make a decision quickly.

Because I knew someone who suffered just like that man.

A moment when you have to let go of your greed for a moment.

It seemed like the young man needed that right now.

“professor. “It might be a little rude to say that.”

“huh? “Do you have any questions?”

“It’s not like that. There is that student the professor mentioned. “He is the one who came out of practice room 501.”

“Ah, Jaeyoung. Why him?”

“Him. I think…”

I said firmly.

“I’m sure your left hand hurts. Ring finger or little finger. That’s why the sound is muffled.”

“······ What do you mean suddenly? “Did he say anything to you?”

“no. All I could do was listen to him play. But I still feel that way.”

“I, who was always watching from the side, did not feel any signs that the child was in pain… “You felt that way?”

“I’m just guessing.”

“······.”

I thought back to when I was on a desert island.

A person who had a unique habit when playing the guitar.

A person who habitually fiddled with his hands but never said anything to me.

A musician who had no choice but to quit classical music.

The man’s situation now seemed very similar to Uncle Miller’s.

“Maybe he has tenosynovitis. I don’t know why, but it seemed like he was desperately trying to hide the pain. Before the professor returned to room 501, he heard him play briefly…”

I spoke honestly about how I felt when I heard him play.

“I definitely felt sad. I also felt sad. I want to do it. I can do it. I can’t do anything. “It made me sad to feel that way.”

“······.”

“Professor, there is someone I knew. He’s a guy who might have been okay if he’d let go of his greed and gotten treatment sooner. But he eventually quit playing the piano. “I wish there were no more people like that.”

“······”

“I think it would be a good idea to take a quick look. “If I’m wrong, it would be a good thing.”

“however···. Seojin…”

Professor Yuhan Kang was unable to speak for a long time.

Then he barely continued speaking.

“How on earth did you feel about that? “Didn’t you say that all you had to do was listen to the performance for a moment?”

I answered with a calm expression.

“I told you. There was someone I knew. And it’s just a guess. Professor, thank you for today’s lesson. And the sandwich was delicious too.”

“uh? uh···. okay···.”

After clearing the table, I greeted the professor again.

Professor Yuhan Kang took me to the bus stop.

Professor Kang Yu-han’s expression as seen from inside the bus looked somewhat complicated.

Even though it was the school weekend, there were people everywhere.

Most of them looked like students.

Because they also have their own concerns…

Maybe he had to go to school until the weekend.

Thinking like that,

I finished my first lesson at Hankuk University.

On the bus on the way home, I suddenly remembered the taste of espresso I had for the first time.