For The Musical Genius (Novel) - Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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accelerando (gradually faster)
His heart began to beat roughly. Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, 4th Movement Choral. The Messiah that had resonated at death’s door. His feet moved unconsciously. Wind instruments rapidly drummed in his ears, and the cello’s melody resonated intricately. As the trumpet’s lingering sound ended, the baritone’s joy echoed. His footsteps quickened along with his heartbeat.
Slide.
As he opened the door and entered.
The symphony was playing from a black vintage radio. The cassette tape had stretched from playing Beethoven’s 9th Symphony Choral repeatedly. As evidence, the tempo was slightly different. But even that seemed like part of the symphony’s arrangement. A testament to how the symphony transcended time.
With a deep resonance.
The Ode to Joy ended.
Kang Hyun carefully opened his half-closed eyes. He had been listening to the symphony continuously until now. As one of the audience. Only then did he notice the faces of students sitting in the classroom. Among them, Kim Dae-woo waved his chubby hands to welcome Kang Hyun.
“Who are you?”
A young female teacher. Despite her youthful appearance, her eyes and voice were full of integrity. Kang Hyun realized he had been rude. She probably didn’t want any interruptions while appreciating the symphony, yet he had suddenly barged in.
“I’m sorry. I’m Kang Hyun from Class 1-7. I couldn’t help but come in when I heard the symphony.”
Kang Hyun bowed politely.
“Ah, you’re the one Dae-woo mentioned, who ranked first among first-years. I’m Teacher Kang Hye-jung, in charge of second and third-year music. Nice to meet you. Are you joining our club now?”
Kim Dae-woo’s eyes sparkled. But helping at the laundry shop was already overwhelming. Moreover, he was too young to enjoy classical music as a hobby.
“I’m sorry.”
At Kang Hyun’s firm words,
Kang Hye-jung’s eyes curved curiously.
She hadn’t forgotten how Kang Hyun had entered just moments ago. Despite numerous eyes on him, he had appreciated the symphony from the radio like an audience member at Carnegie Hall. His expression was sweet, and his ears even twitched to the melody. Moreover, when he opened his eyes after the chorus ended, they held deep resonance and joy. Clearly, he wasn’t an ordinary child.
“Come on, just participate in today’s club activity.”
Kang Hye-jung gestured to an empty seat and continued.
“I’ll be performing violin today, and I heard you learned violin, Hyun.”
Kang Hyun looked at Kim Dae-woo. Kim Dae-woo was scratching his head like Winnie the Pooh. He must have spread the word around the neighborhood. That kid.
“I did learn, but it was for such a short time that I don’t remember anything. Besides, I had no talent.”
There was no bitterness in his latter words. Rather, his tone suggested he had a cold assessment of himself. This made Kang Hye-jung even more curious.
“I think you do have talent, Hyun.”
“Pardon?”
“Talent as an audience member.”
If his appreciation of Beethoven’s symphony was any indication, he certainly had talent as an audience member. The better the audience, the more they understand music’s true value. Kang Hye-jung picked up her violin case with a smile. Meanwhile, Kang Hyun sat down next to Kim Dae-woo.
“Our teacher plays the violin amazingly well.”
Kim Dae-woo proudly whispered about Kang Hye-jung.
He had expected her to play a tape when she mentioned violin performance, but it seemed she would perform herself. The well-worn violin case sparked his interest.
Kang Hye-jung skillfully positioned herself after taking out an old violin from the case. Her chin and shoulder supported the instrument, and her left hand barely touched it. Her fingertips were parallel to the fingerboard, with weight on the lower thumb. The instrument seemed like an extension of her body.
The bow she had been holding lightly was raised.
Zing.
First, gently.
The string and bow meet.
Careful, like walking on frozen ground.
Zing.
Next, Allegro (quickly)
The bow that started playing carefully began to move brilliantly as if breaking through fragile ice. The bow moved relentlessly as if fighting against an approaching cold wind. The fingers dancing on the strings appeared to be screaming. It was a precarious repetition of melody. The heart pounded mercilessly to the tune that burrowed into the ears.
The melody changes.
As it approaches the climax.
The bow continuously meets the strings. The fingers holding the strings dart forward as if running while breaking ice. Finally.
Zing.
The performance ends, breaking through the last ice.
It was amazing.
In his previous life, he could pride himself on frequently listening to classical music. Not only orchestras, but he also regularly attended violin recitals. It was more about cultivating sophistication in high society rather than a hobby. However, Kang Hye-jung’s violin skills were beyond those of an ordinary music teacher.
“Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Winter, Third Movement.”
The piece’s name softly escaped Kang Hyun’s lips.
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is a violin concerto that most people would have heard of. It’s a frequently used repertoire in violin recitals. Though he had heard many renowned violinists perform the Four Seasons, none had left such an impact.
“Just as Dae-woo said, you really do like classical music. How was teacher’s violin performance?”
Kang Hye-jung asked while laying the violin back in its case.
The students wore proud smiles. They seemed to be boasting about their teacher’s exceptional skills.
But something was strange.
There was a scene that kept nagging at his mind. Specifically, when the bow moved at the point where the melody changed.
“Teacher.”
Kang Hyun’s gaze fell on Kang Hye-jung’s right hand.
“Have you ever injured your right index finger?”
“Huh?”
Kang Hye-jung asked back with sudden confusion. Kang Hyun shared his observation about the dissonance he had noticed.
“It seems you unconsciously put more pressure on your index finger when holding the bow. Not always, but when the melody changes.”
A subtle change had created a momentary dissonance.
“H-how did you know?”
Kang Hye-jung’s eyes widened like a rabbit’s in surprise.
At the question of how he knew,
Kang Hyun scratched his head. He wasn’t sure how to explain it, as he didn’t understand it himself. He wasn’t particularly well-versed in music. Looking back at his past, he clearly had no talent. Yet, when listening to music, the melody seemed to come alive before his eyes. To the point where he could instantly notice any awkward parts.
“I just felt it.”
At Kang Hyun’s simple answer,
“Just felt it?”
Curiosity filled Kang Hye-jung’s eyes.
* * *
It was after all the students had left.
Kang Hye-jung looked down at her right hand. Both her left hand that pressed the strings and her right hand that held the bow were full of calluses. But on her right hand, there was a scar. A scar so faint it was barely noticeable.
“Sigh.”
A deep sigh filled the empty classroom.
It brought back memories she didn’t want to remember. There was a time when she was considered a promising violinist. But in one moment, an accident turned everything to nothing. For years, she couldn’t even hold a bow. Only after the knot in her heart had settled and the scar had faded could she awkwardly play the violin again.
“How did he know?”
After long rehabilitation, she could play the violin like before. Though not as well as in the past, she prided herself on being as skilled as any decent violinist. Yet that child had found a flaw she herself hadn’t known about. A habit that had become ingrained during rehabilitation. Looking back, she remembered putting more pressure on the bow whenever the melody changed. Unconsciously.
“It’s fascinating.”
Not only does he have talent as an audience member, but his intuition is also remarkable. Would she have been able to notice it at a glance, to the point of specifically identifying the right index finger?
“Impossible.”
Kang Hye-jung shook her head. Habits ingrained in the body are hard to find even for oneself, let alone others. It’s impossible unless the other person has exceptional musical intuition. Moreover, the piece she played only changed melody once. To not miss that moment.
Perhaps Paganini* could have done it.
T/Note- Niccolò Paganini was an Italian violinist and composer. He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique.
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