For The Musical Genius (Novel) - Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Discord
“Isaac, follow my lead.”
We became quite close while I helped with Isaac’s posture on set. The way of holding the bow and bowing technique varied greatly from person to person. Particularly, Isaac’s physical condition was clearly different from others. In the story, Moses grows up enduring harsh treatment in the camp. Because of this, he frequently injured not only his arms and legs but also his fingers.
Isaac said he had been learning violin from a private instructor for a long time for the film. However.
‘Insisting on standardized posture isn’t right.’
If I were Moses, I would have continuously adapted my posture to match my condition. There would be no reason to keep wearing clothes that don’t fit. Sometimes I told him to spread his stance wider than shoulder-width, change the order of pressing strings, sometimes to relax his wrist like a mollusk, or keep it rigid like an old tree. Isaac wrote down my suggestions in his notebook as if receiving advice from a teacher. I wonder if it’s my imagination that his bright-eyed look resembles Yu-ha Son quite a bit.
“Indeed, bringing Hyun to the filming location was an excellent choice. Even I, as the director, hadn’t discovered this aspect of Moses. If there are any scenes you want to modify, please don’t hesitate to tell me.”
Jean-Pierre already trusted me completely, to the point where the assistant directors and cinematographer were surprised. After all, Jean-Pierre’s stubbornness was well-known even in independent film circles. Just because it’s a commercial film doesn’t mean a director’s original thoughts and habits change instantly. In that sense, it was incredibly significant that he would modify scenes based on my words, as each scene contained the director’s unique mise-en-scène and identity.
“Hyun, do you know why Moses always caresses the wall?”
“Perhaps he feels sadness from the bullet marks blooming across the wall?”
“That’s right, but I’m worried about how to capture that feeling. Moses plays his old violin after caressing the wall. No matter how I sketch the storyboard, it feels flat. I thought maybe you could inspire me again, like before.”
In the storyboard, Moses plays his old violin after caressing the wall. There was even a contradictory peacefulness in the scene where the guards ignored Moses, who had become a fixture of the camp. But something felt 2% lacking. Though the scene hadn’t changed from my past life, Jean-Pierre also seemed to feel something was missing. In a way, it was natural. Not every scene in a narrative could be perfect.
“Director, how about this? Natzweiler camp’s nickname is ‘heavy rain,’ right? That’s obviously because of the countless bullet marks in the walls. What if it rains while Moses plays to comfort the wall’s sorrow?”
Though I wondered if the water truck could reach this remote location, I just shared the thought that came to mind without hesitation. Jean-Pierre’s eyes suddenly grew as big as saucers. Often, the simplest ideas were the hardest to come up with.
“Hyun, you really have the qualities of a director, no matter how I look at it.”
When filming resumed after a break, sound equipment was being set up for simultaneous recording, but the sound director didn’t look very happy. Probably because there was too much noise from wind and insects in the open location. Post-recording was becoming standard practice at the time. Especially for instrument recordings, post-recording was considered obvious. No matter how hard one tried on location, it couldn’t be as clear as studio recordings. But what could be done? Jean-Pierre’s stubbornness wasn’t easily broken.
“Hyun, please play the piece Moses just performed.”
I nodded briefly and picked up the old violin. It was the prop that Moses always carried in the story. The soundboard had scratches everywhere, making me wonder if it could properly function as a resonating chamber, and both the strings and bow were so old I worried they might break. The one fortunate thing was the abundance of pine trees near the camp. High-quality black rosin was easily available.
As I took my position, the sound director began adjusting the equipment, but his expression worsened. Sure enough, wind and insect sounds kept coming through the headset. I adjusted my posture. Instead of my usual comfortable position, I exactly copied Moses’s posture from the recent filming. Bending the pinky more, widening the stance, and twisting the wrist imprecisely. As if I had become Moses.
The first piece Moses played was a folk song of the inmates, a Jewish folk song with a sorrowful tone like our labor songs. Looking at the score, it was just a series of simple medleys. But Moses expressed these songs on violin just by hearing them. The beginning was adagio, very slowly touching the string with a down bow.
Zing.
The elements composing a score are simple. Notes and rests arranged on the staff, along with time and key signatures. But Moses was a child who had never even seen sheet music in his life. He had even taught himself how to play the violin. He must have made the sound resonate using the gentle wind and insect sounds as accompaniment. The moment I raised the bow, though there was no metronome, all rhythms began revolving around the old violin.
Saaah―!
With the wind sound as a companion,
Zing―!
When the cheerful melody rang out, all eyes on set focused on me. Though it was clearly a sorrowful tone, the surrounding wind and insect sounds made them smile. The sound director abandoned his previous complaining expression and adjusted the equipment while sweating. Jean-Pierre’s face was filled with rapture. Because the old violin’s tone became harmoniously one with nature, as if by magic.
* * *
Michel Piccoli’s studio was located in central Paris, in a prime location overlooking both the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame Cathedral across the Seine. I heard she had purchased a low-rise building at a bargain price, but it was unimaginable how much this small building would be worth in the future. Paris, like London, was a city where real estate prices rose exponentially.
“Hyun, where’s your mother?”
“She’s at the hotel today. She said it would be fine since I’m with Michel.”
Actually, I had insisted my mother rest today when she was preparing to go out. The schedule of the past few days had been like a forced march. How exhausting must it have been for her to wait for hours at the filming locations. Though she didn’t show it, she must have been quite tired. Besides, French child labor protection laws allowed children to work without a guardian for less than 5 hours. And Michel was there as a guardian substitute.
“When filming is done, let’s visit Chartres Cathedral with your mother. There’s a beautiful festival of lights every night. No, if time permits, I’ll escort you both this weekend. You won’t believe how magnificent it is to see history carved into the monochrome cathedral walls through light.”
“Thank you, Michel.”
“That’s nothing. Anyway, Hyun, shall we start with brunch?”
We headed to an outdoor café near the studio. I ordered a French brunch galette with café allongé, with hot milk. It was the French version of Americano, and adding hot milk to taste made it perfect.
“Your taste is very similar to mine, Hyun. It’s fascinating.”
I took a bite of bacon dipped in egg yolk while receiving compliments from this Parisian. Occasionally people recognized Michel, but everyone seemed to take it casually. Probably because Michel frequently appeared in this area.
“Michel, could he be your son?”
“Arthur, don’t be ridiculous. He’s my precious guest. An artist who will work with me on this album.”
“Oh, I made a mistake. Let me bring some tart for Michel and her precious guest.”
The outdoor café waiter treated Michel like a friend. The scene seemed quite familiar, as if it happened often. After finishing our meal, we left payment and tip on the table and got up.
We arrived at a well-soundproofed recording studio. It was filled with old recording equipment including synthesizers, which was top-of-the-line for that time. Of course, I don’t know much about electronic instruments. Though I would like to learn piano sometime.
“Hyun, do you know what kind of song Rendezvous is?”
Michel looked at me then. Rendezvous was an album that hadn’t even been released yet. Originally, it would have been a masterpiece with Michel’s accompaniment and vocals. How could I not know a song I’d heard countless times?
“I’m not sure.”
Better to say I don’t know, or things could get complicated.
“Listen to this.”
Michel adjusted the equipment, and guide melody began playing from the speakers. Though slightly different from the Rendezvous I knew in my past life, it was clearly the same song, just unrefined.
“Hmm, I’m still not satisfied with the recording. Let me play it for you live.”
Michel immediately stood up and went to the piano. Sitting at the piano bench, she struck the keys without hesitation – truly a professional. Just following the score doesn’t make all performances the same. Detailed emotion and connected finger relaxation help interpret the piece. Especially Rendezvous was a piece with many inflection points, enough to be called a tsunami of emotions. But now it was different. Wasn’t it a clean piece, as if all the sweetness had been stripped away?
“Michel, was Rendezvous originally like this?”
It was quite different from the Rendezvous I remembered. Could the butterfly effect have occurred here too? But I couldn’t rush to conclusions. I knew that an album isn’t completed in just one session.
“No, I changed the feeling after seeing you at the restaurant.”
Good heavens!
I had overlooked how sensitive musicians are. Hadn’t a moment’s inspiration changed the entire flow of the piece?
“Wait, could I look at the score?”
Michel kindly handed me the score already arranged for violin. My eyes grew wider as I slowly read the notes on the staff. The expression marks and melodic direction had clearly changed. What should I do about this?
“Michel, would it be alright if I made some changes to the score?”
This could have been offensive to Michel. For a composer, an album is like their child. But Michel nodded readily. I borrowed a red pen and began marking the score, clicking it as I went. I made changes while continuously consulting with Michel about different parts, and I could feel her breathing becoming rougher.
“Hyun, how did you come up with these ideas?”
Michel rubbed her eyes and looked at the score again. That wasn’t the end. I continued modifying points to consider while arranging Rendezvous for violin. I didn’t hesitate because I had already thought through how to arrange it hundreds of times in my head since Director Im Hye-ra first proposed performing Rendezvous. Click.
Although my violin arrangement of Rendezvous was somewhat different from the original, I attempted it while maintaining its unique atmosphere. I had no doubt this violin piece would fit well as the theme for ‘La Vie en Rose’. Michel seemed to feel the same way. She appeared very pleased with the modified score.
“Hyun, have you ever studied composition?”* * *
Michel Piccoli’s studio was located in central Paris, in a prime location overlooking both the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame Cathedral across the Seine. I heard she had purchased a low-rise building at a bargain price, but it was unimaginable how much this small building would be worth in the future. Paris, like London, was a city where real estate prices rose exponentially.
“Hyun, where’s your mother?”
“She’s at the hotel today. She said it would be fine since I’m with Michel.”
Actually, I had insisted my mother rest today when she was preparing to go out. The schedule of the past few days had been like a forced march. How exhausting must it have been for her to wait for hours at the filming locations. Though she didn’t show it, she must have been quite tired. Besides, French child labor protection laws allowed children to work without a guardian for less than 5 hours. And Michel was there as a guardian substitute.
“When filming is done, let’s visit Chartres Cathedral with your mother. There’s a beautiful festival of lights every night. No, if time permits, I’ll escort you both this weekend. You won’t believe how magnificent it is to see history carved into the monochrome cathedral walls through light.”
“Thank you, Michel.”
“That’s nothing. Anyway, Hyun, shall we start with brunch?”
We headed to an outdoor café near the studio. I ordered a French brunch galette with café allongé, with hot milk. It was the French version of Americano, and adding hot milk to taste made it perfect.
“Your taste is very similar to mine, Hyun. It’s fascinating.”
I took a bite of bacon dipped in egg yolk while receiving compliments from this Parisian. Occasionally people recognized Michel, but everyone seemed to take it casually. Probably because Michel frequently appeared in this area.
“Michel, could he be your son?”
“Arthur, don’t be ridiculous. He’s my precious guest. An artist who will work with me on this album.”
“Oh, I made a mistake. Let me bring some tart for Michel and her precious guest.”
The outdoor café waiter treated Michel like a friend. The scene seemed quite familiar, as if it happened often. After finishing our meal, we left payment and tip on the table and got up.
We arrived at a well-soundproofed recording studio. It was filled with old recording equipment including synthesizers, which was top-of-the-line for that time. Of course, I don’t know much about electronic instruments. Though I would like to learn piano sometime.
“Hyun, do you know what kind of song Rendezvous is?”
Michel looked at me then. Rendezvous was an album that hadn’t even been released yet. Originally, it would have been a masterpiece with Michel’s accompaniment and vocals. How could I not know a song I’d heard countless times?
“I’m not sure.”
Better to say I don’t know, or things could get complicated.
“Listen to this.”
Michel adjusted the equipment, and guide melody began playing from the speakers. Though slightly different from the Rendezvous I knew in my past life, it was clearly the same song, just unrefined.
“Hmm, I’m still not satisfied with the recording. Let me play it for you live.”
Michel immediately stood up and went to the piano. Sitting at the piano bench, she struck the keys without hesitation – truly a professional. Just following the score doesn’t make all performances the same. Detailed emotion and connected finger relaxation help interpret the piece. Especially Rendezvous was a piece with many inflection points, enough to be called a tsunami of emotions. But now it was different. Wasn’t it a clean piece, as if all the sweetness had been stripped away?
“Michel, was Rendezvous originally like this?”
It was quite different from the Rendezvous I remembered. Could the butterfly effect have occurred here too? But I couldn’t rush to conclusions. I knew that an album isn’t completed in just one session.
“No, I changed the feeling after seeing you at the restaurant.”
Good heavens!
I had overlooked how sensitive musicians are. Hadn’t a moment’s inspiration changed the entire flow of the piece?
“Wait, could I look at the score?”
Michel kindly handed me the score already arranged for violin. My eyes grew wider as I slowly read the notes on the staff. The expression marks and melodic direction had clearly changed. What should I do about this?
“Michel, would it be alright if I made some changes to the score?”
This could have been offensive to Michel. For a composer, an album is like their child. But Michel nodded readily. I borrowed a red pen and began marking the score, clicking it as I went. I made changes while continuously consulting with Michel about different parts, and I could feel her breathing becoming rougher.
“Hyun, how did you come up with these ideas?”
Michel rubbed her eyes and looked at the score again. That wasn’t the end. I continued modifying points to consider while arranging Rendezvous for violin. I didn’t hesitate because I had already thought through how to arrange it hundreds of times in my head since Director Im Hye-ra first proposed performing Rendezvous. Click.
Although my violin arrangement of Rendezvous was somewhat different from the original, I attempted it while maintaining its unique atmosphere. I had no doubt this violin piece would fit well as the theme for ‘La Vie en Rose’. Michel seemed to feel the same way. She appeared very pleased with the modified score.
“Hyun, have you ever studied composition?”