For The Musical Genius (Novel) - Chapter 65

Chapter 65

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“Natural talent – there’s no other way to explain it.”

Michelle Piccoli felt more overwhelmed than when she first encountered Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables. Had she ever been this excited hearing someone’s music? The boy’s notes were like a signal flare awakening primal musical instincts. Was this how Chopin felt watching Liszt, or Salieri watching Mozart?

“Hyun, have you really never learned composition before?”

Michelle barely held back an admiring sigh as the boy nodded briefly. Composing popular music isn’t easy. If comparing composers to painters, one must first grasp composition structure like layout, and finishing coloring and sketching isn’t something learned in a day or two. Moreover, band music is often compared to landscape painting because rather than depicting just one person, it must show harmony encompassing the entire band.

Yet.

‘How is this even possible?’

Though she knew he’d be strong in instrument composition due to his classical training, this seemed beyond normal. Even Michelle, who grew up being called a prodigy, wasn’t at this level.

As the boy’s hand stopped while painting his musical landscape:

“Hyun, may I ask you something?”

Michelle carefully broached the subject. It was the same when she first heard his original composition “Beautiful Life.” He’s just a 14-year-old child. His arms are so short he can barely reach the synthesizer. Looking at his appearance, he seems even younger than his actual age. Yet how could he express such emotions? She couldn’t believe his claim of completing such dense emotional lines in just two days. But watching him now, it seemed true.

“Hyun, every composer has their own specific characteristics. Some start by finding chords, some by conceptualizing melody, or some fall into deep contemplation about what rhythm to begin with – everyone has their own route. After all, the initial sketching part is most important. I’m curious how you compose.”

“Well, Michelle. I haven’t had time to learn composition professionally. Actually, I just draw the musical notation as it comes to mind. That’s how ‘Beautiful Life’ was born too. Wait a moment, I just had another good idea!”

At that moment, the boy’s hand began moving again. Those small fingers seemed to condense the process of interpreting band music, planning, chords, rhythm, and chorus into one. Michelle thought he looked just like Mozart from historical accounts, endlessly writing musical inspiration onto the staff paper.

*

“Hyun―!”

Isaac greeted me waving both hands when I arrived at the filming location. Though we’re the same age, I still couldn’t get used to seeing this grown boy running toward me with open arms. Not to mention those admiring eyes.

“I had an interview today, and I talked about you!”

“About me?”

“Yes, I told them there’s an amazing violinist at the movie set. The reporter seemed to already know your name. They called you the Mozart of Brussels!”

Isaac excitedly continued telling me about the interview content, but listening carefully, it seemed he spent more time introducing me than the movie. As Isaac’s story was reaching its end, Jean-Pierre approached.

“Hyun, sorry for calling you so late at night.”

Originally, night filming was scheduled for two days later. But there was a reason for the urgent change.

“It’s okay, Director. A night sky like tonight isn’t common.”

It would be fitting to recall Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night. Don’t the stars embroidered on the black canvas look like they might shower down at any moment? Just looking at it made one fall into deep thought. From a director’s perspective who values visual aesthetics, such a night couldn’t be passed up.

“Isaac, do you know what we’re filming today?”

Isaac nodded without hesitation. Everyone on set knew he read the script until it was worn out. Those childlike eyes became infinitely serious when discussing film shooting.

“It’s the day Moses performs someone else’s composition for the first time.”

“Right, it’s a critical situation where people he considered family could die if the song is even slightly wrong.”

The new concentration camp director tormented Moses cruelly, and one day played a piece by an unknown violinist and ordered Moses to play it exactly the same. He threatened to kill Jewish inmates with Moses for each wrong note. As filming began,

“Hmm.”

Jean-Pierre expressed disappointment while stroking his chin. Isaac’s acting, understanding the script and empathizing with emotions, was excellent. But something felt 2% lacking. Though the scene was no different from my past life, I couldn’t shake that feeling either, when suddenly an idea flashed in my mind.

“Director, how about putting a blindfold on Moses?”

“A blindfold?”

“Everyone in the camp trusts Moses. They’re smiling despite knowing they’ll die with each wrong note. But Moses, being a child, is trembling. He’s anxious, scared, and afraid. If his eyes waver even slightly, the friends lined up against the wall will be greatly disturbed. If I were Moses, I would want to hide my emotions, even if it meant wearing a blindfold.”

Jean-Pierre’s eyes widened at this unexpected idea. But soon he shook his head.

“Hyun, even if Moses is a genius, is that really possible? Not only is it his first time playing someone else’s piece, but there are distracting elements everywhere interfering with the sound from the phonograph. It’s impossible to do with eyes covered.”

Playing another’s piece perfectly after hearing it once for the first time is certainly difficult. It’s something possible only in movies or novels. Moreover, the phonograph’s sound quality was poor, and the insects’ sounds in the quiet night were louder than anything. Would it be possible to complete the piece with such a penalty in these conditions?

That’s when,

“Director, could I borrow the blindfold?”

Well then, there’s only one way to find out.

* * *

“Jean-Pierre, calm down and speak.”

Michelle was overwhelmed by the early morning phone call. His voice was so excited it was hard to believe it belonged to a director who had stayed up all night filming.

“He wore a blindfold and played a piece he’d never heard before? Through that old phonograph?”

Michelle’s shoulders shook as she held the receiver. Jean-Pierre’s story was so fascinating that saliva was pooling in her mouth. Jean-Pierre was a director who prioritized realism. Because of that, he had set expectations even for geniuses. But as of yesterday, that wall had crumbled. Not only did they blindfold Hyun, but they played a different record than planned. And yet.

“He brought out the tone better than the original piece? Jean-Pierre, is that footage still available?”

Fortunately, the entire process was captured on 6mm camera for the making-of film. On one hand, it was hard to believe. How could human ears, not being recorders, really grasp everything in such a fleeting moment? Though Jean-Pierre tended to exaggerate, he wasn’t one to make up stories. Even after the call ended, the lingering impression made Michelle eager to see the footage herself.

Just then.

“Michelle.”

A visitor came to the studio. The producer she had met before and the rookie band following behind him. Ah, their name was Iris, wasn’t it?

“What do you mean the composition is already finished?”

The producer showed a dubious expression. He couldn’t believe it. True, it was insufficient time just to work out chords and think about melody. Of course, when multiple composers collaborated, work could finish this quickly. But the commissioned composer was only Hyun, so it was questionable. Wasn’t it too fast, even for being fast?

“It really is finished, Paul.”

“Michelle, you didn’t call us all here just to show one sample, did you?”

Michelle showed a faint smile. Her gaze fell on the numerous scores written by young Mozart. Get ready to be thoroughly surprised.

*

The richly ripening leaves gave a strong sense of late autumn. Perhaps because it was Moses’s last day playing violin, unknown birds were circling in flocks under the bright sky. Like an audience waiting for his performance.

“Hyun, how’s this pose?”

Isaac kept changing his posture on the hill. Since it was a scene playing an invisible violin, the position of hands and shoulders was more concerning than anything. He probably couldn’t get a feel for it without the violin, though it wasn’t noticeable when he had one.

“Isaac, you don’t need to worry too much about posture. Today isn’t just Moses’s solo performance, right?”

That’s how violin was originally. Though there are standardized postures, everyone has their own unique form, especially with an invisible violin. Moreover, today’s shooting is the final sad but beautiful scene where Moses plays the invisible violin while countless inmates create an ensemble by whistling through cold prison bars. Moses seemed to get some inspiration from my brief words and hugged me tightly.

“Hyun, you’re really a genius! I could never have done this role without you.”

Ever since the day he played with the blindfold, he had completely regarded me as his teacher. Even Jean-Pierre often asked my opinion on scenes unrelated to violin.

“Hyun, come sit here.”

It was the seat next to Jean-Pierre that had become my designated spot.

“How do you feel about today being the final shoot?”

Jean-Pierre asked me. Of course, he wasn’t referring to the final shooting of La Vie en Rose. It meant my last shooting as we were filming violin scenes separately in advance. Many things had happened in the slightly over one month. Who would have thought that I would end up coaching a future Hollywood star at a movie set I had never visited in my past life?

“The sound director likes you very much too. If given the chance, he wants to recruit you for the sound department in the next film. And in my view, you have excellent acting talent too. Understanding shooting composition and visual aesthetics is innate, and you were born with it perfectly.”

“Me?”

“Of course. Isaac is one of the best child actors among his peers. Because of that, despite his young age, he has very strong values and pride in acting. For such an Isaac to ask you not only about violin but even about minor acting details is incredible. Isaac instinctively knows already. That you have talent.”

Come on, what would I do with movie filming?

“Actually, if La Vie en Rose succeeds, I’m thinking of making a music film about Paganini. I’d love to cast you as young Paganini…”

Skin color would probably be an issue, as an Asian couldn’t play the childhood of Italian-born Niccolò Paganini.

“I appreciate the thought, Director.”

“Every time I see you, you really don’t look your age. It feels like I’m talking to someone my age.”

Having lived a middle-aged life, I had long lost the impatience of a child. Jean-Pierre looked at me with a strange gaze before turning toward the filming camera. Because Isaac was ready to act. The camera lit up with the slate sound from the assistant director. Moses no longer had the old violin in his hands. Had the strings broken, the bow snapped, or had the director made it so?

At that moment, Moses’s tense gaze met mine. As if reading my mind, Moses showed a faint smile. Even though the director pointed a gun at him, there was no longer sadness in Moses’s eyes. Seeing Jean-Pierre’s dry lips, I clenched my fists. The masterpiece scene I had encountered in my past life was flowing projected onto my pupils.

Wheeeeee―

Along with the melody of freedom flowing through the whistle.