The continuous triplets sounded like the galloping of hooves.
His long fingers moved across the keyboard as if watching a spider at dusk.
The sinister melody continued as if the devil were whispering slyly, and the pianist’s mouth began to burn with thirst.
With each sway of his shoulders, it seemed as though the voice of the Erlking was emanating from his fingertips.
When the powerful high note hit the ceiling like a spring being released.
“Whew—!”
Baek Jeonghoon exhaled the breath he had been holding. He continued to feel parched, as if he were walking on a barren desert.
The reason for the hoarse sound coming from his dry lips was different. It was because an unnamed cantata kept echoing in his head like a reverberation.
“Jeonghoon-ssi, do you have a moment?”
At that moment, Director Im Hyera came looking for Baek Jeonghoon.
“Is it about the TV program?”
“Yes, Jeonghoon-ssi, you appeared on a talk show before, right? Your appearance seemed to have been well received by the TV producers.”
After the financial crisis, there was an increase in students aspiring to be sports stars and learning baseball and golf. Alongside this, the number of students pursuing classical music also increased. It was clear who was the cause.
“But do you think Hyun can do well in England? Some journalists seem to have caught on to why Hyun went to England. There won’t be any articles, but there’s already a buzz among music journalists that Hyun might conduct for the royal family.”
It was no exaggeration to say that the journalists were in a frenzy. Thanks to Director Im Hyera’s backing, things were relatively quiet. The significance of a performance for the British royal family was monumental in the classical music world.
Moreover, the selected conductor would be leading the London Symphony Orchestra.
“America’s Miles, Europe’s Matthew, and crucially, China’s Su. They are all formidable conductors.”
Director Im Hyera’s face was filled with concern. It was understandable, given that Maestro Spencer had chosen only highly skilled conductors as candidates.
Although the general public might not know, all three had won international competitions and were next-generation maestros. Especially Su from China, who already had extensive experience conducting major orchestras.
“I’ve already collaborated with Su.”
“Really?”
“He was recognized as a next-generation maestro in China. He was an extraordinary conductor who not only commanded many musicians but also had exceptional interpretative skills. I’m sure the other conductors are just as outstanding as Su. I don’t think it matters who gets chosen. However…”
How would Kang Hyun compare? Baek Jeonghoon moistened his dry lips as he recalled Kang Hyun’s symphony.
He had never felt such a sensation from any other sheet music. But when he received Kang Hyun’s symphony, his entire body shivered.
It was as if the thirst that even Schubert’s Erlking couldn’t quench was now being addressed, just as he had felt that intense thirst burning within him.
“London will undoubtedly choose Hyun.”
Suddenly, the image of a triumphant general came to mind. The musicians seemed to be swaying like reeds in the spring breeze.
Kang Hyun walked confidently onto the stage of the concert hall. The faces of the young conductors were filled with curiosity.
But in Spencer’s blue eyes, there was a deep curiosity.
“Emanuel, please start the second movement lower and more eerie. For example, express the melody as if it’s screaming. More desperately than the dynamic markings on the staff. The mezzo-soprano for the role of the mourning dove and the bass-baritone for the farmer will be Chloe and Michael, filling in the empty spaces.”
Someone once said that Schoenberg’s “Gurrelieder” surpassed Mahler and Strauss in instrumentation and scale complexity and even outdid Wagner in the intensity of romantic expression.
It was such a rarely performed symphony, not only due to its large scale but also because it seemed to push the conductor’s abilities to their limits.
“Michael, you mentioned using a hammer instead of a snare drum in Mahler’s Sixth Symphony. We will use that method now as well.”
Even renowned conductors had been flabbergasted by the complexity of the score. But Kang Hyun gave instructions to the musicians without hesitation, as if he had the full score in his mind.
He even went a step further, improvising arrangements on the spot. As Kang Hyun continued to speak, the young conductors’ pupils trembled as if in an earthquake.
“Dmitri, when I signal, you will play the solo part with the associate principal. Both of you will play the same piece, but each should bow in a different direction. The missing number of harps will be compensated by the flutes. In the sections I check, don’t think of Schoenberg’s score but rather Mozart’s concerto, reinterpreting the score accordingly. The harps will lead the melody, while the flutes enrich it with varied and abundant tones.”
Anyone watching might have thought he had meticulously prepared for this day from the start. Kang Hyun’s instructions were seamless.
Su from China watched Kang Hyun and wondered if he could ever do the same.
Just because he had worked with the musicians before didn’t mean he could give such precise instructions.
Moreover, the musicians of the London Symphony, known for their high musical values and pride, were listening to Kang Hyun’s directions as if he were a maestro.
“Sorry, but I will also change the placement of the instruments.”
Spencer was already seated in the audience.
On stage, the musicians were swiftly moving the stands and instruments according to Kang Hyun’s instructions.
Kang Hyun approached the moving musicians to give detailed advice.
Schoenberg’s “Gurrelieder” was a grand epic. Not only did it require a large ensemble, but the seemingly endless length of the performance made it a daunting piece for musicians.
But Kang Hyun seemed to know every part without missing a beat.
Surely not.
A hypothesis briefly crossed Su’s mind, but he shook his head. He thought maybe Maestro Spencer had informed Kang Hyun of the audition piece in advance, but that was just a baseless worry. The Maestro’s look of excitement and curiosity couldn’t be faked.
At that moment.
“Maestro, we are ready.”
Kang Hyun looked at the audience. His gaze was so calm that he seemed like someone who had accomplished nothing extraordinary.
However, the musicians’ eyes were filled with tension. They hadn’t expected such detailed and numerous instructions.
Given the situation, it almost felt like the roles in the audition had been reversed.
Spencer gave a brief nod, and Kang Hyun smiled faintly as he climbed onto the conductor’s podium.
As his shoulders moved with the baton, the young conductors’ throats bobbed nervously. It was the moment when Schoenberg’s music was reborn at Kang Hyun’s fingertips.
A profound silence permeated the audience. Three conductors were seated in the empty concert hall.
Although the three looked completely different, they had one thing in common: their eyes had lost focus. They looked as if they had witnessed something unbelievable.
Even after Kang Hyun’s conducting ended, the three couldn’t get up, as if by mutual agreement.
“How is that even possible?”
Miles from America muttered in disbelief. Matthew from Europe and Su from China could only agree.
Kang Hyun’s conducting was flawless. Not only did he arrange the grand epic, but he also placed the necessary instruments perfectly.
His ability to interpret the piece was outstanding, but even more impressive was…
“His command was truly remarkable.”
As Matthew pointed out, his ability to dominate the stage was unparalleled. It was hard to believe he had learned conducting for only a short time.
Su thought of the masters of the Go board game when he saw Kang Hyun. It was impossible to gauge how many moves he must have read.
Like the Go proverb, “Question every move,” Kang Hyun already had a clear view of the orchestra as if looking down at a Go board.
“It’s like he has a grand orchestra in his mind. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense for him to arrange and redeploy instruments so perfectly in such a short time. Miles, have you ever seen such a conductor in America?”
“Absolutely not. I’ve never met or heard of such a conductor in American orchestras. American orchestras tend to value direct interpretation over nuance and would never accept such an arrangement. Especially, I never imagined using the timpani that way. He revived Schoenberg in the most unexpected manner.”
Miles and Matthew expressed pure admiration. Although they couldn’t do anything in the first audition, they didn’t feel bad at all. Instead, their eyes were filled with excitement.
The boy they thought was just a violinist stood tall as a conductor. It was fair to say their competitive spirit against such a talented rival was on full display.
“Su, what do you think?”
Su from China didn’t answer and stood up. Known for his sensitive and prideful nature, he rarely conversed with others, so the remaining two didn’t think much of it.
However, Su left behind a final remark before turning away.
“Zhi shi wan mei de zhi hui (It was perfect conducting).”
In a way, you could say he was lucky. One of the pieces he had studied while composing his first symphony was Schoenberg’s “Gurrelieder.” It was a piece for solo vocals, chorus, and orchestra.
Studying Schoenberg’s score in his studio and running countless simulations in his mind also played a part.
It was like practicing a specific math problem for a test and then seeing that exact problem appear in the exam.
“Kris, did you find out who owns that mansion I asked about?”
“If you mean the mansion in the suburbs, it belongs to a Chinese company called the Golden King Group.”
“Golden King Group?”
It was unexpected. He had heard of the Golden King Group. It was a key player when discussing “guanxi” in China. While not at the pinnacle, it was still like a dragon’s horn in terms of influence.
Moreover, it was particularly memorable because the owner was a woman.
The reason the eldest daughter became the owner was simple. According to his past memories, the eldest son had died young.
“What about here?”
“This is Good River, which Kris recommended. I came here with Yooha before, and the food was quite good. Today, it’s my treat.”
Technically, he had come here first with his wife in his past life, but he kept that to himself. The dinner he had shared with Yooha at Good River was so delicious that it made him forget even his past life’s memories.
Moreover, he had a debt to repay to Kris. Didn’t she say she thought he had been kidnapped when he got into Wang Chun’s car and headed to the Golden King Group mansion from the airport?
Had he called her any later, he might have encountered Kris roaming around London with a gun.
“Hyun, that was a very delicious dinner.”
“Let’s continue to have dinner together occasionally. It’s a bit lonely eating alone at the hotel. And if you don’t mind, it would be nice to have dinner with the other members as well. Do you remember Alice, who played the harp? She kept glancing at you. I noticed it before, but this time I’m sure.”
Kris, who seemed like she could chew iron, blushed shyly. It was like seeing the Terminator being bashful.
We were walking through Canary Wharf to digest our meal.
“Kris.”
“Hyun, I feel it too. There’s only one person, so stick close behind me without drawing attention.”
I could feel a strong gaze from somewhere. It wasn’t just me who sensed it.
Kris, like a Sherpa of Everest, guided me through the alleys of Canary Wharf with practiced ease. Her face had returned to its Terminator-like readiness for any mishap.
“Now.”
Kris shoved me into an alley and took her stance.
The shadowy figure following us was grabbed by Kris’s thick hand and lifted off the ground, pressed against the wall.
It looked like a scene from a superhero movie as the figure floated. At that moment.
Huh?
“Kris, wait—!”
I urgently called out to Kris, who was about to throw a punch. The man’s eyes were filled with shock as he was pinned against the wall.
I recognized him. He was Su from China.
Seeing our questioning looks, Su dropped his head and spoke briefly.
“I want to learn.”
“What?”
I didn’t understand. If he wanted to learn, he should have gone to Maestro Spencer, not following me.
Moreover, from his perspective, I was a competitor. Su bit his lip and added.
“Hyun, I want to learn conducting from you.”
What kind of bizarre request is this?
