“Are you asking about its monetary value?”
There are three devils in Gramophone.
“Violinist Hyun’s first album was undoubtedly a masterpiece.”
Dante, the representative and editor-in-chief of Gramophone, had a faint smile.
Violinist Hyun’s first album was enough to capture the hearts of classical critics.
Moreover, wasn’t the entire album composed of solo pieces, concertos, and symphonies, all of which were original compositions?
For half a century, such an album had neither been seen nor heard. It was as if a sensation had erupted in the otherwise silent sea of classical music.
“As a classical critic, I can say that Violinist Hyun’s original compositions hold immense value. They have significant influence not only in the classical field but also in movies and commercial areas. You know, famous Hollywood directors are sending love calls to Hyun.”
The people captivated by Kang Hyun were not only in Hollywood.
“There are many ardent fans of Hyun in our Gramophone as well. Particularly, chief editors Adam Whishaw and Sharon, who are known for their sharp critiques and reviews in classical music, are typical examples. You can tell just by the fact that those who usually do not cover the Asian region rushed to fly to Korea.”
Dante fully understood their feelings. Wasn’t it announced that more of Kang Hyun’s original pieces would be performed at his solo concert? If he weren’t the representative of Gramophone, he would have dropped everything and flown to Korea as well.
“I heard that a concert hall with more than 2,000 seats sold out in just ten minutes. And it’s only a violinist’s solo concert, not an orchestra performance. To have such an impact, even in Europe, requires a renowned maestro. It’s an even more incredible sensation in Asia, which is often called a wasteland for classical music.”
Dante twitched his cheek. The slight upward curve of his lips showed how good he felt.
“Surely, this solo concert of Hyun will stir up winds not only in the classical world but in various fields. Not only EMA, a prestigious name in Europe, but also Deutsche have taken direct action, with numerous officials visiting Korea. Hyun’s unreleased compositions must be that captivating.”
Even his dark green eyes seemed to shine as if smiling.
“Let’s go back to the first question.”
“Yes?”
“You asked about the monetary value of Hyun’s original compositions. My answer is simple.”
The first devil of Gramophone asked without hesitation.
“How would Van Gogh be evaluated if he came back to life and started painting again?”
‘Will he replace his greeting with the first piece?’
Classical maestros and famous figures from Europe leaned forward. They hadn’t expected him to start playing immediately, replacing a formal greeting.
That must mean he had tremendous pride in his piece.
Amid the mingling glances of doubt and fascination, two Stradivarius violins came into view.
However, their doubts turned into sheer excitement the moment the bow touched the strings.
Saaa—
The audience unconsciously held their breath.
It was as if looking at a scorching sun and a freezing moon, with contrasting melodies of fantasy and euphoria playing.
It wasn’t adorned with outward splendor or advanced techniques. The performance relied solely on the melody as if they were in a direct showdown, but it was incomparable to anything else.
The eyes and ears of the audience were already captivated by fantasy and euphoria.
Purrururuk!
As the ends of a black tuxedo and a red dress fluttered, the bow and strings glistened fiercely.
The two were facing each other while playing the violin, but their eyes were closed.
At that moment, Kang Hyun was the first to half-open his eyes.
The bow slid roughly down the strings, creating a sound reminiscent of horse hooves.
His right hand, holding the bow, moved faster, and his left-hand fingers danced on the strings.
At that moment, Hirose half-opened her eyes as if chasing the racing fantasy.
Following the trail of fantasy, her melody pursued his exactly. Though the notes were the same, it felt as if listening to a different piece.
The audience felt sweat forming in their palms.
Their hearts pounded within Hyun and Hirose’s performance, and their lips dried with anticipation.
‘This is maddening.’
European maestros watching the collaboration of Kang Hyun and Hirose felt their hair stand on end.
The meticulously composed piece reminded them of Bach.
Two violins perfectly mimicked each other as if in a chase. It resembled a fugue but differed entirely in its ultimate confrontation.
Though playing the same piece as if mirrored, it sounded like different songs.
It must have been the technique and the twist in the direction of the bow. And it didn’t end there.
Hirose’s years of experience made her Japan’s greatest maestro, leaving no room for criticism.
But Kang Hyun’s level had surpassed mere astonishment long ago. He showed no sign of being overshadowed even when performing with a maestro. It was as if they had been playing together for years.
Rumors that Kang Hyun’s violin skills had diminished since he became a conductor were unfounded.
Hadn’t he grown even more over the years?
It was then.
Ziiiing—
Hirose’s euphoria began a solo. This time, Kang Hyun’s fantasy fiercely chased after it. The bow moved so swiftly that it looked like a blade. People were skeptical whether the strings might snap, but instead, the strings glistened even more as time passed.
Watching the fluttering red dress and black tuxedo, European violinists thought:
Could they stand in that place and perform such perfect counterpoint?
If they weren’t the owners of fantasy and euphoria, creating such beautiful harmony would be nearly impossible.
‘Maestro.’
Kang Hyun looked at Hirose. It was time to mark the finale of the first piece. It was also Hirose’s favorite part of this performance.
Hirose’s left-hand pizzicato touched the strings more intensely.
Her face was filled with deep emotion. Playing alongside Kang Hyun made her shoulders and arms feel like they had returned to their prime.
At the moment Hirose’s melody reached its end,
Kang Hyun forcefully drew the bow on the strings of fantasy. The intense pressure of the bow created a chilling, transparent melody.
The audience was met with a refreshing breeze that pierced their entire bodies at the end of the performance.
Austin, the representative of Europe’s prestigious EMA, licked his dry lips. Although the first performance had ended, the lingering resonance felt endlessly unsatisfying.
It felt as if he had experienced a fantastic dream. Austin wasn’t the only one feeling this way. The other audience members had the same expression.
‘We must sign him.’
Austin was already considering Kang Hyun’s second album.
Hadn’t he made a grand debut with his first album, marking the end of the 20th century with splendor?
It was unprecedented for a classical newcomer to gain such global attention. The sales figures far exceeded expectations as well.
Considering it wasn’t an album by a world-renowned orchestra or a famous maestro, it was not just unusual but almost miraculous.
Indeed, the 80s and 90s were the golden era of pop and rock bands, starting with the Beatles, Eagles, Billy Joel, Green Day, and even Iris.
Hadn’t Kang Hyun composed the title for Iris years ago?
Back then, French composer and singer-songwriter Michel Piccoli, who assisted in Kang Hyun’s production, had called him a once-in-a-lifetime genius.
‘How much initial stock should we prepare?’
Austin couldn’t gauge how Kang Hyun’s second album would perform globally.
He hadn’t heard all the remaining pieces yet, but if the first piece was this good, there was no need to ponder further.
“Austin, you’re here too?”
“Simon Brühl? Weren’t you in the U.S.?”
“I postponed the meeting with the New York Orchestra. As the representative of Germany, how could I miss such a performance?”
It was Simon Brühl, the representative of Germany’s classical powerhouse, Deutsche.
They were two unparalleled figures in classical sound and recording. They exchanged glances and shook hands as if competing.
A thick tension seemed to blanket the atmosphere. It was only natural.
Both Austin and Simon intuitively knew. Kang Hyun’s second album would make a mark in classical history.
The concert hall, which had barely settled, buzzed again.
It was because Baek Junghoon was stepping onto the stage. Wasn’t he the pianist who had transitioned to a conductor due to tendonitis?
There were rumors that he had secluded himself in Russia and became a disciple of the world-renowned maestro Maxim Ivanov.
Some even rubbed their eyes with their sleeves to confirm his identity.
Whether it was because of conducting or the passage of time, his once gentle impression had become somewhat sharp and stern, which suited the current Baek Junghoon well.
When he sat on the piano stool, the rumors of his appearance became a reality.
Tap.
As Kang Hyun, dressed in a black tuxedo, walked out, the eyes of European violinists widened.
It was because of the violin he held. It wasn’t the fantasy he had just performed with Hirose. It was the Guarneri Fiore that had briefly appeared a few years ago and then vanished.
Hadn’t someone said that if Stradivarius was the ocean and the deep sea, Guarneri del Gesù was the vast land?
Those who had heard Fiore’s melody during the filming of the movie “Paganini” years ago had expressed amazement and reverence, saying,
When he played Fiore, it felt like stepping into a scene from a salon hundreds of years ago.
As the bow slowly touched the strings, the sound of someone swallowing echoed like an accompaniment.
With two faces, at times, a poignant melody pierced the ears, and at other times, a splendid melody filled the eyes with emotion.
Following an alluring glissando, the bow fiercely crossed the strings. It was a beginning reminiscent of “The Queen’s Portamento” from his first album.
But at that moment, as if adding laughter, the piano’s melody grew richer.
Baek Junghoon’s long fingers smoothly traversed the piano keys.
His effortless movements were so fluid that it was hard to believe those hands had suffered from tendonitis. Each press of the keys, from the shoulders to the elbows to the fingertips, felt like an artistic motion.
As the intense gazes of the two men met, their lips slowly curved up as if looking into a mirror.
The audience could feel it. The two performers were communicating, reading each other’s thoughts without speaking.
The pressure on the bow and the movement of the keys both grew rougher. The piano’s resonance and the violin’s melody pushed and pulled each other as if in a passionate embrace.
The thin breath trickling down their chins added to the intense tension that filled the concert hall.
Ziiiing—
At that moment, a brilliant high note soared to the ceiling. The audience couldn’t help but be in awe of both Kang Hyun and Baek Junghoon’s skills.
Despite the known fact that he hadn’t played the piano for a long time, he delivered such a dense performance.
Moreover, the sight of the two men was incredibly beautiful.
Journalists regretted not being able to capture this moment in a photo.
It was an ideal, picturesque scene, as if their singular breath had been split into two.
