“Are you not going to watch your disciple conduct?”
For Maxim, Jeonghun was his one and only beloved student.
“My presence in the audience won’t change anything. It’s up to that child to break through the wall himself.”
Maxim Ivanov took a sip from his teacup.
Alexey, the director of the Moscow Conservatory sitting across from him, nodded briefly. It wasn’t an incorrect statement. At that moment,
“Alexey, I’ve never believed in the word ‘talent’ from the start. To praise someone using the word ‘talent’ is a severe insult to them. The legendary musicians who marked history must have felt the same. They reached their positions through endless effort, yet others dismissed them as merely being born with genius.”
Alexey understood Maxim’s words. Many musicians had their efforts belittled by the word ‘talent.’
Maxim was no exception. Although he was a distinguished figure in Russia and a world-renowned maestro, no one knew exactly how much effort he had put in. Yet most people referred to him as a ‘genius.’
“Do you know why I accepted Jeonghun as my disciple?”
“I’ve always been curious. I never imagined someone as self-righteous and egotistical as you would take on a student. I never dreamed you’d become such a dedicated teacher for a disciple. What’s the reason?”
“Because I saw despair in his eyes.”
When Maxim saw the young Asian man who came to him, he accepted him without hesitation.
The reason was simple. He saw despair and endless desperation in his brown eyes.
“Despair turns into desperation, and with it, it is reborn through endless effort. Baek Jeonghun was the conductor I’ve been looking for. Even if his fingertips split and his shoulders dislocated, the boy never stopped practicing. Kang Hyun must have been an insurmountable wall for him, just as the empress Karas was for me in my youth.”
Maxim showed a faint smile. Although it was a faded memory like an old black-and-white photo, the moment he saw Karas’s conducting was a series of dazzling shocks.
Facing Kang Hyun must have been no different for Baek Jeonghun.
“Alexey, isn’t it strange?”
“What is?”
“That so many musicians are gathering in a small country in Asia, once called a wasteland for classical music. It’s something unimaginable in the past. The fact that young maestros from Asia are opening a new era.”
At that moment, an unknown bird soaring in the sky made a large turn as if responding.
Brahms, Symphony No. 4 in E Minor
As Baek Jeonghun’s baton was raised, the strings section drew their bows in unison.
The grand melody where the strings met the bows was opening the prelude.
Even if it’s the same symphony, the character of the piece changes according to the conductor’s disposition.
For instance, the audience swallowed their saliva at the chilliness that felt like walking on a blade.
Brahms’s fourth and last symphony.
Like the musical term “Allegro non troppo,” which means fast but not too much, Baek Jeonghun’s hand gently caressed the members.
The tone of the cello and horn was as deep as looking into the abyss of a sinking sea.
In the continuous theme of descending thirds and ascending sixths, the audience felt sweat forming in their palms.
At that moment,
Baek Jeonghun’s baton fiercely cut through the air.
The melody that had been sinking began to rise again in accordance with Baek Jeonghun’s conducting.
It was conducting without a moment’s hesitation.
As the pitch rose, Baek Jeonghun’s conducting was sharp, and the tip of the ash tree baton shone blue under the influence of the harsh Moscow cold.
‘What on earth.’
Vasily, a young Russian conductor, felt a shiver run through his whole body as he watched Baek Jeonghun’s conducting.
Wasn’t it Brahms’s last symphony and masterpiece, Symphony No. 4 in E Minor?
With calm eyes, Baek Jeonghun looked like a giant tree that wouldn’t waver in any storm.
Could this be how the audience felt when they watched the premiere of Brahms?
Gulp.
The other conductors in the audience were the same. They were already enchanted by Baek Jeonghun’s conducting.
From the beginning, it wasn’t a perspective of evaluation. Everyone looked at Baek Jeonghun with eyes that seemed about to dive into the stage as a single audience member. At that moment,
A melancholy melody played as if to cool down the rising climax.
Starting with the horn and woodwinds, the resonance using the Phrygian mode scale took the lead, and when the strings section’s pizzicato melody was added, it created a dreamy and mysterious atmosphere as if walking on clouds.
“The Iron-blooded Maestro.”
Kang Hyun murmured softly.
Through the monitor in the waiting room behind the stage, Baek Jeonghun’s figure was clearly visible.
The sight of Jeonghun pulling up the sinking melody and adding a dreamy mystique could only be described as beautiful.
The figure that had been groaning, blocked by an invisible wall, was nowhere to be seen.
The sharp conducting that continued the melody with calm eyes was indeed the Iron-blooded Maestro. At that moment,
The melody that had crossed into dreaminess surged again like a rising wave.
As Baek Jeonghun’s shoulders moved strongly, the tip of the ash tree baton fiercely cut through the air. The rising wave became an emotional surge and a tsunami that swept over the audience.
The members seemed to be struggling not to miss Baek Jeonghun’s conducting.
Just looking at the large beads of sweat on the concertmaster’s forehead showed how tense they were.
If they made even a slight mistake, Baek Jeonghun’s calm eyes followed the members’ fingertips.
Even the instruments seemed to move precisely as if receiving Baek Jeonghun’s instructions.
But what was this rising sense of exhilaration as the conducting continued?
Even the members who had played with many guest conductors couldn’t hide their amazement.
An old tree.
Baek Jeonghun’s conducting was as flawless as an old tree soaring towards the sky.
Wasn’t it as if he perfectly recreated Brahms’s premiere? It could be described as the epitome of orthodoxy.
No conductor could conduct Brahms’s masterpiece as perfectly as this.
Endless effort and tenacious passion made it possible for him.
Thud, thud, thud―!
Baek Jeonghun’s gaze sharply followed the tip of the baton.
The wind instruments opened the final movement heavily.
The risen melody began to change majestically at the last coda. Like the footsteps of a giant.
“Adam.”
Adam responded slowly, as if a screw had come loose. Understandable, since the deep lingering impression still gripped his entire body.
“Baek Jeonghun’s conducting is really different from his appearance as a pianist.”
As a pianist, it was easy to imagine Baek Jeonghun as delicate.
His performance, unfolding from his long fingertips, was splendid and elegant, almost as if gazing at a beautiful woman.
But as a conductor, Baek Jeonghun was completely different, as if flipping a hand over.
Thump thump thump.
Wasn’t his heart still pounding uncontrollably?
At the end of the grandly rising melody, the steps of the melody approaching the audience resembled those of a giant.
The figure leading numerous members with calm eyes looked like a seasoned veteran.
It was hard to believe that it had only been a few years since he switched his major from piano to conducting.
“The European maestros seem to be shocked as well. Especially the Russian Vasily, who hasn’t said a word since a while ago.”
“Sharon, even we, the editors of the record magazine, are so shocked. How do you think the conductors who conduct directly in the field feel? It’s no wonder Vasily is so silent.”
The story of Vasily, the young Russian conductor, going to see Maestro Maxim Ivanov was already famous in the classical music world.
Vasily, with his characteristic Russian wildness and strong pride, had given up everything and visited Maxim, but Maxim had flatly rejected his proposal.
The reason was simple. “You and I are on different paths.”
“Adam, the excitement of the musicians is palpable in the audience. Even though it’s break time, no one is leaving their seats. Look over there, it’s Joseph Fiennes. Even a musician recognized by the British royal family is so dazed.”
“It’s only natural. Most of them came expecting Kang Hyun’s conducting. But Baek Jeonghun’s conducting was like pouring cold water over their heads.”
Especially, his melody and resonance, recreating Brahms in his own image, rang an alarm in the minds of many musicians.
Adam pondered as he looked at the empty stage. Finally,
“The conducting of a giant.”
Adam defined Baek Jeonghun’s conducting in a single sentence.
In the conductor’s waiting room, Kang Hyun sat alone.
A conductor who must breathe with many members on stage is a sensitive creature. Even a slight mistake can affect the entire symphony like a domino.
But there was no trace of tension on Kang Hyun’s face.
“As expected―!”
As soon as Baek Jeonghun’s conducting ended, didn’t he clench his fist? It must have felt like watching the performance of a grown son.
Of course, over the past few months, Kang Hyun had rigorously trained Baek Jeonghun.
In his heart, he wanted to run out to the waiting room right now, hug Baek Jeonghun, and pat him on the back for his hard work, but he had to restrain himself. For the audience waiting for him.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, an unexpected person knocked and entered the waiting room.
“Oppa, can I come in?”
Kang Hyun smiled broadly. How could he say no?
“I forgot to give you this yesterday.”
“Hmm?”
Son Yooha handed him a thin handkerchief. On the white background, a pink flower was embroidered in the middle. Judging by the band-aid on her fingertip, it seemed she made it herself.
“I made it. It’s like a talisman to give you strength during conducting, but if it’s cumbersome, I’ll keep it.”
Sometimes, this girl who could be as bold as a heroine now looked like a little girl.
Kang Hyun gently stroked Son Yooha’s head with his long fingers.
“Thank you.”
Son Yooha’s cheeks turned the same pink as the embroidered flower on the handkerchief.
At that moment, a stage staff member came to the waiting room and told Kang Hyun it was time to prepare. It was finally time to step out for the audience.
“Are you worried?”
When their eyes met, Son Yooha smiled and looked at Kang Hyun as if nothing had happened. She had grown so much that her head now reached under Kang Hyun’s shoulder.
Smooch.
At that moment, Son Yooha stood on her tiptoes and kissed Kang Hyun on the cheek.
“It’s the second talisman―!”
At times like this, she was indeed the Ice Queen. Even though her face turned red, she expressed her feelings without hesitation.
“I’ll be back.”
At Kang Hyun’s words, Son Yooha nodded vigorously. It was proof of her trust in him.
Kang Hyun gripped the baton.
The grip that fit perfectly in his hand, along with the excellent balance, made it feel like an extension of his body from his shoulder, through his elbow, to the tip of the baton.
It was only natural. After all, it was the baton embodying the essence of Berlin.
Step.
Like a general heading into battle, Kang Hyun’s steps were unhesitating. Although the bright stage lights shone like the sun, he had nothing to fear.
Even though the members and many audience members were watching him, his heart beat fiercely.
At that moment, a warm feeling enveloped his entire body. Kang Hyun’s gaze slowly shifted to his heart.
Of course, what warmed Kang Hyun the most right now was none other than Yooha’s handkerchief, tucked in like a handkerchief.
