The instrument was said to be played by Apollo, the god of music.
Like the figure of a beautiful woman without a thread of clothing, the smooth connection between the crossbar and the sounding board was unparalleled. It felt like looking at an enchanting ancient painting. The moment the fingers gently caressed the strings as if sliding on ice.
“Wow.”
The melody that naturally elicited admiration rang out. Although it must not have been played for a long time, the clear and pure sound resonated. The strings were made of gut twisted in a traditional way. As they were made from the intestines of dead animals, the sound was quite different from that of metal strings. The melody was rich and natural even without artificial vibrato.
I didn’t know how to play it. I didn’t even know how to tune the lyre’s notes, so what was the point in saying more? But my fingers naturally moved between the gut strings. The lyre, held carefully as if cradling a newborn baby, proudly revealed its long-suppressed pure voice. It was the same principle as when I first played the violin. It felt as if I had become one with the lyre. Wasn’t the sound of my pounding heart gradually making the strings gleam?
Notes were being drawn on the pure white blank space. Like drawing a fermata on the double bar, my fingers stopped only after the last melody echoed.
Jiiing―!
The high ceiling built in the Baroque style echoed. The faces of those who had become the audience by now were clearly filled with regret. Surely, their whole bodies would be filled with the lingering beautiful melody. I carefully turned my head to look at Alessandro.
“Shouldn’t we listen to another performance of Paganini this time?”
Alessandro hurriedly put down his glass with a flustered face. At that moment, Gustav nodded with a peculiar smile.
“Like the young maestro said, I’d also like to hear Alessandro’s performance. The Paganini Caprice I heard on the film set was truly wonderful.”
Alessandro’s face gradually turned red. It was because of the praise from Gustav, the eternal maestro. Although he was quite a renowned actor in Hollywood, he couldn’t help but be in awe in front of his idol.
Alessandro stood up with a stiff posture, like a robot that had frozen. Surely, his mind must have gone blank like a white canvas.
“Lower your left shoulder a bit more and bend the wrist of your left hand holding the strings. Your grip on the bow is too stiff right now, isn’t it? If you bow in this state, it will make a scraping sound. Instead, try loosening your grip as if you are about to drop the bow. The right amount of strength will naturally come in when you touch the strings.”
Was it an illusion that everyone’s attention was focused on me? Although Alessandro had experienced such corrections several times on the film set and was familiar with them, the others were not. Especially Gustav’s expression subtly changed.
“How can the young maestro give such advice? Even I, who have played the violin for many years, find it hard to recognize a violinist’s personal characteristics at once.”
It was only natural for him to be puzzled. Even I didn’t know how I could see such things. Would he believe me if I said that customized postures suited to individuals, rather than standardized formal ones, just naturally appeared before my eyes? It was at that moment.
“Do you just see it?”
The eternal maestro asked as if he had read my mind. Before I could nod, the maestro smiled faintly as if he knew it all along.
Sizzle―!
The familiar smell tickling my nose made me feel as if I were in Korea. Because of the wine I had indulged in last night, the maestro had offered his guests a room. There’s a saying in Italy that they offer the master bedroom to noble guests.
Then, Director Im Hyera went a step further and loudly declared she would serve breakfast.
“Madam, were you a chef in Korea?”
People would think that conglomerates don’t let a drop of water touch their hands. But the bridal training in conglomerate families is no joke, so her cooking skills must be exceptional.
It was understandable that the chef was surprised. The table was set with a fusion of Korean traditional meal and French cuisine that Director Im Hyera liked. It was nothing short of a fusion of East and West.
“I remember eating this dish very deliciously when I visited Korea before. Wasn’t it called bulgogi? But Mrs. Im’s bulgogi is much tastier. It’s like magic.”
Gustav enjoyed every single dish made by Director Im Hyera as if he were in a high-end restaurant. Others were no different, expressing admiration for her unexpected cooking skills.
“Hyun, Yooha is also very good at cooking like her aunt.”
Director Im Hyera said, looking at me meaningfully. I pretended not to hear and kept moving my fork. I couldn’t afford to be tied down by Director Im Hyera after Chairman Wang.
As soon as the meal was over, teacups with flower petals floating in them were served as if waiting.
Although I had experienced many kinds of black tea, including those supplied to the British royal family, none could compare to this place.
“Did you say the next filming location is Venice?”
Isn’t it the famous city of water? When Jean-Pierre replied affirmatively, Gustav showed a peculiar smile.
“There should be a festival around this time.”
Then Gustav looked at me and continued.
“Paganini liked masks with red feathers.”
What was he talking about?
After staying one more day in Rome, we headed to Venice, Italy. Director Im Hyera seemed very excited about the mask festival tonight. It seemed she was now ready to fully enjoy the trip.
The sunlight pouring through the car window made me close and open my eyes unconsciously.
“We have arrived.”
It was a city known as the culmination of Renaissance art. The water city, which seemed to touch the sea, mesmerized the viewers.
The songs of gondoliers constantly pierced my ears, and wide windows together with the doors always touched the water surface.
Who would know that beneath this antique city lay countless piles?
“Hyun, did you say the filming is in two days?”
“Yes, that’s why the president asked us to come early.”
It was all because of the mask festival. Director Im Hyera seemed to have been deeply impressed by the mask ball scenes in European films.
In the past, when Venice was at its peak, mask balls were held almost every day.
The origin of this mask ball was said to have started with the slaves hiding their identities and enjoying a day of freedom. Eventually, it turned into the indulgence of the aristocrats.
“Hmm, Hyun. There are no masks with red feathers?”
It seemed Director Im Hyera also remembered Gustav’s words. However, all the famous masks were already sold out in the mask shops in Venice. The only ones left were the basic masks, like Bauta.
But since I had no intention of participating in the mask festival anyway, it was enough for me.
“Oh, the young friend chose Bauta. You have a great eye. All the famous people in Venice loved to wear Bauta. Even Paganini of Genoa enjoyed wearing Bauta.”
I tried hard to suppress my laughter at the shop owner’s sales pitch.
Surely, Paganini must have owned many masks besides the one with red feathers.
“Maestro, you should stop now, really.”
As Gustav poured wine, the chef started nagging as if waiting. Each time, Gustav would smile faintly and joke, “I don’t have many days left to live, so what’s so important about health?”
“They must have arrived in Venice by now.”
Gustav sipped his wine and looked out the window. The day was already getting dark.
The reason he didn’t head to Venice was simple. He wasn’t needed on the film set.
Though he had gone to give musical advice, it was more about hearing Kang Hyun’s performance.
“Yasha, did you see that young friend who resembles you?”
The genius violin skills and the ability to correct someone’s posture instantly reminded him so much of Yasha Heifetz, who had made him feel inferior and hit a wall in his younger days.
Gustav realized that the wine tasted particularly good today. It must have been because he felt as if he had returned to his youth.
“Choi, could you please bring the lyre?”
At Gustav’s words, the butler immediately brought the lyre. It was in an old case. Despite not having produced a melody for a long time, it emitted a beautiful voice from the strings.
He had said he didn’t know how to play it, but didn’t his hands naturally move?
Gustav carefully held the lyre. It was then.
“How could this be?”
Gustav’s eyes widened as he examined the lyre. The butler was very curious but didn’t ask. At that moment, Gustav burst into hearty laughter.
The sudden laughter from Gustav puzzled not only the butler but also the chef.
‘Has the maestro ever laughed so heartily before?’ they seemed to be saying.
“The sounding board is broken.”
The back of the sounding board, which should have amplified the resonance of the strings, was broken in several places.
To such an extent, the sound wouldn’t properly resonate and would leak out like a bottomless jar.
Yet, how did it produce such a beautiful melody?
Wow―!
It was the last day of the mask festival, coinciding with our visit.
The surface of the water shook with the cheers of people and the fireworks brilliantly decorating the night sky.
Every year around this time, the festival was held at St. Mark’s Basilica. It was such a big event that even broadcasting stations came to film.
“Hyun, don’t I look good, aunt?”
At a glance, she looked like a peacock with its feathers raised. The inside of the basilica was already crowded with masked people.
‘Tsk.’
This is why I didn’t want to come out, but there was no way to resist Director Im Hyera’s persistence.
Instead of a priest, musicians were performing on the podium of the basilica.
As I listened to the music, my steps naturally led me deeper into the basilica.
Huh?
At that moment, I saw a crying child. Though sitting down with a mask on, the sniffing and wiping of tears were evident.
Should I just pass by? But the sorrowful crying kept drawing my attention.
“Why are you crying?”
“I have to play the piano soon. But I can’t play. I’m scared and don’t want to go on stage. But if I don’t go up, I’ll surely get scolded.”
Though unfamiliar with Italian, basic communication wasn’t an issue. It seemed the child was frozen with fear due to the crowd.
“Shall I play for you?”
I don’t know why I said that. Maybe it was the child’s teardrops like chicken poop.
The child handed me their mask and black cloak as if waiting, saying, “Really?”
It was a mask with red feathers. Since we had similar builds, it fit perfectly.
I thought it was a boy, but when I took off the mask, it was clearly a tall girl who seemed likely to break many hearts in the future.
“Serena, it’s time to go up.”
The host who arrived just in time guided me by the hand to the podium.
What piece should I play?
Come to think of it, I didn’t hear the selection due to the rush. The basilica was now bustling with people.
A regular melody wouldn’t capture their excited hearts.
Suddenly, the man who aspired to be the Paganini of the piano came to mind. As soon as I thought of him, my fingers naturally moved to the keyboard.
Dudududung―!
As the first melody echoed, the surrounding attention was instantly drawn.
Since the girl and I were of similar build, there was no difficulty in pressing the pedals. My fingers danced on the keyboard as if sliding.
It was Liszt’s La Campanella, a high-pitched part newly arranged for piano from 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, ringing out like the sound of bells.
Thinking of the man who aspired to be like Paganini, this time I was pressing the keys instead of the strings.
Each note had a different strength at the fingertips. The breath while pressing the pedals and the shoulders trembling with the melody turned into waves at the fingertips.
The girl watched with her mouth open, and so did the rest of the masked audience.
