King of Classical Music 79

Double stops was a technique that pressed on two strings simultaneously with two fingers to create an effect similar to playing two tones.

The technique seemed simple, one many amateurs could do. But. . . to utilize it to the fullest, there was a piece many violinists couldn’t circumvent——

《Dance of the Goblins》.

Brilliant golden sunlight shone down on earth, the statue’s shadow cast over the youth below. Despite it, his slender hands were still exposed to the light.

The audience could only see them moving at unbelievable speed. The violin, in such excellent hands, seemed to gain a life of its own.

With skill this excellent, even a layman could see it.

Hidden amongst the layers of the crowd, Akkad couldn’t see Qi Mu at the center. Even so, he could imagine how shocked the audiences were by his student’s performance just from the sound of the fast-paced piece.

Bazzini’s 《Dance of the Goblins》 also has the alias, 《Fairy’s Dance》. As a rondo, it repeated the same melody many times but used a variety of dazzling techniques.

Double stops, spiccato, artificial harmonics, left-hand pizzicato…

It had all the standard techniques crammed into a three-minute piece.

The music was exciting and pleasant, but this time, the melody wasn’t the most important. Instead, it was the dazzling visual effects.

Akkad laughed helplessly and chided, “This Little Seven, he actually used this piece full of dazzling techniques as the third song. . . So mischievous.”

Generally speaking, short pieces like this weren’t accompanied by a symphony orchestra. Of course, there were always exceptions. When their concert ended, many maestros used the song as the encore piece to thank the audience.

However, because it was so tricky that even professional musicians struggled with it, it wasn’t popular. But. . . It became ornamental. 

From the audience’s gaping mouths, they completely worshiped Qi Mu’s violin. Some youngsters even took out their phones to record the performance.

Qi Mu was focused on his left-hand pizzicato, so he didn’t notice.

《Dance of the Goblins》 was so complicated that, even with Qi Mu’s skills, he had to concentrate on avoiding mistakes.

His left hand danced rapidly on the fingerboard, occasionally needing to pluck the strings while his right hand held the bow and demonstrated the staccato. Each tap produced the precise sound, no extraneous notes ringing out.

The enthusiastic melody filled the square. It was as if no one dared to breathe, there was only the sound of the violin.

It was so fast and skillful that by the time Qi Mu’s artificial harmonics reached the highest range, the sound of the violin had already stopped for half a minute, yet no one reacted.

“Bravo！”

A cheer came from the back of the crowd, and Akkad applauded his student with a heartfelt smile.

At his prompt, others started to applaud as if they had just awakened from a dream. Some immediately uploaded the recording on the internet.

Qi Mu smiled and bowed to thank them. But just as he was about to pack up, the tender, crisp voice of a girl cried out once again——

“Encore. . . En. . . Encore!”

Qi Mu was flabbergasted.

The next second, more and more voices chanted the same word, “Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore. . .”

Qi Mu: “. . .”

In just one morning, Qi Mu performed a total of five pieces. Only then did he finally manage to find an escape. Over the past six months filled of practice, he gained better endurance and could perform more pieces with complicated techniques but. . .

That didn’t mean he could play all day long without stopping!

When Qi Mu finally escaped the crowd, he looked back and saw people were still gathered under the statue. The densely packed crowd made him feel as if he was back in the subway during the Spring Festival in Huaxia!

. . . There were more than a dozen layers of people?!

Didn’t a report say many countries in Europe were experiencing a decrease in population recently?!!!

He saw Akkad waving at him. He headed over, but before he could say a word, the proud but awkward Akkad set his hat on him. “Little Seven, didn’t I tell you to play three songs? Why did you play five?!”

Qi Mu reached up to fix the hat then looked at his professor. Akkad wore an angry expression.

Qi Mu, who knew the other man’s temper well, reached out to touch his woolen scarf. “Professor, it is because you taught me so well that my violin can attract so many people. They blocked my escape, so. . . I had to end it well. Don’t you think so, professor?”

Akkad was satisfied with the youth’s praise. 

As they walked out of the square, Akkad said, “Well, you played the five pieces very well. But. . . Little Seven, I told you to choose a professional-level piece that could be played at the Golden Hall. Why did you choose 《Dance of the Goblins》?”

The morning passed, and soon, it was already noon. In May, Vienna was well past the winter cold, the wind blew in the warmth of spring. The burning sun hung high in the sky, the shadow from his hat obscuring most of Qi Mu’s face.

Qi Mu smiled and replied,  “Professor, didn’t you. . . Didn’t you play this piece in Golden Hall thirty years ago? I remember you got quite the applause back then.”

Akkad was very impressed with his praise. It was smooth and light without a trace of over-flattering. He nodded with a smile and said, “Well, good, good. I did play the piece 《Dance of the Goblins》 many years ago.”

Seeing his professor unable to restrain his smile, Qi Mu smiled, too, controlling the twitching of his lips.

Having known each other for so long, Qi Mu understood the proud old man’s character. If he could make his teacher happy, then. . . he might have an easier time later?

But, Qi Mu didn’t stay happy for too long. When they walked out of the Heroes Square together, Akkad hailed a taxi. After getting on, he said, “Little Seven, you must do well this afternoon. Don’t let teacher down!”

Qi Mu: “. . .”

The corner of Qi Mu’s lips twitching, he squinted and stared at Akkad. “Professor. . . I don’t know what you mean by that?”

Akkad looked shocked, then spoke, “In the afternoon, we’re going to Josefplatz like this morning. Little Seven, you must play well and don’t make your professor lose face!”

Qi Mu was almost unable to keep the smile on his face. He sighed heavily and said, “Professor, Josefplatz is near Heroes Square. We only need to walk a bit to get there. . . Why did you hail a taxi?”

Akkad, exposed as “direction blind”: “. . .”

After reaching out to cover his mouth, Akkad coughed heavily, ears red. “No…Nonsense! Little Seven, you haven’t been to Vienna often, so you don’t know. In fact, Heroes Square is a bit far from Josefplatz so we will have to walk for quite a while. . .”

“We’ve arrived, sir.”

The taxi driver interrupted Akkad’s next remark.

Akkad: “. . .”

Qi Mu: “. . .”

After paying the fare, Qi Mu and his direction-blind professor exited the car together. When Qi Mu looked at the city he had lived in for more than 10 years, he felt funny yet helpless at the same time. 

“Professor. . . Please be sure to follow me in the upcoming days! Although. . .” Here, Qi Mu paused and continued with a smile, “Although I haven’t been to Vienna that many times, I can still read the map. Please rest assured.”

Professor Akkad: “. . .”

Zurich, evening.

Following the back-to-back concerts of their New Year’s Spring Tour, the members of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra carried their simple luggage. They walked into the Zurich International Airport in an orderly manner, about to fly off to their next destination.

Daniel looked at the man behind the parade of the members with his hands in his pocket, lips twitching.

“Min! Why did you stay in Paris for so long?! Do you know how much work I had to do in your absence?!!!” The blond scratched the back of his head irritably and said, “Being your and Bai Ai’s manager, my blood will be moldy for eight generations! You irresponsible man, you devil!”

Min responded to him with his usual silence, he was too lazy to even give half a glance to this bad-tempered fellow.

Daniel was furious. “Huh, Min! There’s a little time before the orchestra’s next concert in Vienna. So you might as well just go to Paris again. I don’t understand. What on earth were you doing there? You even served as a judge for the Paris’ National Conservatory of Music. Well, are you not afraid of trouble?”

Min Chen calmly said, “I’m very warm-hearted, no trouble.”

Daniel: “. . .”

“I dare you to say that again in front of the orchestra’s members!!!”

The Bai Ai’s members before them: “. . .”

Daniel, if you want to provoke the conductor, do it alone, don’t drag us along!!!                                                                                                                

Daniel got angry. “You can just go to Paris. There are still a few days before the concert in Vienna.”

“No.”

Daniel: “. . . Just go!”

“No.”

Daniel got depressed. “So why are you not going to Paris now?”

“Because. . . he’s already in Vienna.” The man murmured to himself, voice low and weak, drowned out by other noises.

Daniel: “Ah?! Min, what did you say just now? I couldn’t hear. . .”

“Min?”

“. . .Auston?!”

“Auston Bertram?!”

“This devil! God should just send an angel down to tidy up this abominable demon!”

. . .

Min Chen ignored Daniel’s complaints. He turned to the airport’s huge glass windows. On the runway, a plane took off and flew steadily upwards. Against the backdrop of the blue sky and white clouds, it looked particularly laid-back and relaxed.

Angel. . . huh?

Maybe God had already sent one. 

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Translator(s): Kuro
Editor(s): Empress, AyN, Bet