King of Classical Music 188

The white, nine-foot Steinway grand piano stood alone under the dazzling stage lights  like an arrogant ice queen. Everyone watched Dorenza smile sideways somewhere behind the piano, and they continued to watch, confused, as he stretched out a hand…

Could it be, there was something enchanting there?

Then, like magic, a tall, handsome youth stepped out from behind the piano.

The audience fell silent, everyone’s eyes on the young man approaching the center-stage. This was a handsome gentleman. He had unforgettably delicate eyebrows, and a calm, unhurried temperament. Even without looking, there was no doubt the violin in his left hand was beautiful——

Someone with such an elegant demeanor had to be an outstanding musician!

Qi Mu made his way to Dorenza step by step. Though he had spoken about this with him a month ago, now that Qi Mu stepped forward, he found it wasn’t nervousness in his heart, but a kind of confidence and expectation.

He was looking forward to the next performance, to finding out what kind of music he could lead Wei Ai to play, to their future of infinite possibilities!

Qi Mu bent in a bow, upper body flush with the stage, and held his bow for a full ten seconds before rising. Without giving anyone time to react, he said, “Please enjoy 《Zapateado》.”

The audience was shocked. The dizzy spectators looked first at the young Chinese, then at Dorenza and Julie at his sides. Dorenza walked to the podium and Julie rested her fingers on the keys. 

Finally, the audience turned their gaze back to the young man standing before the piano. His bow rested on the strings, and he stared intently at the piano player. 

Immediately, notes from the piano filled the air!

The quick, light utterance drew the audience’s attention. It turned sharply and painted the scene of an extraordinary dance. Countless young men and women swept into life on each note, each spinning across the dancefloor with their toes carefully pointed. 

The graceful, lithe dancers delighted the audience. 

Just as everyone adjusted to the piano’s music, the strong, rapid violin ensnared their attention!

Everyone stared at the young man standing before the piano in astonishment. His beautiful, slender fingers flew across the strings. He moved so swiftly, only the phantoms of his fingers could be seen. The overlap between the overtones of the upper and lower strings intersected in a sound that could only be described as dazzling.

After the brief, technical opening, the piano gradually slowed. Just as the audience calmed with it, the trough arrived and the climax rose sharply! The orchestra’s low background became richer and more colorful!

Above all the other sounds, there was the light jump of the piano, and even further above that, was the complicated and diverse virtuosity of the violin!

This 《Spanish Clog Dance》was one of Sarasate’s famous 《Spanish Dances》known as the 《Zapateado Dances》. The music moved as though countless young dancers wore wooden clogs. They tapped against the smooth ground as the music played on with a bold, positive tone. 

Just listening to the intense violin in the concert hall felt like a dancer upon the ground, beautiful and passionate. 

By that time, the entire audience who had not recovered from the series of “frights” discovered that the young man held an extremely rare Stradivarius-style violin!

The unique cures of the violin, its smooth and gorgeous lines, and its mellow, delicate tone coupled wonderfully with the young man’s performance!

God, how could music be so beautiful?!

The continuous bowing, the left hand plucking the strings, the effortless matching with the first violin…

Countless complicated and terrifying techniques were executed so flawlessly. For ordinary violinists, it would be considered a nightmare composition. But, under this young man’s interpretation, it was just like breathing. The audience couldn’t comprehend how someone so young had achieved such incredible skill.

It wasn’t the piece being so unacceptably difficult, but that Qi Mu’s relaxed, calm spirit during his performance gave the audience a strange illusion: Wasn’t this just the simplest 《Minuet》?

More importantly…

They wanted to dance!!!

Someone once commented on the 《Spanish Clog Dance》: “When you listen to it, you will definitely dance.” 

Yes, with such cheerful and exciting music, few could resist its happy, vivid charm. Because every note jumped from the violin, held hands in midair and invited all the audience to dance together. 

The stunned audience no longer cared what happened onstage. They just wanted to enjoy this wonderful piece, meant not only as an auditory pleasure, but a visual pleasure, too!

When the hand with distinct knuckles plucked at the strings and the slender fingers were in line on the violin board, it was difficult not to produce a wonderful chemical effect in the minds of the listeners. 

Every time he jumped the bow, the young man slightly brushed aside the hair across his face, revealing his full, white forehead. Every time he plucked the strings with his left hand, his brow tightened intently, like something important had happened. 

Music was one form of pleasure, but who could deny that visual pleasure was a pleasure, ah?

The double-enjoyment of audio-visual pleasure was the greatest joy of life!

Under the violin and piano’s leadership, the warmly celebrated 《Spanish Clog Dance》climbed to its absolute peak! Every note leapt from the violin like an elf dancing in the valley. It celebrated a better tomorrow with the most beautiful voice in the world!

When the 《Spanish Clog Dance》 ended, the audience couldn’t help but smile. 

However, the applause sounded for only a minute when Master Julie rose from the piano stool, bowed to the audience, then——

She turned around and left the stage without looking back!!!

Evra: “…”

So the seats next to him were reserved for those people…

Julie and Anthony sat down on the stage and bowed their heads together with smiles on their faces. Onstage, staff pushed away the heavy, nine-foot grand piano, so that the whole symphony orchestra was exposed to the audience. 

At that moment, even the slowest of people understood that this young man…  was the next chief of Wei Ai? 

The more experienced music fans, musicians and music journalists began to whisper his name beneath the stage——

“Qi Mu.” 

The young man who just became the deputy chief of Wei Ai four months ago was now the chief of this top-level orchestra! It was rare in the history of classical music to obtain such a position at the age of 23. When Christole became the chief of Bai Ai, he was already 25!

But age had never been a benchmark with which to measure the strength of a musician. Even the most critical of critics, when faced with such a gorgeous rendition of the 《Spanish Clog Dance》, could only say, “Good!” 

This piece completely demonstrated Qi Mu’s superb skill. Some even thought of the young chief’s mentor, Master Akkad, through his interpretation of the piece. 

Well… If his teacher was a “Modern Paganini”, what kind of student was this?!

Below the stage, the audience’s applause refused to cease. They were still waiting for the next encore to sound. 

Amidst the crowd, Master Lance stared at the young man onstage, completely forgetting to applaud. 

From the moment Dorenza said he wanted to thank someone, Lance noticed something was wrong. When Anthony suddenly stepped off the stage, Lance instantly understood: This was Little Seven’s surprise for him!

Although he was confident and knew what would come next, when he actually heard the 《Spanish Clog Dance》, he didn’t know how to describe the amazement in his heart!

A year earlier, he once commented on the child’s playing: “Awe-inspiring, but full of resentment.” Just a year later, when evaluating the 《Spanish Clog Dance》, Lance realized the child had not only left behind the shackles of his past, but had reached a new level!

This music made the audience want to dance!

The three major violinists in the world each had their own specialties. Reed Akkad was famous for his breathtaking skills, while Farrell Louis was known for his elegance and solemnity. As for Lance…

He was an emotional violinist. 

He could experience the most pleasant sadness, and express the lowest of joys. 

Even Min Chen once said, “Mr. Lance’s attainments with his emotion-driven violin were the highest at that time. This master had a thoughtful, keen insight that I couldn’t surpass.” 

Now, Lance’s eyes stared wide open at the young man onstage. 

He was bathed in the dazzling light, and his whole body seemed to be plated in a layer of gold, making him appear a little hazy. 

Lance thought the child had reached a bottleneck in his skill, but his emotional progress moved so fast he seemed incredible!

For the next song, what type of tune did he intend to use to make the audience fully recognize his identity?

Little Seven, before anyone knew it, you’ve already reached this point….