King of Classical Music 199

A year ago in Paris, in that beautiful capital of romance, the hazy moonlight shone down from the sky on the young man’s handsome face, crafting a scene Min Chen would never forget.  

Since then, a name had been born unto the world——

《Night》。

《Twilight in the Moonlight》

Half a year ago, Qi Mu and Min Chen played 《Twilight》hand in hand. At the time, the piece was soothing and gentle. Although it only had a short melody, its beauty still enlightened Qi Mu. 

Now that the piece was almost complete, Qi Mu found the four movements were perfected. They reached a certain peak regarding technical difficulty and emotional expression. 

“This is actually a piano and violin ensemble?! Wait a minute… piano and violin… I saw that half-finished score a few days ago, surely it wasn’t this piece?!” Qi Mu looked at Min Chen in surprise. He thought a bit further and asked, “Was it the violin’s half?” 

Min Chen looked up at him. “Well, it was the semi-finished violin’s score. Only the last part of the fourth movement was left.” 

Qi Mu could no longer hide his excitement. He sat on the piano bench and prodded Min Chen for details of the piece.

Any musician’s greatest treasure was an outstanding piece of music. 

And this was a sonata, an exceptional violin sonata, how could Qi Mu not be excited? He couldn’t wait to hear it with his own ears. 

Likely because he majored in piano, Min Chen hadn’t written many violin concertos. For example, the 《Violin Concerto in D Major》Qi Mu played at the S City Symphony Orchestra’s centennial celebration was one of the few violin symphonies that Min Chen had written. 

When Qi Mu first met Min Chen in China, at the solo recital organized by Tan Lao and Du Sheng, Professor Carl once said, “Auston, your music styles are very similar.” 

As a representative of the academy, Professor Carl had a unique and detailed understanding of classical music. He never made mistakes in judgment, which showed that——

Qi Mu and Min Chen’s musical styles were really similar. 

Their musical style was mysterious. Everyone’s style was related to their personal experience and perception. In fact, even two people with very different life experiences (such as Min Chen and Qi Mu) could indeed have similar music styles in certain ways. 

For example, they both had exquisite emotions and superb technique. They were picky in their pursuit of the perfect sound, and their orthodox, clear timbre and charming, euphemistic pitch. 

Compared with gentle impressionism and romanticism, the textbook-perfection of orthodox music was the most prominent feature Qi Mu and Min Chen shared. 

It is precisely in this way that Qi Mu’s gorgeous violin  and Min Chen’s beautiful piano were both extremely critical about the strength, rhythm, and level of each note. 

A violin sonata written by a composer whose musical style was so similar to his own?

This was like the Bible!

His exhaustion from cleaning all day faded instantaneously. Qi Mu listened carefully to the piano’s part of 《Twilight in Moonlight》. After they discussed the four movements with the violin, Qi Mu simply took his violin and demonstrated it a few times. 

Bright moonlight filled the piano room. The sun rose in the east as it began to set, and the lights in the piano room remained on. They had discussed the piece all night. 

Neither felt even the slightest bit tired. As Qi Mu played Min Chen’s unfinished score, the always indifferent man could no longer contain his excitement. Min Chen rose abruptly and hugged the handsome young man before him. 

Qi Mu still held the violin and the bow in his hands. He had just finished playing the incomplete fourth movement along with the melody that filled his heart at such a warm hug. 

Embracing him from behind, Min Chen buried his face in the young man’s shoulder. His hot breath cast along Qi Mu’s collar. 

“You are my muse…” 

It sounded like a murmur.

By then, Qi Mu finally realized what he had just played. In fact, he, himself, didn’t know how to play the incomplete fourth movement. He just followed his heart and played the melody that had been clamoring in his mind. 

Qi Mu smiled and reached out for Min Chen’s hand, whispering, “Min Chen, I really want to hear Bai Ai play 《Twilight in Moonlight》. It’s your style, but it’s also Bai Ai’s style…” 

“I want to play with you…” 

Something lodged in his throat. After a long time, Qi Mu smiled and nodded, “Well, let’s play together.” 

That afternoon, Qi Mu personally delivered the man to the airport and watched the silver-white plane fly towards Berlin. 

Even if he didn’t sleep all night, Qi Mu was not tired. Being able to experience such an exquisite piece of music was the opportunity of a lifetime for any musician.

After returning to the apartment, Qi Mu tidied up a little and planned to have a good day’s rest to prepare for the next day’s work. 

When Qi Mu closed the door of the piano room, Min Chen’s sighing voice sounded in his ears. “You can write a beautiful piece, and you can also become an excellent conductor…” 

His lips curled slightly. Qi Mu shook his head, clearing the words from his brain. 

Everyone had their own dream. Min Chen said his noblest dream was to compose beautiful and moving music. Therefore, he needed to understand the sound, melody, structure, and even principle of each instrument. In his case, he touched the piano and immediately fell in love. 

For Qi Mu, his dream had always been the violin. 

Just the violin. 

Qi Mu would never forget Bai Ai’s New Year’s concert that he heard with his adoptive parents in the narrow, crowded living room in his previous life. The splendid performance of the violinist made that youthful version of himself embed the moment in his heart forever. He would never forget that melody in his whole life. 

At the time, it was the sound of beauty at a level he’d never reach in his life. It was imprinted in the deepest part of his soul and it became a dream-like experience. 

Even after just a few years, Qi Mu found the piece——from Tchaikovsky’s ballet 《The Nutcracker》. It wasn’t very difficult, even simpler than Min Chen’s 《Constance March》, but Qi Mu could never forget the violin’s wonderful tone. 

What he liked wasn’t 《The Nutcracker》, but the violin. This was not only his simplest dream, but also the goal of his continuous effort. 

……

After the long vacation, Wei Ai entered a period of special guest performances. At the end of the previous year, Wei Ai had accepted many invitations and was about to participate in various performances in different countries and regions, including music festivals and theater anniversaries. 

When Min Chen sent the violin score of 《Twilight in Moonlight》to Vienna, Qi Mu quickly signed for it, but before he could open it, he hurried to the Vienna Airport with his luggage and violin. 

After Qi Mu left the next airport and arrived at his hotel, he received a call from Min Chen. He hadn’t even started unpacking and sorting out his belongings. Qi Mu asked in surprise, “So, that’s the violin score?!” 

Min Chen, who had endured the whole day in silence, finally pretended to call nonchalantly, as though nothing had happened: “…” 

As Qi Mu hung his towel, he said helplessly, “I was about to leave when I received the express mail this morning. Ah, wait a minute… Didn’t I tell you that Wei Ai was going to London soon? In February, the British royal family sent an invitation to Wei Ai. We’re going to perform in four days. Did I really not tell you?” 

Min Chen: “…” 

After a moment of silence, he said in a low voice, “Well, you didn’t tell me.” 

Qi Mu pursed his lips and said helplessly, “Okay, then I probably forgot. A lot of things have happened in the past two weeks. I meant to tell you but forgot.” After a pause, he added, “It doesn’t matter. I signed for the sheet music, and I will take it out and look at it when I return to Vienna next month.” 

Min Chen’s surprised tone rang out, “Next month?” 

Qi Mu nodded and said, “Yes, after the concert in London, there’s a music festival in Chicago a week later. A few days later, we have a friendship event with New Ai, so we will stay in the United States for a while. We’ll probably return to Europe in a month.”  

Min Chen: “…” 

“Well, don’t worry. I saw that you sent it. I put it away so I wouldn’t lose it.” 

“… I want to play with you.” 

“Together?” Qi Mu was stunned for a moment. He put his things aside and walked to the window. 

In the deep darkness of night, gorgeous lights decorated the sleepless city like stars in the Milky Way. The city’s lights dulled the stars, but the artificial lights had a beauty of their own. 

It was as if he saw the man’s depressed expression in the moonlight. Qi Mu stretched out his hand to touch the floor-to-ceiling window. With a comforting chuckle, he said, “Okay, wait for me to come back… We’ll play together.”