177 – Superstar High School Girl (5)
The hall was quiet and quiet until Lee Do-hee went up to the podium and sat down at the piano.
All the audience members were completely holding their breath.
‘Do idol fans also take good care of etiquette? It would be okay to applaud properly.’
Lee Do-hee, who had been staring at the keyboard in front of the piano for about 5 seconds, smiled and gently placed her right hand on the keyboard.
Pianist Hanbin Jeong was inwardly amazed at that appearance.
‘…Very good. Expressive attitude.’
Unlike previous participants who just acted and imitated facial expressions.
Lee Do-hee maturely contained her emotions even before she started playing.
Show a soft smile, not just a sad one.
The corners of his mouth are trembling slightly, and he seems unable to control his sadness.
‘…Then play it too. I wonder if the attitude and expressiveness of the performance are good…!’
Chopin, Ballade No. 4, Op.52, Started with Jeong Han-bin’s expectations.
It started with the presentation of Sol Octave No. 3, Which seemed to express that indescribable, gentle smile.
A very gentle start that feels empty if you don’t listen.
Lee Do-hee’s left hand is then placed in a poignant manner.
Silently, gently, without interruption.
The voice part is clearly distinguishable from the right hand, and warm C major harmonies are filled.
An image that feels like looking at stars drawn spontaneously or listening to a celestial song.
‘The beginning… Is definitely different from other participants.’
Of course, it is still too early to make an evaluation.
Because this first performance was a standardized scheme that pianists had already established.
‘The important thing is…’
Not long after, the sound resonates with an accent.
The progression of Cmajor has changed to Fminor.
The theme of Chopin’s Ballade No. 4 Has finally begun.
It was the turn of a mournful melody that instantly made you fall into Chopin’s sensibility.
Very elegant and delicate emotions.
A restrained sense of loneliness rather than intense sadness.
‘Lee Do-hee, how will you express this?’
At that time, Dohee Lee’s head began to shake.
And the transmission of sound changed.
Restrained emotions spread to the end of the hall.
Jeong Hanbin knew exactly why.
Lee Do-hee’s perception had changed.
A narrow space, a piano right in front of you, this wide hall.
The proof is Lee Do-hee, who is looking into the distance.
Surprisingly, the sound had a lot of interaction with the performer’s gaze.
Created expressions of emotions.
Looking into the distance created the illusion that the touch, phrase, and wavelength became longer.
‘It’s not an illusion, the touch has actually changed.’
In other words, the current performance meant that Lee Do-hee knew exactly.
This is not just about playing alone in a narrow 2 pyeong or 3 pyeong practice room with a lot of soundproof walls.
You are performing in a hall that can accommodate 500 people.
In general, students had no such awareness.
There were few opportunities to perform in this large space, and there was not enough room.
But Lee Do-hee.
‘I said I was an idol.’
500 People must have performed in front of thousands of people.
Maybe he could have done it in front of tens of thousands of people.
I heard it’s very popular.
The performance hasn’t even lasted more than a minute.
There are still 10 minutes left to play.
Although it was a little early for Hanbin Jeong, she started scoring.
First, the technical part.
Beat, rhythm, pedaling.
‘As long as there are no major mistakes, he is definitely first place.’
It was all 100 points.
However, there were still areas where Jeong Han-bin could not score.
It is attitude and phrasing.
Those two standards vary greatly depending on how the song is studied and interpreted.
Actually, there was one fact that Jeong Han-bin was missing here.
Dohee was a high school participant.
And Jeong Han-bin did not see how she studied and interpreted songs in high school.
Because she thought it was the teacher’s guidance anyway.
Instead, I only looked at the performer’s facial expressions, arm lifting positions, and hand gestures.
In other words, Dohee was the first in high school history that Jeonghanbin required research and interpretation as her evaluation criteria.
It was because Dohee’s facial expressions, keyboard expressions, and gaze handling were perfect for a professional.
‘But… It doesn’t mean anything at this level.’
Because this is also a typical professional thing.
‘If you are really a genius…’
I wanted you to show what you had.
It’s not something I learned from anyone by repeating the song countless times.
I wanted you to show something that was unique to you.
‘Yes, it’s still the beginning…’
The performance wasn’t even halfway through yet.
Of course, the highlight of this Chopin Ballade No. 4 Is the second half.
The closer you get to the coda and concluding phrase, the more personal expression, interpretation, and research are included.
How to interpret that part, how to play it, and how to connect it.
‘If you are truly a genius… Your expression…’
Jeong Hanbin’s hands started to sweat.
* * *
Ballad No. 4 Is a song full of Chopin’s maturity.
This is because Chopin, who died young at the age of 39, composed the song when he was quite old.
So, there were many new concepts in this song.
─♬♪♫
For example, like the numerous semitones played now.
So, this song, which is very complex both technically and musically, is bound to be difficult to express the feeling of restrained loneliness, a theme that runs throughout the performance.
That is why Ballade No. 4 Is selected as one of Chopin’s greatest pieces and why performers’ interpretations are divided into numerous branches.
Some masters would sometimes just skip the notes and play them.
I didn’t hit it accurately.
But still, it made it sound like he was playing it too well.
Some masters did not adhere to Chopin’s characteristic thin but clear and elegant touch.
There were cases where the restrained feeling of loneliness struck rather clearly and intensely.
But I was not one of these masters.
However, I had no intention of picking and copying the performances of the masters.
As a student, I was typing very systematically.
Following the score, keeping everything, singing everything.
It wasn’t about scoring points.
It was not for the purpose of receiving the grand prize.
This was my interpretation.
Emotions being wrapped up one by one, step by step.
A very restrained and understated feeling of loneliness.
This typical performance is a staircase.
Facial expressions and gaze are just tools.
It brings all my emotions to the peak.
A method for that moment when it explodes again.
And in the process.
The middle part of the present plays a very big role.
When I play this part, I often think of Bach.
Imitative counterpoint, it is very similar to Bach’s fugue.
Among Chopin’s songs, which one can be said to resemble a fugue?
This song is probably only ballad number 4.
Even though Chopin used to immerse himself in Bach’s music.
Because I have never been strict about the counterpoint form.
Of course, this song also did not have a clear contrapuntal form.
But I could definitely smell that scent.
The scent of same-s*x counterpoint.
That was probably Chopin’s way.
Idyllic and calm.
In other words, a return to restrained baroque music.
Chopin is a genius.
However, it is difficult to find signs of explosion in restrained baroque music.
How can we expect an explosion in baroque music, where a restrained form was born?
It was a contradiction.
But it was not a contradiction.
Rather, it was possible because my interpretation included baroque.
It was a public misconception that baroque music was calm and boring.
In the first place, Portuguese Baroque was a ‘distorted pearl’.
It means that it is so flashy that it is distorted.
The songs of the Baroque era were extravagant and extravagant, breaking away from religious music.
Even though the score was written calmly, the songs were gorgeous and gorgeous.
You can tell just by looking at how active piano battles were during the Baroque era.
What makes a good pianist?
From noble mtl dot com
Today, the question is who is good at interpreting sheet music and who has the best technique.
But what about baroque music pianists?
It depends on who plays flashily.
The method of piano battle in the Baroque era was as follows.
First, play the song once in a formal manner according to the score.
The performer goes back to the beginning and plays once again.
But the second performance is completely different from the first.
Because it was decorated with a lot of fancy decoration sounds and improvised trills were added.
That is baroque music.
It meant that the performer played freely according to his/her personality.
So, I also planned to play the song in my own way.
And now the second half, before the coda.
Pianissimo was the beginning.
Like Chopin with a baroque flavor in a beautiful way.
Like Chopin, who wanted to go back to the beginning.
Me too, with a simple variation rather than an extreme arrangement.
I plan to only add a baroque flavor.
For the first time it was purely enjoyable.
* * *
Jeong Han-bin expressed his disappointment a little.
Clearly, the performance skills and unique atmosphere did not belong to high school students.
But I could not escape the established framework.
This meant that there was no new interpretation in the performance.
‘Well, if I were to interpret this song in a new way… It would be at the international competition level.’
Still, I have to admit what I have to admit.
If you have that kind of playing ability at the age of 17, you’re in the top ranks of the college division.
‘You take first place.’
Sensing her boredom, Jeong Han-bin took her ballpoint pen and wrote an overall score of 100 on her grading paper.
There was no need to go all the way to the conclusion or coda.
The 8-minute performance was very stereotypical.
The ending was predictable.
Jeong Hanbin leaned her waist against the backrest.
The female professor next to her was still watching with a smile.
I think it was because her expectations were too high.
‘Now… There are about 2 minutes left. D flat major. ‘Pianissimo partne.’
At that time, Lee Do-hee’s performance changed significantly.
“Huh?”
I wasn’t saying that the facial expression, touch, gaze, etc. Had changed.
The song itself has changed.
The beat has slowed down a bit.
Only the score is pianissimo, very soft.
Even though Lalentan did not slow down any more.
She changed the beat of her own accord.
If you look at Lee Do-hee’s playing so far, there was no way she could have made a mistake.
Because even the difficult pedaling was perfect.
This part before the coda, which originally started with pianissimo, was supposed to give the feeling of building up and exploding emotions.
‘So to speak, an emotional climax.’
However, Lee Do-hee’s slow beat further deepens the restrained emotions and gives the feeling that he is holding on to the end.
‘But you’ll have to blow it up at least once right before the coda.’
But there is still no sign of that happening.
Lee Do-hee is playing the key softly and comfortably.
Even though you definitely have to press hard.
Even though the emotions that have been suppressed have to burst out as if pouring out the truth.
The slow progress from the beginning actually highlights the pure beauty of the process.
But the compulsion to press hard, the compulsion to explode swallows my head.
At that time, Dohee Lee starts hitting hard.
But it is not refreshing at all.
It was too late because there were only a few words.
But that’s why I’m even more looking forward to the coda.
A process in which the restrained emotions that could not be expressed are violently erupted as if exploding in the coda.
And then a new soft sound is heard, signaling the beginning of the coda.
─Again, pianissimo.
The contrast is so delicate that it feels as if you have fallen into another world.
But eventually, the coda begins.
Lee Do-hee’s fingers hit the keyboard intensely, clearly revealing the emotions that have accumulated over the years.
At that moment, Lee Do-hee’s expression was filled with a fishy smile, as if tinged with excitement and passion.
Sometimes it felt like tears were welling up in my eyes.
The emotional blow passes through my ears and into my head, and it feels like I am experiencing the passion directly.
However, when I sweep the keyboard softly and organically, my emotions fluctuate.
At last, only the powerful keys on the keyboard remain and you hit the piano as if it were going to stick.
─Clap Clap
Only the lingering catharsis remains.
Without realizing it, he stood up and clapped.
Applause can be heard from the audience following him.
Of course, the professor next to him is looking strangely at Jeong Han-bin, who is giving him a standing ovation.
But I guess it doesn’t matter.
Jeong Hanbin thought about the last moment while applauding.
I want to explode everything as if I was blinded by the fury of emotions.
The final additional key is played by pressing all the keys down with the remaining fingers, ignoring the harmony.
The progress built up for that final touch was the best interpretation shown by Lee Do-hee.
* * *
‘Oh sh*t. ‘My fingers were numb so I pressed the wrong last button.’
Hahahahaha