Concert

November 25th of this year was a memorable day for both Lu Yan and his fans. This may be the only time in Lu Yan’s entire acting career, or maybe not, but it was definitely the first time that he had been so intimately integrated with classical music.

Although he did not pursue a career in music, Lu Yan was passionate about music. Otherwise, he would not have insisted on learning the violin from Wang Chong for several years under such difficult circumstances. Perhaps what he wanted to learn most at the beginning was not the violin, but during the years he followed Wang Chong, he was deeply influenced by his teacher and had already fallen in love with this instrument that could play melodious and light music.

Although Wang Chong had a rough life, he was indifferent and optimistic. He did not give up on himself or blame others because of the setbacks in life. On the contrary, he immersed himself in the world of music, lived a happy and satisfied life with strength and confidence. In the eyes of Lu Yan, who lacked fatherly love in his childhood and had no father to guide the direction of his life, Wang Chong once played this role. The tenacity and calmness in Lu Yan’s character were influenced by Wang Chong.

Now, Lu Yan was able to attend the farewell concert held by his former teammates on behalf of his mentor. He felt very happy and cautious. He was finally able to do something for his teacher.

This farewell concert was held in a large theater in the city. Originally, according to Mr. Zhu and his colleagues, it didn’t need to be too big, a small indoor performance would be enough. But since the planning had been handed over to Star Sky, a large film and television entertainment company, and there was a big star like Lu Yan, how could they just do small things? They naturally had to do it on a large scale. As for Mr. Zhu and his friends, as long as there was a reason, they could donate more money if the event was bigger. After all, when it comes to charity, the more the better. So they had no objection. For them, it was enough to just do their own performance well.

Because of sufficient publicity and gimmicks in the early stages, even though the largest theater was used, the tickets for the concert were sold out in less than a week. Ticket scalpers online had driven up prices to sky-high levels, and many fans were crying because they couldn’t buy tickets or because the distance was too far to make it.

On the day of the concert, the scene was even more spectacular. The official performance was at 7:30, but before 6:00, a long line formed at the theater entrance, and all the people in the line were dressed in formal attire, men in suits and women in dresses. Because the weather was already very cold, the ladies put on coats over their dresses, but everyone was dressed neatly and properly.

Normally, on such occasions, the audience would not line up too early, and would basically wait until the entrance time came and then go in directly. It was really rare to see people lining up in formal attire like this, so much so that passers-by who were not sure what was going on looked sideways, wondering what big star was coming to perform today and why they had to line up like this.

Some of the people in the queue were probably not used to this kind of attire and kept tugging at their clothes and ties. Needless to say, these people were definitely fans of Lu Yan. Some of them may not even know what classical music was, but no matter whether they understand it or not, supporting the male god was a must. 

Moreover, long before the ticket sales started, the official website had been issuing various announcements, repeatedly emphasizing the etiquette of enjoying classical music, such as the need to wear formal attire, mobile phones must be turned off or in vibrating mode, no photos or videos could be taken at will, no walking around or leaving the venue during the performance, no noise, no clapping, etc., over and over again. In short, they must pay attention to quality, quality, quality! They must never lose face for their male god.

The show was about to start, and there was a large group of fans waiting for tickets at the door. Once someone bought a ticket but couldn’t come and wanted to transfer it, a group of people surrounded him and competed to bid for it, which shocked some simple classical music fans. What happened today? Wasn’t it just a farewell performance? Was it so crazy?

The happiest people were the scalpers, as the prices of the last few tickets were almost as high as the front-row tickets for a popular singer’s concert. When they had no more tickets left, several scalpers got together to inquire about how many tickets each of them had pre-ordered. Those who had bought fewer tickets were beating their chests and stamping their feet. If they had known that the price would be so high, they should have mobilized all their family members and relatives to scramble for tickets from the beginning. It’s too late to regret now. They just hoped there would be more concerts like this in the future.

When the show started and the theater closed its doors, the fans who had waited all night and endured the cold wind but still failed to get tickets finally lost hope. The fragile ones just squatted down and burst into tears, while those who were standing had red eyes and some wiped their tears secretly. They didn’t care about their image at this time. They didn’t even have time to be sad. Even the usually hard-hearted scalpers felt a little sorry for them.

At this time, the theater was already full. The first two rows were all free tickets, some for sponsors, some for invited media reporters, and the largest portion were tickets for the performers’ relatives. Because the sales were so good, even Lu Yan only took his share of the gift tickets according to the rules, and did not get any more. Except for one ticket for the most important person, Song Hui and Qin Feng each took two, and the remaining tickets were not enough for those better friends in the circle. Basically, there were not enough tickets for each person, because even if the recipient had no interest in the tickets, there would always be people around him who wanted to ask for them. As a result, they had to strictly follow the rules and no one could give more tickets. To the extent that even Qin Feng was jokingly complaining in front of Lu Yan, during this period of time, most people were calling him to ask for tickets, which made him afraid to even turn on his cell phone.

Su Mo quietly found his seat and sat down, waiting quietly for the performance to begin. The ticket Lu Yan reserved for him must be the best seat, not only could he hear the clearest, but he could also see the clearest. In order to return home on this day, Su Mo had been working overtime recently. In the last week or two, he was so busy that he slept less than four hours a day. But he finally got everything done and returned. Being able to participate in every major event in the life of the most important person was worth all the hard work.

At 7:30, the lights on the stage came on, the curtain slowly opened, and all the instruments and performers were in place. The gray-haired conductor saluted the audience, then turned around and raised his baton.

Except for Lu Yan, all the performers in this farewell concert were members of the National Grand Theatre’s orchestra at that time. The lineup at that time was not as complete as it is now, and the number of people was not as large as the current orchestra, but although the orchestra was small, it had everything it needed, and it was a complete orchestra configuration. Because the theme was commemoration, everyone’s position was the same as it was back then, and Lu Yan was in the first position on the left hand facing the orchestra, which was the position of the first violin and was also Wang Chong’s position back then.

Because everyone was sitting, and everyone was wearing suits with instruments blocking their way, it was not very easy to tell who was who. Fortunately, the violin blocked a small area, and a young man was still quite conspicuous among a group of elderly people, so the sharp-eyed fans quickly found Lu Yan.  

Some people were so excited that they were about to say a few words to their friends about their excitement at seeing their male idol, but were immediately poked in the waist by the person next to them. They immediately remembered where they were, and quickly gathered themselves together, sitting upright, but the expressions on their faces were very interesting.

Su Mo’s position was facing Lu Yan’s direction and he could see him clearly.

Like a regular concert, this performance was divided into two parts, and the repertoire was also fixed. There was only one piece in the first half. Anyone who knew a little about symphonies would be familiar with it: Beethoven’s Sixth Pastoral Symphony.

As each movement progressed, the audience felt the joy of country life along with the music. From the joy of first arriving, to the poetry by the stream, followed by a noisy and joyful gathering and the subsequent storms, when the rain stops and the wind dies down, it is replaced by pastoral idyll, the earth returns to peace, and the grass emits fragrance. The whole symphony ended in a mood of joy, peace and relief.

Although the performers were either elderly or non-professionals, they had a very good grasp of the entire performance process, and the music produced by various instruments was very harmoniously connected and responded to each other. It was definitely an auditory enjoyment, and even the most professional people could not find any fault with it. 

Today, fans who knew nothing about classical music or even thought that classical music was difficult to understand and was not popular among the general public could all feel the artistic conception that this piece of music wanted to express. Some even developed a strong interest in classical music and became loyal fans.

After the whole piece of music was over, it was time for the intermission.

The curtain slowly drew up, the performers filed out of their seats, and the staff rushed on stage to clean the instruments and prepare for the second half of the performance.

Backstage, Zhu Yuchi patted Lu Yan on the shoulder and said with a smile, “You performed very well, better than any rehearsal. You are indeed a performer.”

Lu Yan smiled modestly, “It’s Mr. Zhu’s guidance that’s good, and I also owe a lot to the guidance of my predecessors.”

The other members also came up to express their praise for Lu Yan’s wonderful performance. In the last month or so, they rehearsed together almost every day, and everyone had a good impression of this humble and hardworking young man. The initial doubts about his level were gradually eliminated during the continuous rehearsal process, and they were even more impressed by his rapid progress.

Some seniors had changed their impression of the entertainment industry as impetuous and utilitarian, and even thought that if young people in the entertainment industry were like Lu Yan, then there was nothing wrong with chasing stars. Needless to say, under their influence, almost all of their grandchildren had become fans of Lu Yan.

Zhu Yuchi added, “The second half depends on you. The old guys don’t have enough stamina to last the whole game, so it’s up to you.”

“Don’t say that,” Lu Yan said with a smile, “I should be the one thanking the seniors for giving me this opportunity. Thank you for your trust.”

Zhu Yuchi said with relief, “Wang Chong was the most talented among us. I didn’t expect that his students would be so outstanding. I really have to admire him.”

“It is my luck to meet the teacher.”

The second half of the performance began amid the audience’s anticipation, and this time the fans couldn’t help but get excited after the curtain opened.

Lu Yan has changed into a new set of performance clothes. This time he was no longer wearing a traditional suit, but a more luxurious tuxedo. The smooth and fitted cut, the handsome slit at the back, and the exquisite bow tie on the white shirt not only highlight Lu Yan’s tall figure, but also his calm and elegant temperament.

His position also changed. He stood in the center of the stage. The lights fell on him and he seemed to be glowing. He was perfect and noble like a god.

The fans were so excited that they almost stood up. In order to stop themselves from screaming, they had to cover their mouths with clenched fists, their whole bodies shaking with excitement.

Su Mo also stared blankly at Lu Yan who was glowing on the stage. He always knew how handsome and charming Lu Yan was, but in this atmosphere, his heart began to beat uncontrollably faster, and his heart from his back to his face could not help but feel burning.

Feeling the commotion in the audience, Lu Yan smiled slightly, stepped one foot back, raised the hand holding the bow, bent down and saluted, his elegance and charm beyond words.

There was another round of gasps from the audience, and then it slowly subsided.

Against the background of soft string trills, the flute played a beautiful and moving bird-like melody, followed by the oboe’s soft and lyrical introduction theme, presenting a picture of a sunny day, bright spring, pink peach blossoms and green willows beside the grass bridge, and blooming flowers.

Afterwards, the solo violin started with the soft and simple A string, and played the poetic love theme in the bright high pitch. After repeating once in the rich G key, the music turned to the A minor key, and the cello responded to the solo violin with a chic tone.

“Butterfly Lovers”, a violin concerto that is extremely familiar to Chinese people, is a work of music. The protagonist was naturally the violin in Lu Yan’s hand, which was accompanied by other orchestral instruments to play a touching love theme.

This piece of music was Wang Chong’s favorite at that time, and it was also the one Lu Yan had listened to and played the most. This time, he performed it in front of thousands of audiences on behalf of his teacher, and his technique was very skillful.

The sound of the violin was melodious and brisk. The first half of “Butterfly Lovers” was light and lively, bright and lyrical. This performance only planned to play the first half.

Lu Yan’s bowing technique was very beautiful, his fingers were slender and flexible, jumping with the strings of notes like a flying butterfly. Lu Yan was not only a performer, he was also an actor, his facial expression was very relaxed, and he showed different emotions as the music changed, making it easier for people to understand the content of the music. It was not only an auditory but also a visual enjoyment.

After more than ten minutes, the presentation came to an end. In the lyrical and slow B key, with light harmony and orchestration, it brilliantly depicted the scene of eighteen year olds bidding farewell to each other, bidding farewell to each other at the long pavilion, and being reluctant to leave.

After the song ended, the audience finally couldn’t help but burst into applause. Amid the applause, Lu Yan still bowed gracefully and walked off the stage with the other performers.

Soon, the staff pushed a piano up, and then Zhu Yuchi and Lu Yan, holding a violin, took the stage again. Audiences who had read the program knew that this was the finale of the concert, Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 30-1 in A major No. 6.

Beethoven pursued plain expression in this piece. Compared with the last two pieces, there were not many changes, so it was performed less frequently, but it was just right for Lu Yan now. This piece takes about 22 minutes to play and is divided into three movements. The first movement is Allegro, with the violin and the delicate interlude of sixth notes in the exposition and the syncopation of the two instruments in the development, as well as the piano’s staccato embellishments, all of which are quite distinctive. The second movement is a very slow and emotional Adagio, while the third movement is a slightly faster Allegro with many variations.

Although there were not many changes, that was only relatively speaking. Overall, it still required a lot of skill. Especially this time, there were only two instruments alternating with each other. The violin was still the protagonist, and Zhu Yuchi, who was the accompaniment, was the leading pianist in China. If Lu Yan’s level was slightly lower, he couldn’t keep up with the rhythm, let alone become the lead.

At this point in the concert, those who had doubts or concerns about Lu Yan’s performance had nothing to say. Although Lu Yan’s performance was not up to the top level, many professionals might not be able to perform at his level on such a large stage. After all, performance was not only about the level, but also the mentality. It was not easy to present yourself in front of so many people, especially since Lu Yan was not only a non-professional, but all those who worked with him were professionals. The fact that he was able to perform smoothly already showed how strong he was mentally, not to mention that he performed beyond his level.

When the last note fell, people were still immersed in this perfect performance, and the charm of the music made people intoxicated. Zhu Yuchi stood up and walked over, and saluted the audience together with Lu Yan. At this time, people realized that the concert was over, and thunderous applause broke out. Many audience members stood up excitedly.

The two walked backstage together. At this time, someone shouted “Encore” first, and then some people followed suit. In the end, the whole theater was filled with neat “Encore” and rhythmic applause. Although the space was relatively large, the thousands of people shouting the same words rhythmically and applauding together made a lot of noise.

The audience shouted for about a minute, and finally someone else walked onto the stage.

It was Zhu Yuchi and Lu Yan who came up again this time. The piano from before was still on the stage, and it was obvious that they had made preparations in advance.

After the two performers took their seats, the audience consciously sat back down and the theater fell silent again.

This time, the sound of the piano was heard first. The smooth and flowing piano music constructed a tragic picture of ruins in ashes after the trauma of war, and the setting sun was reflected in blood, tears and dust.

This is a very famous piece of music. Many audience members recognized it right away. It was Croatian Rhapsody. Audience members who liked this piece almost jumped for joy. Then, seeing Lu Yan also on the stage, they couldn’t help but wonder: Isn’t this a piano piece, or a concerto? Why is the violin here? Is it an adaptation?

Sure enough, after the first chapter, the bright violin sound joined in, and the two instruments echoed each other, with the piano as the main instrument and the violin as the auxiliary instrument, but it was equally wonderful, and even had a different flavor than the piano solo. Those who knew the subject couldn’t help but exclaim that it could be adapted like this, but once they accepted this setting, it felt really good. Those who didn’t know the subject just felt that it sounded good, good, and really good.

When the song ended, the two performers bowed again and then walked off the stage gracefully. Lu Yan still respectfully asked the senior to go first.

The audience, still not satisfied, shouted “Encore” again, but this time no one came on stage. It was not until all the lights in the theater were turned on that the audience finally believed that the show was really over. They could only leave one by one with a mixture of regret and satisfaction.