Chapter 214 (1/2)
Volume 6 / Chapter 214
TL: LightNovelCafe
Editor: adkji
Sponsored: Heather L. and James W.
The next day, Jun Hyuk and Tara walked slowly, as though they went out for a walk, to Avery Fisher Hall. It is the day to rehearse choral concerto with Maestro Carras. Jun Hyuk joined as the pianist.
“Jun. You haven’t heard us play your song, right?”
“Yes.”
“Mr. Yoon sitting all the way over there has heard it several times. Ha ha.”
Maestro Carras gestured to Yoon Kwang Hun, sitting in the audience. Jun Hyuk saw that Yoon Kwang Hun was waving at him.
Jun Hyuk shook his head. Yoon Kwang Hun is basically the audience who gives him the most burden and caution.
“But, am I alone? Where is Danny?”
“Oh. I’ve become easily scared since I’ve gotten older. It takes too much strength to handle 2 young performers at the same time. I’m planning on dealing with each of you separately first. That should be okay, right?”
“Is that a characteristic of maestros? Everyone fakes out their difficulties so much.”
“No no. I’m not faking. I feel like you alone will be hard.”
Carras waved his hand and Jun Hyuk sat in front of the piano.
“Oh right. I didn’t call a page turner because I figured you wouldn’t need one. I thought that would just get in your way anyway. That’s okay, right?”
“Yes.”
A ‘page turner’ is someone who turns the pages of the score, just as it sounds. Pianists do not have a hand to turn the score while performing, and this is where the ‘page turner’ comes in.
Horowitz said, ‘The person turning the pages of a score could ruin an entire performance’. Page turners must be present in complex and difficult performances.
While the performer is concentrating, if the page turner turns the page too quickly or slowly, the flow could be cut off, ruining the performance. This is why the page turner and pianist’s teamwork is considered so important.
Pianists often lose count of the beat during live performances because the page turner did not match the timing, so it is inevitable that pianists look for page turners who they work well with.
When the page turner is turning the page, they cannot block the pianist’s view, must dress modestly so as not to upstage the pianist, and they cannot even wear accessories. Sensitive pianists are even affected by the page turner’s anxious breathing, so page turners need to self-obliterate themselves.
They always need to go on stage after the performer and stay seated while the performers are applauded after.
Some call page turners ‘the cold hand that dominates the performance’ or ‘the hidden presence on stage, the 2nd performer’.
Page turners are another important presence on stage that the audience does not understand.
“Jun. You can just enjoy it since it’s your first time and then join in for the 2nd part.”
“You’ll give a performance that I can’t stay away from to just enjoy it. How could I stay still?”
The orchestra members tensed up when they heard Jun Hyuk say that he would perform with them.
The string instruments started with Dimitri Carras’ baton, and Jun Hyuk looked up to look at the conductor.
He had not guessed that it would be such an aggressive performance!
Belgium National Orchestra’s Pierre Boulez gave a performance that emphasized elegance. They had received praise for showing a comparison of past and future Beethoven through an old maestro and young Jun Hyuk.
Thinking of Dimitri Carras’ experience, Jun Hyuk thought that he would give a similar performance, but it was clearly distinct.
It was the same as forcing him to choose whether he will challenge such a tight and solid performance, or if he will put his head down and join.
When the 1st part was over, darkness enwrapped the theater for over 10 seconds. Dimitri Carras took a glance at Jun Hyuk, smiled, and held up the baton again. Jun Hyuk already had his fingers on the piano.
The members all saw Jun Hyuk’s hands. The piano they had only heard of by rumor. When they heard that Jun Hyuk would be joining as the pianist, most of them were so full of anticipation that they bought Jun Hyuk’s jazz album to listen to.
The members admired the connected configuration that flows like water and the grand technique that makes dissonance sound like a beautiful melody. This is the moment they get to hear that piano for themselves.