——Again, very late... But I've updated anyway! Here's the third chapter, as promised. I didn't break my word!
It's already August 1st. Humbly begging for guaranteed monthly votes. Today I'm still striving for three updates. Of course, the first one will go up around one o'clock in the afternoon — no time to write it now.
Please give me monthly votes~
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Glindon turned around and saw the sea of people packed together, and his mood sank into bitter dejection and resentment. Why were those dignitaries, those noble priests able to receive invitations without having to buy a single ticket?
He turned back and raised his eyes to the towering, resplendent Sacred Hymn Hall, and for the first time he felt that beneath its lavish, glorious exterior lay the cold indifference of discrimination. It was called the Sacred Hymn, yet it only sang for a handful of nobles and clergy, never opening its doors to the vast multitude of faithful believers.
He shook his head with a bitter taste in his mouth and whispered inwardly: "Under the throne of the Lord, all devout lambs are equal — but some are more equal than others."
Just as Glindon and the majority of the city's disappointed citizens and merchants were about to leave the Sacred Hymn Hall, patiently waiting for the program to be leaked, a black dragon-scaled steed came galloping from the other end of the road, its pace gradually slowing.
Then the knight on horseback cried out in a loud voice: "Citizens of the Vorlite Principality! Her Highness, Countess of the Violet, Princess Natasha, in recognition that music knows no class, no rank, and no wealth, has allocated resources from her own territory's income to provide to the Church! At the time of Mr. Lucian Evans' 'Homecoming Concert,' the Divine Arts arrays on the municipal square and the Sacred Hymn Hall shall be activated, so that all who love music may hear beautiful music here in the City of Music!"
The noisy crowd fell abruptly silent, then erupted into thunderous cheers.
"Long live Her Highness the Princess!"
"May the True God bless Her Highness!"
"Long live the Princess! Long live the Violet! Long live Vorlite!"
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Glindon, mixed in among the crowd, couldn't help pumping his fist and cheering a few times. At least his round-the-clock journey to Altor hadn't been wasted.
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June 1st — a joyful "holiday," at least for the people of Altor.
In the backstage area of the Sacred Hymn Hall, Lucian was making his final preparations after having already received Duke Vaolet, Princess Natasha, Master Christoph, Guild Master Othello, Teacher Victor, and the others.
Gathered around him were Franz, his student Grace, the castrato singer Fabrini, and several familiar musicians — Lucian had chosen the orchestra he had worked with before, though the concertmaster was no longer Rhein.
A little farther away were the rest of the musicians, the choirboys, and the other castrato singers.
"Mr. Evans, I can already imagine the magnificent splendor of that final D minor symphony. I can hardly wait to take the stage and praise the True God! It's the most beautiful, most soul-stirring piece of music I've ever heard. I'm afraid I won't be able to hold back tears in such a sacred and solemn musical atmosphere." Fabrini sang his praise as though it were an aria itself. He was dressed in a formal black tailcoat with a red bow tie, his lips vivid as flame.
During the last several rehearsals, Fabrini had fully experienced the brilliance of this D minor symphony that Lucian Evans had titled the "Ode to Joy," and so the ever-passionate singer seized every opportunity to extol it.
Grace, who hadn't been able to sit in on the rehearsals, looked at Lucian with curiosity: "Teacher, is this symphony really as wonderful as Mr. Fabrini says? Could it possibly surpass Fate?"
"Though different moods lead to different judgments about different music, I do believe it is certainly an outstanding work," Lucian replied with a gentle smile, as though praising someone else's composition.
Franz let out a sigh of relief and chimed in: "Honestly, I'd been worried that your E minor symphony before it would be attacked by musicians and critics. I personally love the work — especially the melody at the opening of the second movement — but its structure is far too free, completely beyond current forms, and it would be difficult to gain universal approval. However, with the Ode to Joy as the grand finale, everything will be fine."
He too held the Ode to Joy in the highest regard.
"Music is the expression of inner emotion. Structure is merely an aid — when it constrains our inspiration and creativity, we must have the courage to discard it and embrace new structural forms." Lucian was describing, in essence, the transition from classical music to Romanticism.
In truth, compared to many later Romantic works, Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 in E Minor "From the New World" — currently renamed by Lucian as "From the New Realm" — was actually one of the more structurally restrained pieces, closer to the classical tradition, a symphony of folk character. After all, Dvořák himself had been deeply influenced by the classical school.
Hearing Lucian's words, Franz nodded thoughtfully, as though reflecting on the various structural problems in his own past compositions.
The cellist Thomas nodded in agreement: "From the New Realm is a very, very beautiful symphony. Even if musicians criticize it, it will be praised by everyone who truly knows how to listen to music. Time will let it shine as brightly as any other masterpiece. And all of this stems from your style, Mr. Evans, of refusing to cling to convention and having the courage to innovate. Combined with the Ode to Joy, which touched my very soul, I'd like to first express my deepest respect."
His manner was sincere and earnest. He believed this concert would achieve unprecedented success, that every piece would go down in history, and that he himself, as a performer, would earn greater fame and fortune — after the several concerts Victor and Lucian had held at the Sacred Hymn Hall, their orchestra had already been hailed as the finest ensemble outside the court orchestras. Though their fees were steep, nobles and wealthy merchants clamored for them nonetheless.
Lucian smiled. "Thank you for your praise and kind words, but everything will be judged only after the concert is over. Now then — it's time. We should be going."