Chapter 98: Numbered Musical Notation
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Wasn’t it just double harmonics and left-hand pizzicato?
Didn’t double harmonics mean that the bow was floating on the surface of the strings instead of pressing down on them? The positions for the correct notes had to be precise to ensure that the notes were in tune and there was sufficient control over the string vibration.
As for the left-hand pizzicato technique, it was more difficult than double harmonics. However, anyone who knew a little bit about the violin knew of this technique.
Did she have to take so much pride in knowing those terms?
The key reasons why Qin Ran said that was not these, but because Qin Yu was not proficient in double harmonics and left-hand string pizzicato. Her double harmonics were very stiff and sometimes, she went out of tune. The way her left hand pressed on the strings was quite sluggish sometimes and it made the vibrato very choppy.
The problem with her left-hand pizzicato was even bigger. Whenever Qin Yu plucked the D string, it always sounded dull because she did not dare to use enough force. Qin Ran guessed that Qin Yu tried before. If the sound was too clear she wound definitely hit the E string.
In any case, Qin Yu’s foundation was solid, but her skills now were not good enough.
However, Qin Yu wanted to show off her skills in this piece of music, which caused its beauty to be ruined.
This was the reason Qin Ran said her playing was not smooth.
However, she did not say that out loud.
She only took out her earpieces and stuffed them into her ears. She found a stood to sit down on, turned up the volume to the maximum, and her entire body started to relax slowly.
Due to what Qin Yu said, the atmosphere in the small hall became tense.
Qiao Sheng hid his careless expression, turned around, and looked at Qin Yu with a slight sneer.
Qin Yu did not dare to look at Qiao Sheng. She dug her nails into the palm of her hand and slightly closed her eyes before speaking to Xu Yaoguang. “So are you just going to let her be here?”
Xu Yaoguang returned to his senses. He looked at Qin Ran with a cold and intense gaze. After that, he turned over to talk to Qin Yu. “As a violinist, you will be subjected to various comments by professionals and amateurs. You don’t have to worry about them.”
“But what if I say that her being here is really affecting my mood? I’m unable to continue playing.” Qin Yu spoke lightly without looking at Qin Ran.
Xu Yaoguang did not immediately answer. He thought about it for a moment.
After that, he looked at Qin Ran with an obvious intention.
Finally, Qin Yu breathed a sigh of relief. She looked down from a platform at Qin Ran who was sitting down.
Qiao Sheng opened his mouth, jumped up, and said incredulously, “Young Master Xu?!”
Xu Yaoguang did not say anything.
The cell phone in Qin Ran’s hand vibrated. Lin Siran had called her, so she answered it.
It was time for Lin Siran’s performance.
Qin Ran stood up, took off her earpieces, and stuffed them in her pocket. Her apricot shaped eyes squinted as she said indifferently to Qiao Sheng, “It’s Lin Siran’s turn. Let’s go.”
Qiao Sheng looked at Qin Yu with a slight smile, but his gaze was icy. After that, he followed Qin Ran and left the small hall.
After the two of them left, the small hall was quiet again.
Xu Yaoguang’s expression did not change much. He continued to look at Qin Yu indifferently. “They’re gone. You can continue.”
Just after Qin Yu picked up her violin, Xu Yaoguang’s voice rang again. “Does your sister know how to play the violin?”
It was a question, but he said it with an affirmative tone.
“She learned it before when she was younger, but she wasn’t serious. After a few years, she quit and even hit her teacher’s child’s head,” Qin Yu said.
Xu Yaoguang nodded and did not say anything else.
His eyes were somewhat empty. Later, Qin Yu noticed that he was not listening as seriously as before.
**
Outside, Qin Ran already saw Lin Siran. She was behind the ones performing in the Ninth Class.
“What are you thinking about? The big troops are all gone.” Qin Ran cleared her throat and softly whispered.
“I seem to recognize someone familiar.” Lin Siran frowned. “I’m not very sure.”
Lin Siran returned to her senses and took out a small glass bottle that was the size of her thumb. There was a small plant inside. She handed it to Qin Ran. “Take this.”
“What?” Qiao Sheng turned over to look at them.
Lin Siran smiled breezily. “It’s a blade of grass. Nothing much.”
After hearing Lin Siran’s explanation, Qin Ran looked at her expressionlessly.
Qiao Sheng did not care much about Qin Ran’s expression. He only looked at it seriously, realized that it was really a blade of grass, and did not say anything more.
Girls were really lame.
**
At night, after Qin Yu was done practicing, she went home with a lot of thoughts in her mind.
Ning Qing was on a call with someone at home and she looked very happy.
Qin Yu sat on the sofa and did not practice her piano. While she waited for Ning Qing to be done with her phone call, she fixed her hair and casually said, “Mom, where did you find that piece of paper last time?”
Ning Qing hung up the phone and was startled. “What piece of paper?”
Qin Yu pursed her lips. “It’s... the piece of paper that dropped out when you were packing grandma’s stuff.”
Ning Qing thought about it for a long time and only had a vague impression of it. “Paper? It must be something that belongs to your grandma, right? I’m not sure. You can come with me to visit your grandma tomorrow and ask her.”
Chen Shulan?
Qin Yu’s impression of Chen Shulan was of an old person that dressed plainly. She did not know Chen Shulan very well.
However, the musicality and skill of this piece were very profound. Qin Yu guessed that it probably had little to do with Chen Shulan. She just did not know where she got it from.
She nodded slightly. “I will visit grandma with you tomorrow.”
Qin Yu realized that Xu Yaoguang was more interested in her adapted piece than her other pieces, but she only had one page of the music score.
However, Qin Yu did not associate the score with Chen Shulan. She only decided to try her luck.
**
The next day, Qin Yu went to see Chen Shulan with Ning Qing.
“Mom, Yu’er is here to see you.” Ning Qing shook Chen Shulan awake from her bed.
Chen Shulan was very sick and her mental state was not good. Even her voice was weak.
Qin Yu sat on a chair by her bed instead of sitting on the bed. She greeted Chen Shulan with a few words of concern. In the end, just before they left, she covered Chen Shulan with a blanket and said, “Oh yes, grandma, the last time when my mom helped you organize your luggage, I saw a piece of paper with many symbols on it.”
Qin Yu was afraid that Chen Shulan did not understand musical notations and phrased it differently.
“Do you have more of it?”
When Chen Shulan spoke, she always seemed to be in a frail state and did not say much to Qin Yu. However, when she heard this sentence, she looked refreshed and her eyes lit up as she stared at her.