After Lin Tian shared his thoughts, a flicker of panic crossed Gan Yanyu’s face.
"Let’s... let’s not do it, I’m not ready yet."
Lin Tian was somewhat puzzled, "Didn’t you say that you had already learned the piece?"
"The quality is very poor..."
Gan Yanyu murmured softly.
"It’s by playing together that we’ll find out what’s lacking."
Lin Tian didn’t understand.
Gan Yanyu lowered her head, her eyes drooping, her hair consequently covering her cheeks,
"I... I don’t want you to see, just how bad I am now..."
Gan Yanyu was very afraid.
If she were to play together with Lin Tian now.
To let him find out, just how poor her skills had become...
Lin Tian would definitely be disappointed.
After all, speaking about it and actually playing in front of someone were two different things.
All this time, in Lin Tian’s eyes, her cello playing was the very best.
Gan Yanyu didn’t want to see the day when Lin Tian would show a look of disappointment on his face and then have to console her...
And moreover, Gan Yanyu knew.
Lin Tian had made a huge decision before he decided on the path of training separately.
If she were to lag behind—
Wouldn’t that prove Lin Tian’s idea was wrong?
She, simply couldn’t make it without him...
Lin Tian would certainly take all the responsibility upon himself.
But in reality, it was clearly her own inadequacy...
Hearing what Gan Yanyu said, Lin Tian didn’t respond.
He just reached out his hand and smiled,
"Whether it’s possible or not, we’ll only know if we try."
At the café, on the sofa.
Gan Yanyu took a deep breath, raised her bow, and readied herself.
Lin Tian started on the piano first.
As the gentle piano tune started, Gan Yanyu also began to play the cello.
Soothing and profound music reverberated in the room.
The "Cello Concerto in E Minor."
As its name implies, this piece was tailor-made for the cello.
The presence of its accompaniment is subdued, with the cello’s timbre occupying the main stage.
Therefore, the entire piece gives off a feeling of silence and repression.
To accurately convey such emotion does require a strong resonance, the performer needs to unify their own emotions with that of the piece.
Gan Yanyu felt she was always missing something, that’s why she was never satisfied.
Lin Tian adding this piano accompaniment, aside from meeting the needs for visual effects, also helped them better locate the emotions in the piece.
What kind of emotion does the "Cello Concerto in E Minor" seek to express?
As a composer with patriotic fervor, Elgar had witnessed World War I with his own eyes.
What exactly happened during that process remains unknown.
But afterwards, his spirit suffered from incurable severe trauma.
Since then, he vowed never to compose music of peace again.
He found that in the face of war and suffering, this kind of elegant and celebratory musical style was meaningless.
Just as Lu Xun believed that studying medicine could not save the nation.
Against such a backdrop.
Elgar’s last major orchestral work—
The "Cello Concerto in E Minor," was completed.
It could be said that,
This was Elgar’s requiem dedicated to his wife, and also his "Swan Song" for his twilight years.
The entire piece has a great emotional range, yet it’s full of philosophical thought, a balance between rationale and sensibility.
Therefore, it is very difficult to perform.
Many people’s understanding of Elgar stops at the "pomp and circumstance," just as their understanding of Beethoven always stops at "destiny".
In fact, from this piece, people can glimpse a more sentimental and flesh-and-blood musical genius.
As the performance went on, Gan Yanyu gradually immersed herself in the piece.
Her cello playing became deeper and deeper.
Like stepping into a marsh, she sank deeper with the passage of time, unable to extricate herself.
That’s the familiar feeling!
Lin Tian felt it, that long-absent something, it’s back!
Just like any of the previous ensembles.
Although it may not be so easy at the start, as long as Gan Yanyu gets into the groove, the performance of both would gradually improve!
However, the premise for this is,
Lin Tian is merely there to provide support.
Lin Tian’s goal was not just that.
He wanted to try and understand, to immerse himself in the music just like Gan Yanyu!
Thus, Lin Tian quickened the pace of his playing.
Continuously playing.
Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, sliding across the youth’s cheek.
Lin Tian watched Gan Yanyu.
And he felt increasingly that he couldn’t keep up with his own thoughts.
He couldn’t figure it out.
To what extent must one go to grasp emotions, just as Gan Yanyu does?!
Clearly, Gan Yanyu was clueless; she didn’t know Elgar, nor did she know the story behind this piece of music.
But she, as if she had an all-seeing eye,
Once she began playing, all the emotions contained in the music would manifest vividly in her mind.
Thus, achieving a fully immersive performance.
An idea slowly took over Lin Tian’s mind.
Gao Zhenyang was wrong.
There was no need for him to imitate Gan Yanyu’s approach...
Everyone has their own strengths.
And Lin Tian’s was clearly not this.
What approach suited him, Lin Tian didn’t know yet.
But what he could be certain of was...
Lin Tian shifted his focus back to Gan Yanyu.
Soon, he rediscovered the earlier sensation.
When he discarded all distractions and focused solely on Gan Yanyu herself...
Unbelievably powerful.
The first part of the performance ended.
Gan Yanyu put down her bow.
The girl looked at her hands in disbelief.
"I...I didn’t make any mistakes."
Lin Tian beside her showed a fatigued expression.
Once in the ensemble, both Lin Tian and Gan Yanyu would perform far beyond their usual abilities.
Once he realized that copying Yanyu’s homework was useless,
Lin Tian reassigned himself to the role of the "accompaniment."
The music suddenly flowed more smoothly.
An unacceptable yet unavoidable reality.
"But... but when I practice alone, I feel like I’m in poor form..."
Thinking about this, Gan Yanyu couldn’t feel happy at all.
What does this mean...
My solo performance isn’t good.
But performing with Lin Tian is fine.
Doesn’t this precisely mean that without Lin Tian, my performance is inadequate?
This is no different from marking time.
"Mr. Gan, I think your issue has never been with playing."
Lin Tian smiled, "It’s just that, when I’m by your side, you feel more confident, right?"
Gan Yanyu thought for a moment.
It seemed, indeed that was the case.
As long as she noticed that Lin Tian was beside her, she would feel a sense of security.
As if no matter what music she played, she could succeed.
"Mr. Gan, you must believe that this Cello Concerto was written for you. In my eyes, no one is more suitable for this piece than you."
As if having made some determination, Lin Tian stood up,
"Let’s do it again, this time let’s turn on the camera and record it properly."