Entertainment: Is this how you play music?!

Chapter 458 The Battle of Kings: A Madman's Daring!

Game start.

The first performer was Varian.

Varian gave Chen Gang a deep look, then glanced at his teacher Mikhail on the judges' panel, and at Li Can beside his teacher.

In my mind, I recalled my teacher analyzing Li Can and Chen Gang's performance philosophies and styles.

Unconventional and imaginative.

The musical world of ordinary musicians is an ocean, in which they roam.

For a conservative and steady person like myself, the world of music is a vast land where I can stroll and build my own castle brick by brick, which ultimately forms the unique delicacy and strength of the Russian school of piano.

For Li Can and Chen Gang, the world of music is a vast sky, or even an endless space.

This type of performer doesn't stroll or wander; they soar.

They are few in number, but absolutely the most disgusting opponent in the competition.

You never know whether it crashed, flew normally, or just disappeared without a trace.

Everything depended on their imagination, their technical skill, and the intensity of their emotions at the time.

Top-tier neurosurgical techniques rely entirely on uncontrollable factors.

In a narrow sense, what does "high-altitude attack" and "low-altitude attack" mean in terms of land-to-air combat?
Varian sat down, and the concert hall fell silent.

Calm down and begin playing.

The three seconds of notes made Li Can look up in surprise, glancing at Varian and then at Mikhail.

What came into view was Ms. Mikhail's mysterious smile.

The simple quintuplets are full of articulation, each note is upright and neat, like a well-ordered foundation stone. The embellishments at the parallel points of the quintuplets lean gently against each other, like patterns carved on the foundation stone.

The timing is perfectly matched, with personal interpretations made only in the feel and intensity of the touch.

The extreme contrast between strong and weak, like black and white, is striking yet sufficiently dignified.

Once the theme motif is sounded for the first time, the subtle changes in intensity are incredibly delicate and emotionally powerful, as if colors are beginning to emerge.

The colors are not intense, nor are they dazzling, but rather like a majestic ancient castle in Storm Hills, slightly gray, yet full of color.

Faced with Chen Gang, Varian found the optimal solution.

An ordinary castle cannot face the blue sky.

If you lay a good foundation, you can continuously expand, raise, and raise it again.

One day we will be able to face the blue sky.

The beautiful castle is incredibly grand, and the delicate notes are like a beautiful relief carved on marble, steady and profound.

The ladder built by human hands is like a path to heaven.

Not just Li Can and Chen Gang, but everyone seemed to see Sisyphus pushing the huge boulder step by step, climbing to the summit.

It is awe-inspiring in itself.

No one cares whether the stone can be pushed up or whether the castle can really reach the sky, but the spirit expressed in the musical notes is moving.

Most ingeniously, Varian seems to have incorporated the story of his own country into the work, transforming Sisyphus into a red giant covered in cracks, pushing the boulder in a scene that perfectly expresses the delicacy and tragedy of Russian art.

Li Can had been wondering if his stimulation could trigger Chen Gang's power spike, but he never expected that Varian would be the first to do so.

After the performance ends.

Varian nodded in satisfaction, let out a long sigh, and blushed slightly with excitement as he faced the enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Just like Chen Gang, the two nodded to each other kindly and smiled.

After completing the performance summary, giving it my all, and undergoing a transformation.

For Varian, the outcome seemed to have lost its significance.

Amid applause, Mikhail asked Li Can with a smile.

"So? Do you think you'll win?"

"It will win."

Li Can clapped his hands and chuckled softly.

The firm tone made Mikhail pause for a moment.

This is not a joke, nor is it just a slogan; he genuinely believes it.

As the uncrowned king of the piano world, it's not surprising that he's confident. But Li Can, who is usually humble and cautious and doesn't speak too confidently, is so sure. Does he really have some secret trump card?
Mikhail was somewhat curious.

"Why? Why are you suddenly so sure? You weren't like this before."

"Because music is the art of emotion!"

"mood?"

Mikhail looked puzzled and glanced at Li Can.

Now, the mysterious smile has shifted to Li Can's face.

"Yes, it is emotion. Music is always an art of emotion. No matter how much you transcend artistic value or depth of meaning, you must return to the fundamentals, namely, your impact on people. Emotions will never lie."

Mikhail was startled, suddenly sensing something was wrong.

Varian expressed himself very well, absolutely wonderfully.

Throughout their interactions with Li Can and Chen Gang, the master and apprentice have always based their strategies on artistic considerations within a professional framework.

However, they overlooked the simplest and most familiar essence.

mood.

Because at Varian's level, even a casually played passage is enough to evoke subtle emotions in the audience. Most performers turn emotions into instinct, so they need to aim for artistic heights and enrich themselves with cultural value and connotation.

Only now did Varian realize just how cunning Li Can truly was.

Compared to Varian's meticulous approach, Chen Gang, under Li Can's influence, will truly take a radical and unconventional path.

Emotions, more and more emotions, have become intense emotional stimuli, and the fluctuations of emotions are used to outline aesthetic colors.

For the audience, that's the "feeling".

Are you listening to the story, the details, or the most direct feelings and emotions?
There are differences in how professionals and non-professionals listen to music. Ordinary people rely on their feelings, while professionals can hear more complex information. The judges in competitions are all experts among experts, able to resonate with the performers' works and deeply immerse themselves in them.

But very few people are truly controlled by their emotions.

But emotions are inherent in human nature, and even the greatest masters cannot avoid them.

Why has Li Can's virtuoso technique caused such a frenzy in the piano world?

Because the impact of that extreme expressiveness on emotions is unparalleled; even masters would be moved by it.

This is the "feeling" that is easily overlooked by masters and described by countless listeners who do not understand music.

"Oh no, he's really going to pull a crazy trick."

Mikhail's heart skipped a beat.

Losing all interest in idle chatter, they focused intently on the stage, staring at Chen Gang.

How could Mikhail not understand the emotions Li Can was expressing?

But Mikhail knew that the emotions Li Can spoke of were definitely not that simple.

If Varian is someone who can instantly evoke a feeling the moment the notes are played.

The feeling Chen Gang gave off, however, was the moment he stood up and walked towards the stage.

He strode confidently toward the stage, shook hands with Varian with great enthusiasm, and gave him a light shoulder bump and half-hug.

"It was absolutely fantastic, a truly excellent performance, Varian."

"Thank you, Chen. It's up to you now."

Even Varian's typically stern Russian expression couldn't help but reveal a slight smile.

They nodded, and amidst applause, they switched places.

Compared to Varian's "repressed" demeanor, Chen Gang seems more "outspoken".

Mikhail instantly understood the problem, looked at Li Can, and mentally cursed in Russian.

If one had to describe Chen Gang, it would be in four words.

The momentum is like a rainbow.

Before the performance, Chen Gang already possessed the demeanor and state that should appear during the performance.

This reminds me of the piece Chen Gang is about to perform, "Mazepa".

Mikhail's eyes widened. Who is Mattepa?
He is a Cossack hero.

Tied to a horse and banished to the wilderness, they suffered the utmost humiliation.

He was rescued by a Cossack tribe while on the verge of death, joined the Cossack cavalry, and became a brave and skilled warrior.

He eventually became king.

Chen Gang's state of mind seems to echo the content of this performance.

A true king is one who forges ahead without hesitation.

Varian himself had practiced the piece that Chen Gang was about to perform.

Varian himself knows, without needing judges' evaluation, whether he has won or lost, or whether they are evenly matched, how well he can play.

Finally, amidst much anticipation.

Chen Gang began to play.

It starts with a fast and dissonant diminished seventh chord, constantly avoiding resolving the musical phrase!

Chen Gang strongly created the tension in the tone of the toccata passage from the very beginning, like a rope binding Mazeppa—uneasy, tense, and intense!
充满攻击性！
Varian felt a tingling sensation down his back, and his pupils dilated and contracted instantly.

Mikhail looked at Li Can again, his pupils dilating in shock.

Both master and apprentice seemed to want to ask Li Can if Chen Gang had gone mad.

Because, compared to the original tempo of the music, Chen Gang sped it up considerably!
"Mazepa" is a double-stop etude in thirds.

The difficulty is naturally very high, and there are certainly many inhuman techniques involved.

But in fact, taking it down is not an extremely difficult task.

For professional performers, the difficulty is different, because the first hurdle they face is musicality and singability.

Even the so-called boring etudes can be played with the feeling of beautiful music.

The etudes that can be performed are all of extremely high quality. This is not because the works themselves lack artistry and musicality, nor is it a crude accumulation of techniques. It simply means that more emphasis is placed on the application and practice of techniques.

In other words, as long as a student can play an etude with musicality and make it sound beautiful, they are already a very good performer.

It's at least above average.

However, whether the energy and potential of the music can be continuously tapped depends on the performer's skill level.

Beyond mastering technique, one must achieve musicality.

It belongs to a field dominated by a very small number of geniuses.

These kinds of virtuoso performance pieces emphasize speed.

These exceptionally talented musicians will continuously increase their speed, striving to push the limits of human ability and deliver even stronger emotional stimulation while maintaining aesthetics, lyricism, and technical integrity.

But such performers are still very few and far between in the world.

Very few in the literal sense.

No more than one hand.

Today, Chen Gang has suddenly accelerated the pace of his work to this extent, which is precisely a challenge to the limits!

If it had been Li Can playing the piano, Varian and his student wouldn't have been so shocked.

But who the hell is Chen Gang?

The exaggerated hand speed, the unrestrained movements, and the intensely explosive notes seemed to be trying to turn this Bösendorf grand piano into a Steiner, dangerous!
The powerful tension, accompanied by the musical notes, continuously impacted the live performance.

Following the moderates are the radicals.

The extremely emotional performance did not cause Chen Gang to lose his composure; on the contrary, it made the performance even more engaging and suspenseful.

Even Varian himself had an image in his mind.

That is the legendary story of Mattepa.

"He is a king when he runs, falls, and rises!"

The double-stop passages in thirds, originally designed for piano practice, not only did not implicate the narrative, but instead made it flow incredibly smoothly.

Emotions! Emotions!
Varian was unaware of the conversation between his master and Li Can, but at this moment, he suddenly understood.

Or rather, Chen Gang finally revealed his true intentions!

At this moment, the line, "I'm sorry, I have a reason I have to win," made Varian realize something!
Chen Gang's performance of "Mazepa" is completely different from the "Mazepa" on the score!
Don't underestimate the effect of just an acceleration; the emotional tension it generates increases several times over.

However, speeding up the Mazepa is itself an extremely discouraging thing.

The music is slightly soothing.

Like Mazepa on his deathbed.

But it possesses a unique beauty of destiny.

Once you gain momentum, engage in battle, and ultimately become the king.

Amidst the flowing clouds and water, the intense and profound emotions continuously propel people upward.

at last!

After six and a half minutes.

The music was coming to an end.

In a short period of time, under intense emotional stimulation, we review the life of a legendary figure.

The music ends.

A rebate is needed, or rather, a termination solution is needed.

Regarding "Mazepa".

Anyone in the audience who can play the piano will recognize this.

Everyone is waiting for the final note to begin.

Can be biased.

It's stuck on the last note.

Chen Gang removed his hands from the keyboard and stood up.

It wasn't a forgetting or a mistake; rather, two notes were deliberately left unplayed.

Music without a clear ending can be incredibly frustrating and drive people crazy.

But Chen Gang just wouldn't play those two notes.

He suddenly bowed deeply.

The music, as powerful as thunder and lightning, seemed to float in the universe, leaving a lingering aftertaste that never truly ended.

The lingering echoes, artificially constructed!
The judges were astonished and shocked by Chen Gang's audacity.

Even Li Can was shocked and felt a chill run down his spine. He hadn't expected Gangzi to actually give him such a big surprise!
Almost instantly, Li Can understood the intention.

Why doesn't it end? Why is the last terminating clause left unfinished and unresolved?!

because
Wang will continue to move forward!

"You'll get points deducted for that!!"

Varian clapped excitedly, his expression serious as he looked at Chen Gang, but his eyes were full of fervor.

This single change of sound impressed Varian.

"crazy!"

Mikhail clapped, but could not believe it.

The entire audience erupted in applause.

The judges in the audience were amazed, impressed, and regretful, but at the same time, they greatly admired Chen Gang's bold design.

A clever and bold design can be a plus, but it can also detract from the overall quality of the design.

If there are no extra points, won't it explode?

But Chen Gang chose to walk the tightrope, which, combined with his incredibly emotional performance, became the perfect finishing touch.

"Wonderful!"

Varian stepped forward.

After pondering for a long time, he could only utter one word.

"Wonderful!"

(End of this chapter)