I became a music industry godfather by writing confidantes.

Chapter 173 Self-Deception

Jiang Yinglan had been sitting in the study for ten minutes.

The computer screen is still stuck on the playback interface of "I Don't Want to Grow Up".

This song was actually written by Yang Du?

How could this be a song written by Yang Du?

Originally, Jiang Yinglan was dismissive of Yang Du's plan to write a classical pop song, and could even be said to have completely disregarded it.

This is not because she looks down on people, but rather a normal judgment based on her professional expertise.

Does a young boy who hasn't even graduated yet know what the weight of classical music is, what motivic development is, or what counterpoint is?

They're in different fields of expertise.

However, after seeing the list of collaborators for "I Don't Want to Grow Up", Jiang Yinglan decided to put away her disdain.

Of the three, Jiang Yan rose to fame with Yang Du's production of "Painting Heart," while Tao Cheng became a rising star with "Swallowtail Butterfly."

These two might be obliged to join Yang Du's bandwagon out of consideration for his feelings, even if "I Don't Want to Grow Up" has flaws or is not entirely satisfactory.

This is the troublesome aspect of owing favors.

But what about Xu Xiao?

Having been in the industry for so long, Jiang Yinglan had her own way of judging people. She didn't think Xu Xiao was the kind of newbie or fool who would risk everything for the sake of saving face.

Therefore, "I Don't Want to Grow Up" may not be classic, but it is definitely popular enough.

However, even with all her mental preparation, Jiang Yinglan was still surprised when the prelude came out.

It was such a pure classical technique.

Yang Du, a student of the Beijing Conservatory of Music, usually studies popular theories and techniques, yet he has the foundation and ability to write such pure descending semitones and polyphonic progressions with extremely rigorous logic from the Baroque period!

How did he do that?

Jiang Yinglan was completely baffled and couldn't help but turn up the volume.

However, as the song played, the more I listened, the more alarmed I became.

The counterpoint of the string section was flawless, without a single flaw. Even more unbelievable was that Yang Du actually used the viola to fill in the vocal parts during the female vocalists' breathing breaks.

This is exactly the same technique she used in "Moonlight" to compensate for Tang You's weak high notes with strings.

The only difference is that one is adding, and the other is subtracting.

What made Jiang Yinglan most uneasy was that this melody was so perfectly matched with the theme of "I Don't Want to Grow Up," it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe it as a perfect match.

First, there's the tonality. In classical music, major keys sound relatively bright, sunny, and brilliant, and are usually used to express joy, victory, solemnity, and grandeur.

Minor keys sound relatively gloomy, sad, and melancholic, and are generally used to express pain, sorrow, and lamentation.

G minor is often used to convey and emphasize feelings of anxiety, struggle, and tragic fate.

Secondly, the sighing motif runs throughout, and the repeated descending semitones further intensify this urgency and unease that makes it hard to breathe.

Then there are the lyrics. The very first line of the verse of "I Don't Want to Grow Up" is a series of "whys".

Why do wishes made upon shooting stars never come true?

Why is a valiant knight more dangerous than a dragon?

The core emotions of a young girl—her bewilderment, resistance, struggle, and reluctance to grow up—are perfectly aligned with the melodic curve of the sighing motif, which rises and falls with each subsequent note.

The combined effect of these three elements transcends the question of whether a song is good or bad, or whether the technique is good or bad. It represents a comprehensive unification and sublimation of the tonality, melody, lyrics, and emotional core.

After the song ended, although she was reluctant to admit it, Jiang Yinglan had to come to a conclusion: the quality of "I Don't Want to Grow Up" was superior to that of "Moonlight".

It is precisely because she has been immersed in the field of classical literature for decades that she understands better what makes "I Don't Want to Grow Up" good, why it is good, and why it is even better.

Jiang Yinglan couldn't pretend to ignore her music theory and knowledge, which she usually took pride in.

For a moment, she felt like she couldn't breathe properly.

Deep down, Jiang Yinglan actually felt some regret, thinking that her criticism back then was somewhat hasty.

However, regardless of whether the criticism was fair or unfair, was Yang Du's subsequent response appropriate?

If he were willing to humbly accept criticism and live up to her original intentions, given Yang Du's current status in the industry, today would be a beautiful story that many people would talk about with relish.

This vague sense of regret came quickly and went quickly, soon being replaced by a feeling of resentment.

Ultimately, "Moonlight" is a piece of classical music dressed in a popular guise; it's more accurate to call it a popular classical piece than a classical pop piece.

As the composer, arranger, and producer of "Moonlight," Jiang Yinglan is all too familiar with the process of how this song came about.

First, the core of classical music is established, then it is reduced and simplified, unnecessary structures are removed, and classical music is made to cater to the aesthetics of the popular market audience, becoming less classical and less complicated.

Similarly, it is not difficult for Jiang Yinglan to deduce that the creative process of "I Don't Want to Grow Up" is exactly the opposite of that of "Moonlight".

First, determine the structure of the verses and choruses and the 4/4 time signature, then use the classical melody as the framework to grow the rich charm of pop music.

Suddenly, an absurd idea popped out of the depths of my mind, uncontrollably: to write it.

Is it possible that this classical melody wasn't written by Yang Du himself, but rather by someone who truly understands classical music, who then credited him?

However, Jiang Yinglan rejected the idea as soon as it came to mind.

It doesn't make logical sense.

Writing for someone else is essentially cheating, and those who frequently cheat know that it's reasonable to copy from 50 to 60 points without the teacher suspecting anything.

But if someone cheats to get 99 points from 50 and gets first place in the class, then the teacher will have to investigate thoroughly.

Therefore, if it were ghostwritten, Yang Du would certainly not have been so high-profile. Choosing a relatively mediocre segment would undoubtedly have been more appropriate and safer.

Even assuming the worst, what would the person who ghostwrote it be after?

In this life, fame and fortune are the two most important things.

Where in the world are there so many geniuses who are willing to work behind the scenes and contribute silently, who would hand over works of this caliber and still be willing to hide their names?

Moreover, the classical music circle is neither too big nor too small. If there really is such a hidden master, Jiang Yinglan does not believe that she would be completely unaware of it with her connections and social skills.

Since it wasn't written by a ghostwriter, there's only one possibility left.

This conclusion made Jiang Yinglan feel even worse. She subconsciously picked up the teacup next to her and rubbed her thumb back and forth on the rim of the cup.

Once, twice, three times.

Realizing what she had done, Jiang Yinglan threw the teacup back onto the table as if it were burning her, spilling tea all over the floor.

Jiang Yinglan had broken the habit of rubbing the rim of the glass three times because of Yang Du, but today she actually picked it up again because of Yang Du.

"I haven't lost—" she stubbornly thought, "No matter how well 'I Don't Want to Grow Up' is written, it's still just a classical pop song."

.

Online, people say that Yang Du's writing of classical pop music is a crossover from a field he is not good at. But isn't her making an album for Tang You also a crossover?

Her major is classical composition.

I didn't lose!

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