As the curtain fell completely, the applause gradually stopped, followed by a low whisper. After a few minutes these voices also disappeared, the entire Barbican Hall became eerily quiet, all the audience waiting for the next performance of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
The big red curtain was slowly opened again, and all the members of the orchestra were already in place at this time. The conductor walked straight to the middle and bowed slightly to the audience, and the warm applause suddenly sounded again. However, even though many people were looking forward to the start of the performance, they still found a problem - there is no principal cellist like the band members!
This is undoubtedly a very strange place. You must know that this concert commemorates the 60th anniversary of the birth of Jacqueline Dupree, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra played her best performance "Elgar Violin Concerto", but now the orchestra does not have a principal cellist... Well, putting that aside for now, wouldn't a Principal Cellist be needed to play the Elgar Concerto? So what is this all about
Although the audience was very puzzled, there was not much noise at the scene, and everyone understood that the organizers still allowed this to happen, which means there must be a reason. At this moment, the conductor who had already stood in the middle made a gesture, and everyone immediately started flipping the score in front of him. Then he gently shook the conductor in his hand and swiped down, and the soothing sound of the cello suddenly sounded. stand up.
Edward Elgar's cello concerto is dedicated to his wife, who has helped him a lot musically, and almost all of his successful works are composed after marriage. So when his wife died, Elgar composed this Requiem dedicated to his wife, which could also be called his own swan song, and it was the last major orchestral work he had written in his life. .
The whole piece has a lot of emotional ups and downs, sincere and full of philosophical thinking, the balance between rationality and sensibility is difficult to grasp, so it is quite difficult to perform. Famous cellists such as Gisals, Fehrman, Yo-Yo Ma, etc. have all played this piece, each with its own emphasis and style, but among so many, it is almost universally recognized that Jacqueline's version is the best. Devoted wholeheartedly and even a little reckless, full of vigor without losing the delicateness of women, and at the same time, there is no unrestrained indulgence of their emotions. You must know that the cello can almost be regarded as the exclusive domain of men, and there are very few female cellists, especially those with individuality and originality. Jabelin can be admired by many musicians and is a well-deserved genius. It is precisely because of this that so many people gasp for her untimely death.
The music is played like flowing clouds and flowing water, and the desolate atmosphere and nostalgic sadness of the twilight are hidden deep in it, and the whole piece is as serious and deep as ever. A lot of people didn't feel that there was anything special about it at first - except for the sound of the cello but not seeing the principal cellist - but when the adagio solo jumped into the middle board, many people, especially the elderly, changed their faces. Gotta be a little different.
It was a weird mix of surprise and liking, and many people even started whispering against the rules, because the technique and melody were so familiar.
Those who have listened to it in their old age are especially excited, this wonderful melody full of vibrant but completely non-contradictory tunes that are diametrically opposed to the theme is almost the same as it was decades ago!
Soon, someone noticed that when the cello started to play solo, the conductor would always raise his hand a little higher as if to make it easier for someone to see. They finally found the figure hidden among the orchestra members who was holding the cello and indulging in the performance.
Although the face of the other party could not be seen clearly due to the light, the slender figure and the long fluttering golden hair were enough to explain everything. A sigh of surprise broke out in the audience, and people didn't know what to say. This familiar melody and familiar style overlapped the figure above with the outstanding woman who died early.
The slight noise suddenly stopped, and people stopped whispering and guessing out of thin air. Such a beautiful melody has not been heard on the scene for decades. What is more important than listening carefully
The members of the Philharmonic Orchestra seem to understand the thoughts of the audience. As the music becomes more and more high and atmospheric, they do their best to play this deep piece of music, especially the cellist hidden in the middle. The unbridled appearance of the wholehearted devotion can almost be said to be the rebirth of Jacqueline.
Finally, as the last coda of the cello concerto came to an end, basically all the audience stood up in unison, and the warm applause resounded through the hall.
The members of the Philharmonic Orchestra also stood up under the leadership of the conductor, and bowed deeply to the excited audience. At this time, the lights were bright, and everyone could clearly see the cellist hidden among the orchestra members. His face, exclaimed burst out from the audience again, no one expected that the principal cellist in the "Elgar Violin Concerto" of the London Philharmonic Orchestra would be the Angela Mason!
"How could it be her?!" Someone in the audience asked such a question, but soon someone remembered her various achievements and said in admiration: "Why can't it be her!" It's a pity that the audience didn't have time to find out. opportunity, the curtain has slowly fallen with the applause.
After all the curtains fell, Angela, who had been standing all the time, could no longer support her, and her body was about to fall down when she was soft. Fortunately, the people next to her supported her in time.
"Angie, are you all right?" Alan Bride and conductor John Smith hurriedly squeezed past.
"No... I'm fine." Angela waved her hand reluctantly, sweating all over her forehead, "It's just a little out of strength, I think... Maybe I'm too involved, I finally understand why everyone always says that Jacqueline is playing with her life. …”
"Okay, I'll talk about these later, let's take you to the backstage to rest first." Allen made a gesture to the lady who was supporting Angela, and she and another lady helped Angela to the back go.
Soon he came to the backstage lounge, and after helping Angela sit on the chair, one of the women asked, "How is it now, Angie? Do you need anything?"
"Just let me rest here alone. Pour me a glass of water if you can. It's difficult for me to lift my arms now." Angela said jokingly, although her chest kept heaving and adjusting her breathing rhythm.
"Please wait." The lady quickly brought her a glass of water, then smiled and gave a thumbs up: "Your performance is really great, Angie."
"Even though we've heard it many times," another woman added.
"It's nothing, just imitating and copying, which is much simpler than creating." Angela smiled and shrugged.
"It may not be easy to imitate to this point," the previous lady shook her head, but she did not continue the topic, "then we will leave for the time being, you can rest well."
After watching the two leave, Angela put the water glass in her hand on the small table next to her, sat up reluctantly, and then held her face with both hands and let out a long breath. Although her body was a little weak, she was very happy when she thought of the tsunami of applause before, and her efforts were finally not in vain.
Angela had a purpose when she proposed to Ellen to be the principal cellist in the Elgar Violin Concerto, but when they considered and agreed and started to break in, she couldn't help but devote herself to it. go in. Because the biggest reason to impress the orchestra is that Angela wants to use a perfect imitation of Jacqueline's performance in the "Elgar Violin Concerto" to commemorate this outstanding woman who died young.
This is not an easy task, not only difficult but also short. In fact, in the middle of these two weeks, Angela, besides eating and sleeping, either listened to Jacqueline's version of Elgar's Violin Concerto or practiced with the orchestra, and even the members of the orchestra took a break on weekends. She was still in the concert hall. Doing the exercise alone, the whole person is almost crazy.
Angela is relying on this kind of madness, bit by bit digging out the bits and pieces of Jabenlin's music decades ago, and restoring it as much as possible in the performance. This kind of madness is indeed very effective, plus her talent is good enough, and her mastery of the cello is second only to the best three instruments, so in the last rehearsal, almost everyone Surprised.
"I can't believe that I can still hear it live." Orchestra conductor John Smith said excitedly.
The rhythm, style, and atmosphere were the same as Jacqueline's, and it was very smooth without any jerky feeling, as if Jacqueline Dupree was playing it herself, but Angela would be very collapsed every time she finished.
"The way she plays is not something everyone can do." Angela finally concluded, "I can only imitate or even copy her performance in the "Elgar Violin Concerto", which is different from writing. Two things."
But no matter what, thinking about the tsunami of applause before, the joy of success filled Angela's heart. Copy or imitate, as long as it can commemorate that wonderful woman, it doesn't matter.
Too bad she might still be alive if she hadn't played that way. Angela stiffened her body and finally stood up reluctantly. But then again, otherwise, Jacqueline would not be Jacqueline.
This view is really contradictory. Angela shook her head and looked at a mirror not far away. In the mirror, she was as beautiful as ever with her curly long hair and a beige evening dress. When you go out later, you will definitely be blocked by a large group of reporters. You have to be prepared. You must have questions about whether to change careers.
Angela shrugged mockingly, maybe she should really think about it, after all... Thinking of this, her heart suddenly moved, and a thought suddenly popped up, as if she had already stayed there, just waiting for the right opportunity. Angela was stunned for a while, and a complicated smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.
Well, it should be done, and it is worth doing. Angela nodded slightly, then shook her head. Well, it's still early to do it, and there are more important things to do now.
Kate's face came into view, and the smile at the corner of Angela's mouth expanded a lot. At the beginning, I would make such a request to Allen and the others, in order to hope to temporarily keep Kate by my side. Of course, I forgot about it later because I put all my energy into recreating Jacqueline's performance.
But Kate didn't leave, she would sit down almost every rehearsal, and Angela stayed by her side when she practiced alone, and helped her exhausted back to the hotel more than once.
I no longer ask for anything, I just hope she can forgive me, even if I can't be a lover again, at least it's my sister. Angela looked at herself in the mirror and said so in her heart, while secretly making up her mind. If things go well here, then she will have more courage and confidence to launch a series of actions. New York, Los Angeles... oh, and a few more in London, especially the one she hurts the most.
Just when Angela was thinking about it, a knock on the door suddenly rang.
"Who is it?" Angela, who had recovered, asked hurriedly.
The other party didn't answer, just knocked on the door again, but the voice was much lower and seemed to be a little guilty.
Angela frowned slightly, but then smoothed it out: "Please come in, the door is unlocked."
After a few seconds of hesitation, with the turning of the handle, the door was opened with a click. A woman wearing a simple sun hat followed at the door. She tilted her head and dodged her eyes as if she didn't dare to look at her.
Angela couldn't help but take a deep breath. She raised her hand and waved it twice, and then looked at the other party and stammered out: "Jie, Jessie?!"
Jessica, who was standing at the door, tilted her head and didn't answer. She just bit her lip and shrank back, as if she wanted to leave.
"Don't, Jesse, don't be like this." Angela called out quickly, and then gestured, not knowing what to say.
Jessica's body trembled, she suddenly raised her head, something seemed to be flickering in her eyes, and she rushed over and rushed into Angela's arms and hugged. Unprepared and her body was still a little soft, Angela was taken back a few steps and leaned against the wall before she stopped.
"This... what's going on here." Angela raised her hands and asked inexplicably after grinning for a while, without answering, the body in her arms trembled slightly, she hesitated and tried a few times and finally put her hands gently placed on the opponent's shoulder.
"It's okay, Jesse, I... I... I... I'm here." Angela said after swallowing.
"I'm sorry." Jesse's voice finally sounded, slightly choked.
Angela's heart trembled violently, a little strange and a little dazed: "Jie... Jessie?"
"I'm sorry, Angie, I'm sorry." The body in his arms trembled even more.
"Don't say that, Jesse, don't say that." Angela murmured and hugged Jessica tightly. "It should be me who apologized to you, and it should be me who said sorry."
"No no, Angie, it should be me." Jessica finally raised her head and looked directly into Angela's eyes, she resisted the intense emotion, her lips trembled slightly, and her beautiful eyes were shining brightly, "I I promised you, I promised you."
"A... promised me?" Angela repeated her words blankly.
"I promised you that I wouldn't hate you no matter what you became, but then I forgot," Jessica hugged Angela tightly, as if she might lose her in the next second, "so God punished me."
Listening to Jessica's choked words, the previous picture finally emerged from Angela's mind.
"But no matter what I've become, I hope you don't hate me, and I don't want to lose you, Jessie."
"I won't hate you, Angie, you're my best friend, and I swear, no matter what you become, I won't hate you."
Her heart twitched suddenly, and an indescribable pain emerged from the bottom of her heart, Angela couldn't help biting her lips tightly: "No, Jessie, it was my fault, I was sorry for you..."
However, before she could finish speaking, a familiar figure appeared at the door: "Are you there?"
The next second, the visitor was stunned. She looked at Angela and then at Jessica in Angela's arms, and turned her head in a daze and bewilderment.
"Kay... Kate..." Angela, who was also stunned, didn't know what to say for a while, and Jessica in her arms also reacted, turning her head to look at Kate unnaturally.
The room suddenly became quiet. The three women looked at me and I looked at you. There was no movement for a long time. Finally, Angela coughed lightly to try to break the dullness, but two voices came in from outside.
"Yes... is it here?"
"Yes, I'm her assistant, don't be so timid, okay?"
"I'm not timid, I just feel a little… odd."
"Oh, yes, it doesn't sound different." Following the conversation, the two figures immediately appeared at the door, followed by a low voice.
"N... Nat?!" Angela stared at Natalie at the door, dumbfounded, her head running out for a while.
"Oh, it's really lively here." Alize, who appeared with Natalie, smacked her lips, half-sarcastically, half-sneeringly.
Angela, who had regained her senses, couldn't help but glared at her, and she finally realized what she had overlooked. As Kate said, Joe and Rachel had gone to her, and Jessica and Natalie suddenly appeared here, if it had nothing to do with Alizee, it was absolutely impossible. After Angela decided to participate in the orchestra, she called Sparrow and Alizee over from the United States, and she was immersed in piano practice. All the things in life were arranged by Alizee...
Well, now is not the time to settle accounts with Lily. Just think about what to do now.
However, before Angela could do anything, Jessica in her arms suddenly held her arm tightly, and then looked at Kate and Natalie with a look of alarm and a little unease.