Chapter 117
Soo-hyun, lying on the bed, looked at the sheet music Uncle Franz had given him.
Unlike Mr. Schubert's music, which was bright and cheerful, Uncle Franz's seemed to have a dark aura. It was a collection of twenty-four songs. Schubert had said that his music and Uncle Franz's had similarities, but also differences.
'Shouldn't I at least know the title?'
When he asked Ji-ye, she smiled and said,
"Why don't you ask Junwoo? He knows more about music than I do."
When he asked Junwoo, he seemed surprised.
"Winterreise, D. 911? Isn't that a Schubert song?"
It turned out to be a song by Professor Schubert, not Uncle Franz.
'Why did Uncle Franz give me Professor Schubert's song? Is it for me to practice while studying abroad?'
But Uncle Franz had said to play it when he had time. It didn't seem to be an assignment.
Soo-hyun got up from the bed, sat on the piano stool, and placed the sheet music. Seeing the German title Winterreise, Soo-hyun recalled Junwoo's explanation.
"The Winter Journey. It's a song cycle composed by Schubert in 1827. It's a set of twenty-four songs based on poems by Wilhelm Müller. The first part consists of twelve songs, and the second, another twelve. Schubert himself is said to have said, 'I like these songs more than all the others, and you will like them too.' In fact, it is considered the greatest masterpiece among German song cycles. The story is about a man who, after being rejected by his lover, goes on a journey in winter, only to meet with despair and death. It's very dark music. I don't know why he gave you this."
Soo-hyun began to play the first movement, Gute Nacht (Good Night). It was not a difficult piece. The left hand played repetitive chords, and the right, a simple melody. It was a song that seemed to express the footsteps of a man walking alone through a snowy field on a dark night.
Soo-hyun finished the first song and moved on to the second, Die Wetterfahne (The Weather Vane). A piece that described a weather vane spinning endlessly in the wind. The music was a little faster but still simple.
Then, the third song, Gefrorne Tränen (Frozen Tears), and the fourth, Erstarrung (Numbness). Passing through the fifth song, Der Lindenbaum (The Linden Tree), and the sixth, Wasserflut (Flood), the seventh song, Auf dem Flusse (On the River), began.
Each song told a story. As the songs progressed, it felt as if a man were falling deeper and deeper into despair.
'What is Uncle Franz trying to tell me with this music? Does he want me to know that Professor Schubert was not always a cheerful person? Or does he want me to know a different side of him?'
When Soo-hyun, who had been lost in thought, finished the last of the twenty-four songs, Der Leiermann (The Hurdy-Gurdy Man), he let out a long sigh. The sun, which had been shining through the terrace window, had already set, and the red twilight dyed the room.
The last song, Der Leiermann, was the story of an old hurdy-gurdy man who played his instrument with numb fingers in a frozen village, but no one listened or gave him money. Only dogs growled around him. The protagonist, who had been wandering, approached the old man and asked, "Old man, can I go with you? Can you play the hurdy-gurdy to my songs?".
Soo-hyun closed the score. There was a sticky note attached to the last page.
'What's this?'
Soo-hyun, who peeled off the note, saw Uncle Franz's familiar handwriting.
"Do you want to know why I gave you this song? Because this is the only song you're missing."
Soo-hyun tilted his head.
'The only song I'm missing. I don't understand.'
The next day, in the practice room, Soo-hyun told Junwoo the story. He also seemed puzzled.
"The only song you're missing? What does that mean? Have you never played Schubert?"
"That's not it. I've played several of his songs."
"Then what is it?"
Soo-hyun, who had been pondering, suddenly opened his eyes wide.
"Ah!"
"What, what? Do you know?"
"No… I just thought of something."
'Could it be this? The only song I'm missing… could it be the last feeling I need to learn?'
The six basic emotions: joy, sadness, disgust, surprise, anger, and fear. He had already experienced fear and anger with Uncle Beethoven. And he had learned about joy with Professor Kim Eun-joo. Sadness was a feeling he knew well. Disgust was something he was learning. So, was the last one left surprise?
"What is it? Tell me!" Junwoo urged, shaking Soo-hyun.
"I think it's 'surprise'."
"Surprise?" Junwoo tilted his head. "The emotion of surprise? What does that have to do with Winterreise?"
"I don't know. But it's the only one left."
"Mmm… it's ambiguous. Why don't you just ask him directly?"
"I can't. I don't know when I'll be able to see them again."
Junwoo, who heard Soo-hyun's sad voice, patted him on the back.
"Don't worry. I'm sure there's a reason."
At that moment, the door to the practice room opened and Jaehee entered.
"Oh, Jaehee. What's up?" Junwoo asked.
Jaehee, whose face was slightly flushed, handed a small bag to Soo-hyun.
"This… is a gift."
Soo-hyun took the bag and looked inside. There was a small, heart-shaped rice cake.
"For me?"
Jaehee nodded shyly.
"Thank you, Jaehee."
"You're welcome…"
As Soo-hyun smiled, Junwoo looked at them with a strange expression.
'These two… there's something going on between them.'
"Well, I'm off. I have to practice," Junwoo said, getting up.
"Are you leaving already?" Soo-hyun asked.
"Yeah, see you later."
Junwoo left the practice room, leaving Soo-hyun and Jaehee alone. An awkward silence filled the room.
"So… do you want to eat this together?" Soo-hyun said, breaking the silence.
Jaehee nodded.
As they ate the rice cake, Soo-hyun couldn't stop thinking about Uncle Franz's note.
'The only song I'm missing…'
He looked at Jaehee, who was eating quietly. Perhaps she, who admired Schubert so much, might know the answer.
"Jaehee."
"Yes?"
"Do you think Winterreise has anything to do with surprise?"
Jaehee thought for a moment.
"Well… not directly. But Schubert's music often has unexpected harmonic changes. Maybe that could be considered a surprise."
"Unexpected harmonic changes?" Soo-hyun repeated.
"Yes, like in the 'Trout' Quintet. There are moments when the music suddenly changes key. That always surprises the audience."
Soo-hyun became thoughtful.
'Unexpected changes? Surprise? Could that be the key?'
"Thank you, Jaehee. I think you've helped me a lot."
Jaehee blushed.
"It was nothing."
Soo-hyun smiled. Maybe he didn't need to search anymore. The answer, as always, was in the music.
- - - -
Thanks for reading!
We reached our goal! With your support on Webnovel (500 Power Stones) and Patreon, this week we'll have 5 chapters a day on Webnovel and 10 chapters a day for Patreon subscribers.
Read +120 advanced chapters of this novel on my patreon
@Patreon/iLikeeMikee
Thanks again for your support!