Hye-jae: Book 2 - New Loves

New Adventures Part 9

Perhaps the audience members were deceived by such an impressive first half to imagine that the second half would be a poor second but no-one in the company thought anything other than that the best was yet to come in Seon-jae's performance - he will blow them all away - just like he did to me the first day.

During the interval - as Ciara just managed to hold herself back from squealing girlishly and In-seo gregariously repeated how wonderful the performance of the duo had been, brushing off any praise of his own performance, Dieter even saying uncharacteristically exuberantly that he had just known that the 2 women would be perfect to play together in the concert series - Seon-jae sat quietly and didn't say very much, though he repeatedly looked to Hye-won, as he squeezed and stroked her hand.  

She appeared slightly dazed after coming off-stage, as the elements of the performance flowed through her mind - the pleading invocation of the German art song, the swing and pizzazz of the Spanish-sounding aria and Ciara's talent in selling its undoubted sex appeal to the audience, the wistful ache of the last line of the English song - and the lasting impression they gave her was rich and evocative, as the flavours of a delicious meal enrich the senses long after they can be tasted in the mouth.  She could see that Ciara was very happy with how the performance had been received but, a veteran in her own right, her past successes inevitably made this one less remarkable, whereas for Hye-won, the novelty contributed, at least in part, to the extraordinary impact of such a performance and its reception.  She saw again Seon-jae's tender expression as he walked towards her, then bent to present the bouquet and kiss her cheek, heard again the heartfelt Goddess.  She turned to him then where he sat to her right and tilted her head slightly: 'sorry love...my mind was a whirr for a moment there.  Thank you for the beautiful flowers - and for the look of love on your face when you gave them to me - whose idea were they?  Never mind,' as his eyes evaded hers, giving him away, 'whoever's idea it was - you, my darling, sweet, thoughtful man - it was a lovely one - and so unexpected.'

Seon-jae smiled sweetly but there was a tension in his shoulders and hands that vibrated through to her and she knew exactly why that was and also, that he needed quiet, physical and emotional, to focus his mind in preparation for his performance.  She lifted her head and saw In-seo glance over with a look of concern on his face, as he also read Seon-jae's mien and gestures.  Of course, In-seo would know exactly what this feels like. 

Almost of one mind, she saw In-seo turn to speak to Dieter and draw him out of the room, while she turned to Ciara and suggested that they take their seats for the second half - hidden towards the back of the reserved choir stalls upstairs -  so that Ciara agreeably walked towards the door.  Standing then, she turned and bent towards Seon-jae, speaking gently in his ear: 'darling, just empty your mind before you go out there and once you are playing, open your heart and let everything you are pour from you - they won't know what to think when your genius hits them...poor dears, I know how they feel.'  

The expression on his upturned face was such an agonised mix of anxiety, anticipation and now, amusement, that she couldn't help herself and claimed his lips in a fierce and unrestrained kiss of deep passion that finished far too soon but which left Seon-jae feeling fired up and ready for anything.

---

Seated quickly after that, Hye-won realised that she was almost more nervous now than she had been before she played herself - then, it was very important to play well but the responsibility lay with me.  Now, it is beyond me but equally important, maybe more so.  She remembered previous performances of Seon-jae's - his debut concert in Korea, when she had watched and listened from the sound-box and the end-of-year performance in Germany, when he had surprised everyone - herself, most of all - when he dedicated his performance to his love, Oh Hye-won.  When Seon-jae entered after Dieter's brief introduction - when he drolly said that the audience should remember the day and the date so that in future years, they could tell anyone who would listen that they had attended a Lee Seon-jae concert, which raised a few wry titters - Hye-won was slightly stunned, in spite of herself, at the very real sex appeal of this young man.  Not only did he look immaculately-clad in a well-cut black suit and crisp, white, open-necked shirt that emphasised his broad shoulders and beautiful features but his stride was powerful and purposeful, as he walked to the front of the piano, calmly bowed once, then took his seat.  He placed the handkerchief that Hye-won had gifted him before his debut inside the lid of the piano and then placed his hands on the keyboard.  

Seconds later, the jaunty skips of the opening of the Rondo in D major playfully hopped from his fingers and the rest was an easy seduction - for the audience, for Hye-won.  A kaleidoscope of human emotion was expressed for the audience's consideration through Seon-jae's expert fingers, the deceptive simplicity of the piece revealing the true genius of Mozart.  Though only just over 7 minutes long, the playing was a joy to hear and this cosmopolitan audience knew it and showed it volubly in their applause.  Seon-jae seemed quite composed as he stood to accept the appreciation and when he sat again to resume his performance, the hush that fell on the assembly seemed - to Hye-won's ears - changed now, more charged with energy and anticipation.

When the first notes from the Preludes - Book 1 emerged from the instrument, ripples of whispers ran through the audience, as though they knew they were now truly strapped in for a roller-coaster ride - as so it emerged.  Playing first Danseuses de Delphes - Dancers of Delphi -  which transported the audience to an alternate world of fantastical creatures and happenings, Seon-jae then played a selection of variations, each one conveying a different texture and mood, whether the calm lyricism of La Fille aux Cheveux de lin - The Girl with the Flaxen Hair, the playful humour of Minstrels, or the wild energy of La Danse de Puck - Puck's Dance.  However, the advent of the first rumblings of Ce qu'ua vu le vent d'ouest - What the West Wind had seen -  clearly delineated it as the incommiscible piece of the evening.  Seon-jae's playing gathered the inherent danger and inner wildness of nature and launched it at the audience, whether they were ready for it or not.  It seemed that the winds roiled , strained, ripped through the cathedral and, when the piece - and sound - concluded, it seemed that a vital essence had been stripped from the space.

---

If the appreciation for the first half was rousing, that for the second lifted the rafters.  It was clear to Hye-won that this was something special for everyone present and when Seon-jae had taken multiple bows, Dieter came back on stage and raised his hands for hush, before he and Seon-jae had a brief, whispered conversation.  As Seon-jae walked to resume his seat, Dieter told the audience that Seon-jae would play 1 encore and that would be the song Widmung - Dedication by Robert Schumann - as transcribed by Liszt -  and then Dieter delivered the killer-blow: 'Mr Lee would like you to know that he dedicates this encore to - as he put it - a special someone  - herself a great fan of Clara Schumann - whom he believes to be described in the lyrics - my soul, my heart, my guardian angel, my better self - none other than the gifted lady whose piano playing you have all appreciated already tonight.'  

As Dieter announced her name again, the audience's appreciation of the significance of the dedication caused a flutter of conversations and little laughs - as well as some sporadic clapping, quickly hushed - to erupt around the cathedral, before a significant silence again descended into which the intense beauty of the piece floated.  Ciara squeezed Hye-won's hand and it helped ground her but even so, the depths of feeling that came over her on hearing the beautiful playing and knowing that Seon-jae was thinking of her - both when he chose it as an encore and now, as he played it - were indescribable.  As the applause echoed around the cathedral, Seon-jae - having bowed numerous times - stood calmly, allowing the audience to show their lasting appreciation of his efforts, until he spoke quietly to Dieter, who then spoke to the audience while looking up to the choir stalls: 'I'm sure that you would all like to see our first performers again, so let us welcome them back on stage.'

The trio made a quick trip down the back stairs and were soon accepting more raucous applause, as they stepped onto the altar.  In-seo was obviously a firm favourite and took a number of good-humoured bows before standing to the side.  Though Hye-won wished to remain on the edge with Ciara, calls of encouragement rose from the audience, prompting Ciara to take Hye-won's hand in hers and walk her to the centre, from where they accepted the audience's generous appreciation.  Lastly, Dieter directed all 4 performers to join hands for a communal bow - Seon-jae to Hye-won's left, In-seo to Ciara's right - and whoops of bravo and calls of well done, with thunderous clapping, rang to the rafters of the ancient building.