Volume 7 / Chapter 239

TL: LightNovelCafe

Editor: Isleidir

Louis O’Connell’s eyes were full of curiosity when he spoke,

“I heard that you remember all music if you hear it once. Do you remember for movies as well?”

“Ha ha. No. I can remember the music, but not the movies. So I have trouble remembering scenes with only dialogue and no music.”

“Then you remember all of the music in the movie?”

“Yes. That’s easy. If the music and video are not in harmony, it’s hard to focus on the movie because of the bothersome music.”

Louis O’Connell felt his heart pound faster. Jun Hyuk brought up the perfect harmony between video and music that all directors seek. He asked Jun Hyuk the most important question,

“Do you have standards on film music?”

“Hm… I’m sure the audience can’t feel the music when they watch a movie. Music is a way to support the video message. The visuals become overwhelmed if the music is too strong. But it needs to be good to listen to as a separate track.”

Louis O’Connell realized that the perfect music director is sitting across from him. He spoke cautiously with a trembling heart.

“Filming ends soon. I’ll end the editing quickly and send it over. I hope you won’t turn it down even if the movie falls short a bit.”

“I heard you’re an incredible director. You’re being too modest. I’m also anticipating it because it seems like it’ll be fun work.”

Jun Hyuk’s response basically means that he has come halfway to accepting. Louis O’Connell’s face brightened.

“But can you tell me who the main actor is?”

“I guess you don’t want entertainment programs on TV. It’s all been announced. It’ll be Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon Levitt, and Robert De Niro.”

Jun Hyuk’s eyes sparkled. Louis O’Connell knew what it meant.

“Shall I arrange for a dinner or something? If you would like that, I mean.”

“Oh, is that for real? Is that possible?”

The seriousness had gone away and his excitement at the possibility of meeting Hollywood stars is him as an average person in his 20s. Louis O’Connell laughed and took out his phone.

“Hang on. Let me ask about Anne’s schedule.”

“What? Anne? Anne Hathaway?”

“Yes.”

Jun Hyuk grimaced and waved his hand.

“Oh no, I don’t know that woman well. I was talking about Robert De Niro. ‘Raging Bull,’ ‘Godfather II,’ ‘Goodfellas’. And the real masterpiece, ‘Taxi Driver’!”

When Jun Hyuk started listing movies that came out before he was born, Louis O’Connell’s eyes widened. Most people in their 20s do not remember Robert De Niro in ‘Taxi Driver’ unless they are film fanatics.

There is no way for Louis O’Connell to know that Jun Hyuk’s cultural life began with Yoon Kwang Hun, a man in his 40s.

***

The synopsis and script that Louis O’Connell provided, created waves in record marketing. His plans were done with special effects for a documentary, filming outside without a set.

Since there was not much time for the record label and director, there was a way to work as quickly as possible.

It took 2 days to film a music video that was barely 4 minutes long. Jun Hyuk and the band had to stand in front of a blue screen and keep changing their clothes while singing the same song dozens of times.

Excluding Alvin who has a lot of experience, the 3 of them had fun in the beginning but started to get tired and annoyed after a little time passed.

“Jun Hyuk, I’m sorry.”

“About what?”

Kyung Min Ho suddenly apologized to Jun Hyuk in the middle of filming.

“I secretly cursed you for your meticulous directing while we recorded. But you were nothing compared to that director.”

***

There were 2 big events in New York on December 23. One was the New York Philharmonic’s year end concert and the other was the showcase for Alvin Lee and Jun Hyuk’s album .

The main person for the album is Alvin Lee, so Jun Hyuk made sure not to miss out on the New York Philharmonic’s concert. Half of the interest in the New York Philharmonic’s show is about Jun Hyuk, so it is also a good opportunity for promotion.

Reporters were camped outside Lincoln Center Avery Hall, waiting for Jun Hyuk.

Jun Hyuk is the only person that they absolutely need to get an interview from today. This is because each city’s maestros had not been able to attend because of their own year end concerts.

When Jun Hyuk’s limousine arrived at the concert hall, reporters encircled it and started pressing the camera shutters. The middle-aged couple that got out first took in the flashing cameras with confused expressions, and the reporters did not look much different either.

“Are you with Maestro Jun?”

“Excuse me, but what is your relationship?”

The couple hesitated and could not respond to the reporters’ questions, while Jun Hyuk and Tara got out of the car and the microphones were directed to them.

“Maestro. Will you first tell us your thoughts on today’s show?”

“First, I’d like to thank Maestro Carras and the New York Philharmonic. Though it’s a song that I wrote, I have never been able to perform it properly. I did record it, but that was through shortcuts.”

Jun Hyuk laughed and looked around at the reporters.

“I’ll be sitting back and comfortably enjoying that song for the first time today. Of course I am happy.”

“There’s a showcase going on in Manhattan today. Please say something about your new album.”

“Um… You’ll be able to hear Alvin’s honest singing. The music is as great as today’s performance will be.”

Jun Hyuk’s group got through the reporters and went into the concert hall. There was not a single empty seat, and it was evident that the hall was full of curiosity regarding the music rather than expectation.

The orchestra members’ expressions were bright as they walked out on stage. As it said on the placards, they were not wearing headphones or earphones.

Moments later, conductor Carras entered to passionate cheering. Dimitri Carras smiled and greeted the audience before standing on the podium.

At that moment, most of the audience gulped and held their armrests tightly. They are preparing to face and endure the music.

As soon as the conductor’s baton moved, the stringed instruments’ uneasy sound started to come out lightly. As soon as the strings’ melody began, Jun Hyuk’s eyebrows wriggled.

After almost 3 minutes, Jun Hyuk realized exactly what Dimitri Carras meant when he said that he is looking at the music objectively and from a third party’s view.

Looking around, people in the audience were frowning. There were also those staring blankly with their mouths open, focusing on the stage. It is an entirely different scene from when Petrenko conducted the 1st part with Berlin Philharmonic, and everyone left their seats without being able to withstand it.

The music did not cause pain. It was just uncomfortable. There were times when everything in front of them looked blood red or as though a demon form was present, but the audience seemed to know precisely that that is an illusion.

When the 1st part was over after more than 10 minutes, sighing could be heard from everywhere in the audience. However, not a single person left their seat.

When the 2nd part began, Jun Hyuk wanted to clap loudly. Since Inferno was revealed to the world, this is the first time that the 2nd part is being performed in a concert hall.

Unlike Jun Hyuk’s recorded CD, the tempo changed. Unexpected parts were speedy, and moments that needed to pass by like a storm were weak and slow, changing the parts that needed to be endured with difficulty. It even felt like he was breathtakingly following the limitations of permissibility from the score.

Conductor Carras finished performing until the 4th part, and did not move while holding onto the podium handrail. The orchestra members also had their heads down and were panting.

When the conductor did not turn around, there were short bursts of clapping among the silent audience, and then everyone stood up to start clapping. It is not an enthusiastic cheering however. It was encouragement for the toil that the New York Philharmonic had gone through.

This reaction is the general audience’s evaluation of Jun Hyuk’s Inferno. It is difficult and interesting music, but there is no philosophical message or emotional charge. It is as though they decided that is sound, not music.

When the applause faded, Dimitri Carras turned and greeted the audience by bowing. The orchestra followed suit, getting up from their seats to bow before quietly leaving the stage.

As though they had waited for the New York Philharmonic to leave, the audience quickly left. There was no curtain call.

Jun Hyuk did not move until everyone had left. When the couple who had come with Jun Hyuk also left and the theater was completely empty, Tara cautiously spoke up,

“Jun. You’re not going to go to the waiting room?”

“No. I think it’ll be better to just go. I need to join the showcase too. And… Maestro Carras will want to be alone.”

“Why? You think the concert was a failure?”

“He performed up to the 4th part. This in itself is a success. I thought it was okay, but I think critics are going to give bad reviews when they compare it with the album. He chose a method that was too safe.”

Tara did not miss the ray of disappointment that passed over Jun Hyuk’s face.

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