Moonlight Sonata

Program Director Kamala Hellen was stressed out and completely pissed off. 

She had just received a short message from the pianist who was scheduled to play for them in their live program.

Sorry. Sick, can't make it.

5 words.

5 god damned words.

And with that, the bastard had screwed up her Live Program!

It would still be acceptable if he informed her a few days before. Fine, if he was truly sick, then even three hours before was okay. 

It would take a small miracle for them to be able to find another pianist for them in three short hours, but at least they had a fighting chance.

But that bastard only sent her the message 30 minutes before he was supposed to go live.

How the bleeding hell was she supposed to find a replacement pianist in 30 god damned minutes?

There were only less than twenty certified pianists in the whole country for god's sake.

Actually, they had a third year student in the National Institute of Music who was actually majoring in Piano. 

But after bringing him into the studio, he was actually unwilling to play the piano for them!

"I am not ready for a live show yet. What if I make mistakes? My good name will be ruined." Harvey Gorman shook his head with great determination.

No amount of persuasion, intimidation and even physical threats could change his mind. 

Kamala Hellen was royally pissed.

She had no choice but to switch to a recorded playback on a live program. 

It was unethical, and there was even a chance of being found out by the more musically OCD listeners out there.

But what choice does she have? 

She had no access to any pianists in such short notice.

And when a young teenager suddenly entered their Broadcast Room looking at their grand piano like a sex starved teenager looking at a naked celebrity, a strange compulsion suddenly took over her heart.

"Are you a pianist?" She heard herself ask him.

And when he replied that he can play the piano, for some reason she believed him and she even felt relieved.

So she sent him to the grand piano and signaled for her team to allow him to take over the live playing of the piano!

3.

2.

1.

The radio host's fingers led the countdown.

And when the signal for go was given, Kamala Hellen closed her eyes.

Please God. 

Let him be good!

XXXXXXXXXXX

Jordan Lin had no idea how much time was allocated to him.

But he didn't really care. It was a live radio program anyways.

They had room to shift things around.

The song that he had decided to play was quite lengthy with 3 movements totalling around 15 minutes. But there was an abridged version that was 7 minutes long, which was also the version Jordan Lin decided to play.

It was Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

The piano piece that was arguably one of the most beautiful the world had ever known.

Jordan Lin knew for a fact that he was bound to make a big splash in the music scene of the world.

It was his first real breakthrough!

After he received the go signal, Jordan Lin closed his eyes and his fingers got to work.

The first movement was in C Sharp Minor.

The song started soft and slow, with three notes being gently repeated on the right hand.

The three notes were like an emotional river flowing downstream on a huge mountain. 

They tenderly opened the gates to the hearts of the listeners, slowly leading them downwards into melancholy.

Over and over again, with each slight variation to the three notes drawing the listeners deeper and deeper towards Beethoven's emotional lake. 

Director Program Kamala Hellen slowly opened her eyes in shock.

She could not believe her ears. 

Around her, all seven of her team were also staring at Jordan Lin with their mouths open.

Just what sort of music was that?!

How could it be so hauntingly beautiful?

It didn't sound very complex or difficult to play at all, but the sheer emotion that was being expressed by the music was so otherworldly!

It was beautiful melancholy, so beautiful that there was a dash of ecstasy blooming in their souls.

Their souls were like a dried, parched up land finally receiving the deluge of water they didn't know they were thirsting after.

The song was like a mournful, ghostly voice calling out its loneliness from a great distance in the translucent light of a full moon.

"Oh…" One of the female staff members let out an uncontrollable sob.

"I don't know why my tears are falling. Why are they falling? Am I sad? Hic." A male staff whispered softly.

"Oh… Is this what they call an eargasm? It's such a simple song but it is so ohhhhhhhh…"

Their souls were quivering in sorrow due to the sadness of the music, but at the same time, they were also happy and grateful that they could actually enjoy such a beautiful song.

It was only the abridged version of the first movement, and they were already so emotional.

This truly was a world starved of emotional expression through music!

If Jordan Lin were to see their reaction to his playing, he would definitely smile an evil smile and say, "Wait till you hear the 3rd movement."

After finishing the first movement, Jordan Lin did not dwell too long in the subdued gentleness of the second movement.

The sonatas of the late 17th centuries were all similar. Their first movements were thematically consistent, their second movements were rather subdued, and they only pulled out their big guns in the third movement.

Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata had a remarkable and hauntingly beautiful first movement. 

But it was in the third movement that his true emotions were unleashed. 

Even so, Jordan Lin did not dare to skip the 2nd movement entirely, for it was in the backdrop of its subdued slowness that the 3rd movement's explosiveness could be well and truly showcased.

Bang! 

A powerful slam of the keys signaled the start of the 3rd movement!