### Chapter 277: Playing Chopin’s Nocturne for You
“(Night… Nocturne?)”
As the broadcast announced Lin Tian’s piece, the entire rest room was plunged into an eerie silence.
Everyone’s expressions could only be described as jaw-dropping.
“(Is it that nocturne I’m thinking of?)”
“(What other nocturne could it be?)”
“(Oh no, not again!!)”
Everyone completely lost their composure.
How was this happening again?
During the preliminary rounds, both performers using rhapsody already stretched the limits of sanity.
Back then, rookie Lin Tian steamrolled over Nishikawa Yuha’s composition, causing “Croatian Rhapsody” to stomp all over it and shine on the international stage.
Such an improbable event had already been ludicrous enough.
And now, a repeat?!
What kind of deep-seated grudge was this that it was chasing him down?
One pianist couldn’t help but check with the staff to confirm if any player had changed their piece for the finals.
When he received a definitive “no,” he couldn’t hold it in any longer.
What a pure coincidence!
But, since it had nothing to do with them, discussions ensued.
Everyone was mostly here for the spectacle.
A showdown of similar types of music?
This was going to be thrilling!
Especially considering both contestants were renowned composers on the field.
From the preliminaries to the finals!
Not to mention, the audience and even other competitors couldn’t help but feel that this was going to be quite the show!
In the midst of this excitement, everyone seemed thrilled.
Except for one person.
—Nishikawa Yuha himself.
Hearing the announced piece, Nishikawa felt as miserable as if he were constipated.
He was both frustrated by his terrible luck and felt as if there was some divine intervention at play, leaving him feeling helpless.
He held his forehead, caught between laughter and tears,
“Lin Tian-kun, you’re so devious!!”
Lin Tian, on the other hand, hadn’t planned it like that.
A week prior, when choosing the piece, he hadn’t thought too much about it.
Since it was the “Sato Sakura” International Piano Competition, Lin Tian thought, “If I don’t pay homage to Chopin here, it just wouldn’t feel right.”
And “Nocturne” was one of Chopin’s signature pieces.
After all, his opponent was Watanabe Satoru.
Choosing this piece now felt rather fitting.
This brings us to Chopin’s incredibly famous “Nocturne Op. 9, No. 2.”
It’s a gentle and soothing piece on the surface but is notoriously difficult to play.
It demands a high level of skill from the performer, not only in technique but also in expressiveness and emotional impact.
If he wanted to push his limits, this piece provided ample room for Lin Tian to showcase his talent.
Given Watanabe Satoru’s recent performance, it meant Lin Tian had to pull out all the stops to interpret this piece properly.
At the very least, he wouldn’t dare bring shame upon Chopin’s legacy.
Lin Tian straightened his suit and tie and sat down at the piano.
At that moment, the lights focused.
They landed on the young man on stage, casting an elongated shadow.
The crowd below rustled, with several dark cameras from the media pointing at him like hungry hawks.
Gan Yan Yu clasped her hands over her chest, watching with concern.
In front of him was Watanabe Satoru, his only rival showcasing his flashy piano skills.
Behind him stood Nishikawa Yuha, also complicit in this media frenzy.
What will he do?
“(This time, it’s going to be tough for Lin Tian-sensei to win in composition.)”
Viewing Lin Tian on the big screen, Williams stroked his chin, rationally analyzing the situation.
“(Indeed, Nishikawa-sensei has pushed the envelope of this ‘Silent Gate’ to the extreme; it could easily be called the representative work of contemporary nocturnes.)”
Lloyd nodded in agreement.
“(Even if Lin Tian-sensei brings out another stunning composition, he’s unlikely to surpass Nishikawa-sensei in the nocturne genre!)”
Watching from the sidelines was one thing; facing the reality was another.
Each of them shared their opinions.
“(True, but Lin Tian-sensei did win once in the preliminaries, so they’ve each had their moments! It’s quite the tale!)”
“(Exactly; even Lin Tian-sensei, with such talent, finds it hard against ‘Silent Gate.’)”
Just as the words hung in the air, suddenly—
An incredibly lyrical melody began to resonate.
The group froze and hurriedly turned their gaze to the stage.
“.”
Lin Tian had started playing.
His gentle and sweet, singing-like piano sound echoed through the hall.
As if midnight whispers shared the depths of his emotions.
It was almost magical.
In mere seconds, everyone was hooked.
“(What beautiful music.)”
In the audience, Gan Yan Yu couldn’t help but murmur softly, fists clenched.
“降E大调夜曲，作品9之2”, is one of Chopin’s most famous works, composed in 1830, during the time he moved to Paris. It’s one of his early masterpieces.
At the same time, it stands as an important milestone in Chopin’s exploration of nocturnes.
Through this pièce, Chopin firmly established the nocturne genre worldwide.
Calling it a milestone in music history wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
So much so that, when future generations discuss “nocturne,” their first response often won’t even recognize it as a music form, but rather as a specific piece:
A piece called “Nocturne,” crafted by Chopin.
So, what kind of emotion does such a piece convey?
People in later generations generally considered this piece a reflection of Chopin’s inner world.
It’s not merely a description of nighttime scenery; it’s an expression of Chopin’s inner feelings, his longing for a beautiful life, and the incredibly complex emotions that stem from it.
“.”
All of this flowed slowly through under Lin Tian’s hands.
In this gentle and sweet melody…
“(What a beautiful sound. What beautiful music.)”
Williams’s pupils trembled slightly,
“(What a marvelous melody.)”
“(The triplet accompaniment pattern is simply incredible, that flowing, wave-like sound effect is just so atmospheric for a nocturne!)”
“(What kind of talent does it take to compose a nocturne like this?)”
At that moment,
Yao Han closed his eyes and reclined in his chair.
Fully immersing himself, he listened intently.
Such delicate emotions made him intoxicated.
Yao Han couldn’t help but smile.
No wonder, Master Lin Tian.
When this piece concludes, the world should remember the name of this Tianchao composer.
But…
Simply playing to this point was far from enough!
(End of the chapter)
