In an era where popular entertainment was so scarce, that explosively powerful and emotionally charged performance had delivered a tremendous impact on everyone present—nobles and commoners alike had been ignited by it, driven to a state of near frenzy.
"I felt like I was suffocating just now, brother," Lilith said to Sarah, still shaken but thoroughly exhilarated. "The 'Fate' I heard before and the 'Fate' under Mr. Evans's baton are truly worlds apart."
Sarah answered with great excitement: "Exactly! Only Mr. Evans was able to fully reveal the spirit of never giving up and overcoming adversity that this symphony contains, allowing my soul to be baptized once more."
"Because this is Mr. Evans's own work, and his conducting just now was so passionate—as if he'd merged entirely with the music." Lilith made no effort to conceal her admiration for Lucian.
"Mr. Evans's conducting style is truly unique—conducting like that! Previous conductors have all been far too restrained," Sarah said, echoing what everyone around them was repeating over and over.
Compared to those gentlemen with deep musical expertise, people like them who loved music but didn't know all that much about it were actually the most receptive to Lucian's changes in conducting style, and they quickly warmed to that passionate approach.
……
"Lucian acted like a madman out there, and this is the dignified temple of high art!" After marveling at the possibility of conducting in such a manner, Count Verdi was the first to criticize Lucian's approach.
This was the shared sentiment of many conservative, old-school musicians. They found it very difficult to accept Lucian's conducting style—it went completely against everything they'd been taught in their musical education. He was far too mad!
It was foreseeable that the next day's *Music Review* and *Symphony Herald* would feature numerous critical articles.
Natasha shook her head with a touch of excitement: "No, Cousin Verdi. I believe this is the conducting style that best suits the Fate Symphony. That was the most perfect performance of 'Fate' I've ever heard—don't you agree?"
Before the Duke and the Cardinal, Verdi couldn't very well speak carelessly for the sake of appearances. He furrowed his brow: "It was indeed the finest performance of the Fate Symphony, but I believe the credit belongs to the orchestra. The fact that Lucian's conducting didn't interfere with their performance only shows that the orchestra has an excellent concertmaster."
"Your Grace, on the contrary, I believe it was Lucian's conducting that ignited the orchestra's emotions, allowing them to resonate with the music—only then could such a perfect result be achieved. I must admit, this conducting style is perfectly suited to program music, and it will surely become popular alongside the development of that genre." Christopher offered his assessment from the most authoritative position.
Then he smiled and pointed out the issues in Lucian's performance: "However, Lucian's conducting was indeed a bit too forceful—he nearly tipped from one extreme to the other. He needs to learn restraint; being a madman isn't necessarily a good thing. Of course, as a musician making his stage debut, and one attempting a conducting style never seen before, these minor flaws are forgivable and acceptable. With young people, we must learn to be understanding."
Apart from his superior knowledge of musical development and melodic composition compared to the musicians of this world, Lucian was no true musical genius—his musical sense was perhaps a cut above the average person's, but only just. His conducting style, forged over several months of experimentation, was still immature and harbored many problems, such as making the conducting appear too frenzied and losing its aesthetic appeal. But as Christopher had said, achieving this level on a very first attempt was already no small feat, and Lucian himself was quite satisfied. After all, this was something he'd created on his own.
With the music world's most authoritative master, Christopher, giving his approval, Verdi didn't say much more. He turned his face away to avoid Natasha's triumphant smile, while Duke Vaolet held the program list and chuckled as he looked through it: "Actually, I personally rather enjoyed Lucian's conducting style just now. He was like a reflection of all of us—battling evil and adversity right there on stage—which is why he seemed so wild and fearsome. Oh? Everything after this is piano solos?"
At his words, the nobles all picked up their program lists.
"I only glanced through it roughly before—saw what pieces were on the program but didn't pay attention to the order. I assumed Mr. Evans would use the Fate Symphony as the final piece," said Prince Michael of Syracuse, Duke of Tria, with puzzlement.
By normal concert conventions, the closing piece would certainly be a symphony, and the finest one at that. Everyone had instinctively assumed Lucian would place the Fate Symphony last, bringing the concert to its most spectacular conclusion. Who would have thought he'd play "Fate" already in the second half?
Christopher caught on, saying with a hint of surprise: "Everything after this is piano solos. This concert programming is rather front-heavy."
Bishop Saer de half-closed his eyes and smiled kindly: "This young man is no fool. Since he dares to arrange the program this way, it means he's very confident about the piano solos. There may well be changes similar to the revolution in his conducting style earlier—let us wait patiently. The Lord tells us never to assume others are fools, for then we ourselves become the true fools."
"Of course—Lucian has certainly prepared something new again," Natasha agreed emphatically.
On stage, the orchestra had already withdrawn and a piano had been carried out—but it was placed not facing the audience, but turned sideways.
"It really does look like there's a change..."
Just the adjustment of the piano's position alone was enough to stir a powerful sense of anticipation among the nobles and musicians inside the Sacred Hymn Hall.
……
In the minutes following the conclusion of the Fate Symphony, Piora and the others on the municipal square, like all the surrounding audience members, had been passionately discussing every detail of the music and the conducting, their emotions running high and exhilarated.
Once the piano was in place, they finally quieted down, waiting for Lucian to appear—but with a touch of confusion: "Why is the piano turned sideways facing us?"
Before they could even voice their question, Lucian, in his black tailcoat, tall and striking, emerged steadily from backstage. He bowed deeply to the audience, then sat down before the piano.