Rondeau ~Third Movement~

                                                                  Rondeau

4 days before concour (the last day of registrating the piece’s choice)

*in the hall before the music rooms*

                I wonder if there is someone that can be asked about this song, I can get the feeling but I haven’t got the grip of aura yet, Kaori mumbling. Suddenly… “

Maybe I can help?” said an anonymous voice.

 “Who?” shouted Kaori.

“Whoa, you don’t have to be like one of those horror movies victims, it’s just me.” Said Jocelynn from one of the music room.

 “Ohh, it’s you.. Ehh, do you really mean it?” said Kaori.

“Of course,I do. What? Are you expecting something like I’m actually a yandere and ready to stab you or attack you randomly?” replied Kaori.

“…. Yandere? You know such words? Are you a fan of anime?” said Kaori.

“Oh, yes. From shonen to shoujo. Action, drama, romance, even supernatural and tragedy genre.” Replied Jocelynn.

“Whoa, I thought… someone like you would just like opera or a theater… or something that is NOT like manga or anime.” Said Kaori.

“Ohh, I love all of them, Opera to theater. I love all of them. Besides I’m living in Japan, so I’m supposed to learn the culture, right? Besides I love all of those act-related things. Altough it’s an animation.” Said Jocelynn.

“So, back to the topic. Can you help me? You are an expert on things like opera, right?” said Kaori.

“Hmm.. So you are going to perform L'amour est un oiseau rebelle from Carmen right? Uhm, in my opinion if you want to play this one that bad. Why don’t you just play the “Habanera” part from Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy?” said Jocelynn.

“Eh? What? It is the same?” asked Kaori.

“It is. It seems you are really never get into classical music at all, right?” said Jocelynn.

“Ah, yes. I’m a complete amateur!” said Kaori.

“You are so proud of yourself haha, by the way. Let us see if the dorm’s library has the piece book.” Said Jocelynn. “C’mon!”

“Ahh, yes!” both of them are going to the library.

*in library*

“I got it! ^^ here!” said Jocelynn.

“Oh, let me see, let me see! :D” said Kaori….. “Harder than this…” after Kaori opened the piece.

“But, I’m pretty sure you can play it. For an ordinary amteur to be in here. You must be a REAL genius. Now now, don’t think me as a yandere that use sarcasm all over the place.” Said Jocelynn.

“Well, then. Ehm if only Tomoka is here, so there is someone who can play the Piano.” Said Kaori.

“I can do that for you.”

“Ah Charles, you are looking for a piece too?” asked Jocelynn.

“Ah, no. I actually want to look for a piece that I’m going to play for the second week.” Said Charles.

*really? He is already thinking about the second week, heck even the second theme has not been announced yet.* Kaori mumbling in her mind.

“So, then.. Habanera from Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy right? Well, let’s do it then. C’mon Kao-chan.” Said Charles

*Kao-chan? Please don’t add another weird name -_-“ *

~Carmen Fantasy – I “Habanera”~

*weird, I actually enjoyed playing this one more than the actual version of Habanera. This one has more swag and sounds better. Plus, I have mastered the actual habanera. So…*

“Ehhh.. ohh.. it’s a bit different. Let me try it one more time.” Said Kaori.

“Well, I guess that’s all for today.” Charles left the Piano like a boss.

“WAIT! WE HAVE NOT FINISHED. Oh well.” Said Kaori *cue an anime screeching screams*

“Let’s continue with me, then.” Said Tomoka from outside the room.

“Tomokaaa-saan~~~” shouted Kaori

“I actually listened to your performance, haha you are really an amateur. Hey, don’t you know that this piece is an international standard piece for concour. And you gave it a decent performance. I think I underestimated you a bit.” Said Tomoka.

“Eh? Is it really that hard? I thought this was more like an “improved” version of the ordinary one?”said Kaori.

“*sigh* you are really a genius, to be honest I can not even play some part of the piece eventhough I have mastered Habanera with my violin” said Jocelynn.

“By the way, have you asked the judges to change your piece. Today is the deadline.” Said Tomoka.

“Don’t worry, I have everything under control.” Said Maria Ohka from the second floor of the library.

“Maria-sama?” said Jocelynn.

“Yes, your rendition is superb. Why? This is the first time you played it, and you only made some unnoticeable mistake, but I’m sure the more you play, the better you can perform. I don’t even care for that Tetsuya-brat for making you have a miserable life. Besides I am the one who is in charge with the piece registration. Hahaha.” Said Maria Ohka

“What’s wrong, I want to listen to your practice again.” Said Maria Ohka.

“Yes!” said Kaori.

~playing Carmen Fantasy I- Habanera~

“Good, good!” said Maria Ohka.

“But, I can not still get Carmen into my performance. It looks like I can’t have her swag when she flirted with the guys.” Said Kaori.

“Jocelynn. You are actually majoring in vocal right? Sing me the Habanera.” Said Maria Ohka.

“Yes, but really? Right now?” said Jocelynn.

“Yes of course.” Said Maria Ohka.

~singing the Habanera from Carmen~

*note : this convo is happening in the middle of the song*

“That’s it. Kaori-san take a look. Can you see the swag? You should just imagine there are many brats around you lurking around, but you don’t afraid in fact you want to get ALL OF their hearts. Give up your pride and flirts with them. You are hungry of love. That’s the swag of Carmen can make you turn into a bitch who is ready to catch your guy. Get it?” Explained Maria Ohka.

“Hungry of love, eh? And is it safe to say that Carmen also reflecting the spirit of freedom? The freedom of love. The feeling that all you want is Love right now.” Said Kaori.

“Good one, that is what your performance should be.” Said Maria Ohka

“Great, Jocelynn. It looks like you have not lost your vocal technique even after 2 years of hiatus” said Maria Ohka.

“Thank you so much, but I am not in hiatus. I have given up in vocal major.” Said Jocelynn.

“Oh you have?  I pity you. By the way Kaori-san keep practicing and get the swag! I’m looking forward for your performance. Ciao!” Maria Ohka left the library.

“I’m sorry, but I must leave right now. But, then you have known Carmen’s swag. I bet you can perform way better than that. Adieu” said Jocelynn.

“It looks like there is something bitter between Maria-sama and Jocelynn-san” said Tomoka.

“Of course there is. But then, what can we do now? We still have not known each other well.” Said Kaori.

“Let’s continue the practice then” said Tomoka.

"Tomoka, san.. I'm wondering... Why did many people here use french so much" said Kaori.

"Ehh...."

And then, they continued to practice. Since I want to make it fast. Next Chapter is the first concour performance ^^

Classical corner

Carmen Fantasy – Pablo de Sarasate (spain)

Hello! ^^ welcome to another edition of Classical Corner. In this edition I want to talk about Pablo de Sarasate’s “Carmen Fantasy”. Well it looks like if you have read the story. We can conclude that Carmen Fantasy is actually an international standard of violin competition. Well, it is a very hard piece, considering the composer. Sarasate is also the one who composed  Zigeunerweisen. You guys who have listened to this piece should have amazed of how crazy the composer is. The same thing also came out from my mind when I first listened to Carmen Fantasy. At first, I did not listen the piece from the overture, I listened it from the Gypsy Dance part (which is Chanson Boheme in the original opera Carmen) in a second I was amazed. Really. And Sarah Chang’s rendition literally blew me up.

Like our heroine said, this piece is more like an “improvised” piece of “Carmen” notable-pieces.  That’s true, since the motive and the melody don’t change at all. In my ears, I can notice that tempo is somewhat different from the original piece, and of course since it is for violin solo, there are parts which somehow are more difficult. Oh FYI I have talked about Habanera in the previous edition ^^

                            skip to 0:59 to listen to Carmen Fantasy version of "Habanera"

            skip to 0:36 to listen to Carmen Fantasy version of "Chanson Boheme" (Gypsy dance)