silent melody

20 years ago. Late 19s.

Leipzig, Germany.

"'Pigs are born to be eaten by people'... I can't understand the old gentleman's intentions, but after talking to him today, I have to say that the superficiality of his behavior is the main reason why he is treated the way he is ..." Voltaire said impatiently on crutches, at that time he had not changed his apparent age and was still an octogenarian.

Supporting Voltaire, Pascal responded, "The reason why Leibniz did not reveal the essence of his difficult philosophy for a long time may be because vulgar philosophy has more market both in the past and now..."

Having just finished their meeting with Leibniz, Voltaire and Pascal were walking on the streets in late autumn.

"...and the philosopher as an individual has to admit sadly all the time that he must succumb to his appetite." Pascal said, and suddenly a burst of music wafted into his ears.They happened to pass by the door of a local Catholic church.

【Come on, your daughters help me lament~】

Pascal's intentions were already clear, and the aged Voltaire had no choice but to follow.They entered the church with the singing of the choir.

Vaults, glass windows, choirs and orchestras in the distance.Leipzig's autumn sun casts a monochromatic halo from above.

【Although my heart is floating on tears~】

Pascal, who was sitting in the last row, listened intently. The content was very familiar, and it was taken from the Passion of Matthew; but the German words and the melody that Pascal seemed to be too modern made him listen to it after he came to the association. Search memory for the origin of this version.Voltaire, for the church's abhorrence and his main object of "elimination of baseness", was still tolerant of a religion divorced from politics; if this religion was not Christianity but its deism, he Will feel more comfortable, after all, "if there is no God, we still have to create one" - but, with Pascal, a (too) devout Catholic, he can only maintain the status quo for now.

【I want to give you my heart~】

Although Pascal complained about this Passion of Matthew with the composer's personal emotions, he knew his own too demanding nature.He looked at Voltaire beside him, the old man was blinking, expressing a subtle emotion.

【The world laments your great sin~】

"Monsieur Voltaire."

"I'm sorry, but I'm being disrespectful to the gods. I hope I'm only disrespecting the composer," Voltaire said without guilt.

"This Matthew Passion was composed by your colleagues at Frederick's court."

"Ok?"

"Johann Sebastian Bach."

【Die for the Savior who loves us~】

"Hmm..." Voltaire frowned, "Bach? I seem to remember another Bach, Karl Philips... or Immanuel? No, no, I also remember the name John..."

【His blood be to us and our descendants~】

"Yes, yes, they are father and son," Voltaire straightened his thoughts, the wrinkles on his face unfolded, "the harpsichord players at the dinner concert... yes, and the Q...Mr. Kuangzi, he is always leaning against the wall and playing the flute..."

"Come on sweet cross I'll say"

"I remember many people...but I'm afraid I'll never see them again. If one day they disappear from my old memory...will anyone miss them?" Voltaire blinked again.Pascalmo was silent and thoughtful.

【When it's cool at night~】

【Wake up, my heart is pure~】

"This work was forgotten for a long time after its publication in the early 18th century, so it is not surprising that you have not heard of it," Pascal said after a long time, "It and its author were silent for nearly a century. "

【We sit down with tears in our eyes~】

“The young Felix Mendelssohn discovered this score from his ancestral estate in the early 19th century and performed an abridged version of the Passion of Matthew in Berlin in 1829,” continues Pascal.The religious concert was over, and the audience gradually left. "If it weren't for this coincidence, I'm afraid it and its author are still in the dust of history. To a large extent, Mendelssohn brought this early 18th-century German composer back to the world."

In the gradually deserted church, Voltaire hummed an unknown melody, carelessly.The past in Frederick's court came to his mind again, but this world that once belonged to everyone now only exists in his vague mind.

Suddenly they felt the aura of memoir-incarnated individuals that did not come from either of them.In the middle of the church where the song was over, a man walked slowly towards the exit from the front seat.

Perhaps because the materialized individuals of the memoir have an inner sense of mutual recognition and attraction, the man feels Pascal's potential gaze.He stopped in the last row where Pascal and Voltaire were sitting.

This is a middle-aged German man with an ordinary appearance, light brown curly hair, a bloated figure, and slightly narrow eyes due to poor eyesight.He looked hard at the old and the young in front of him.Voltaire's appearance seemed to remind him of someone.

Pascal seemed to already know. "You are also the entity of the memoir. Nice to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." The middle-aged man replied.His black overcoat was deformed due to his obesity.

"Hey," Voltaire suddenly had an idea, and he slapped his thigh, "I remember! Are you listening to your own work?!"

"It turned out to be Mr. Voltaire who I worked with back then, and the famous senior Pascal." Johann Sebastian Bach said, sitting next to the thin Voltaire, he looked even bulkier, "Bach doesn't Just, I was so complacent today that I was discovered by two French colleagues..."

"Self-appreciation can also be called self-reflection. You don't have to care about it. It's my luck and Voltaire's to meet the author just after listening to the work." Pascal replied calmly, matching his youthful appearance Stark contrast.

"Today, Fu Mou is very happy to share the history of the court with his former colleagues," Voltaire pursed his lips slyly and playfully, "After knowing you, your works have become more interesting."

"Mr. Voltaire's award..." Bach tried to find the next topic, but suddenly he remembered something, "Mr. Voltaire, are you the current curator of the French Pavilion?"

"Yes." Voltaire obviously felt that this question was very abrupt.

"Then you have the right to go to Lin Bo?"

"Yes." Voltaire heard the name that made him sad.He moved around.

"Hmm..." Bach was at a loss for words, and after a short pause, he said respectfully in a begging, even begging tone, "Can I ask Mr. Voltaire to do something for John Sebastian, just It's a little effort..."

The serious and unsmiling Bach suddenly changed his tone, and both Voltaire and Pascal were slightly surprised.However, what surprised them even more was that Bach then took out a letter from the inside pocket of his coat—a letter he had already written and carried with him. "Let Mr. Voltaire and Mr. Pascal laugh." Bach looked at the letter in his hand, a little embarrassed, and his thick fingers fiddled uneasily. "This letter has been written for many years, and Bach has not been able to send it. I hope Voltaire Next time you go to Lin Bo, can you find out for me..."

Voltaire took the letter, his presbyopic eyes fixed on the words on the letter. "From: Johann Sebastian Bach..." neatly written small print.The addressee was: "Antonio Lucio Vivaldi".

Voltaire frowned, he didn't know the Italian name.Pascal also expressed the helplessness of being helpless.

"That's right, Vivaldi..." Bach seemed a little embarrassed, and he rubbed his hands, "It's ridiculous, I never met this Italian senior when I was alive, and I never had any correspondence with him. It's even more so now. Other than knowing his name, I don't know all about his current situation...but..." He calmed down, and he continued, "I was so sure that I could meet this senior who touched me so much when he was alive in the association, but he died. Afterwards, I couldn’t find traces of the seniors in the association. I just, just hope that when Mr. Voltaire goes to Limber—yes, I don’t know whether he is in Limber—but if possible, Please Mr. Voltaire hand over my letter to the seniors."

Voltaire put the letter in his pocket. "Fu Mou understands. Fu Mou will definitely go to Linbo with a letter to inquire. Please rest assured, Mr. Bach."

"Thank you and your help." Just as Bach finished speaking, he remembered something again.Still the usual solemn tone.

"One hundred years have passed, and Bach did not expect this letter to be answered one day. Therefore, if the predecessor really does not exist... please Mr. Voltaire not to tell me. Bach would like to thank Mr. Voltaire again s help."

************************************************** ***********************

Voltaire held the letter in his hand, whose envelope had turned yellow and brittle due to the age. "In the next few years, every time I went to Linbo, I would ask the people there, but no one knew the existence of this recipient. Now I hide this letter deeply. And, because of guilt, in the past 20 years, I never saw Bach again."

It is also late autumn.The lights flickered in the bedrooms of the main French pavilion.

Rousseau put down the package he had just packed.It is impossible to say that he has not been moved by the past 20 years ago.He took the never-sent letter, "Vivaldi... Vivaldi?"

"Jean, do you know him...?!" Voltaire hurriedly leaned out of the chair.

"I don't know...but...but..." Rousseau shook his head first, but then nodded, "in my long career as a part-time musician... I have arranged pieces composed by this person... yes, it turned out to be A violin concerto... I arranged it for the flute...!"

"Really, Jean?!" Voltaire was amazed, he stood up and hugged Rousseau tightly. "If, if, I can overcome my stubbornness and prejudice as soon as possible, if we reconcile 20 years earlier..."

"No, no, François, it's not your fault..." Rousseau stroked Voltaire's trembling back, "I don't remember exactly, but I'm sure I can ask the person I miss in Limbo, he might know , no, he knew..."

"My waywardness has hurt so many people invisibly... Human prejudice is really not a good thing!" Voltaire rubbed Rousseau's coat lightly, lamenting: "This letter should not have ended up like this!"

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【references】

1. The dialogue between Voltaire and Pascal

Voltaire's attitude towards Leibniz see Voltaire Candide

For Pascal's reply, see Russell's evaluation of Leibniz in "History of Western Philosophy"

2. Part of the Passion of Matthew

Lyrics see wikipedia

3. Rousseau mentioned that he had arranged parts of Vivaldi's repertoire

Jean-Jacques Rousseau arranged "Spring" for solo flute (1775).From the book Antonio Vivaldi by Karl Heller.

【Involving music】

Johann Sebastian Bach Matthew Passion BWV244

1. Recitative (soprano): Although my heart floats on tears

2. Aria (soprano): I want to give you my heart

The author has something to say:

From this chapter on, the novel begins to be filled with all kinds of music!The title of this chapter is taken from the aria from the St. Matthew Passion: I want to give you my heart.It is said that when I wrote this chapter, the "Appreciation of Baroque Music" I borrowed before has been returned, so I translated the libretto by myself. If the translation is wrong, please let me know~ I will give a reference for each chapter Literature and related music [Readers who are interested can go and listen to it: I am really not in Amway Baroque music ==|||].

The era of "Silent Melody" is basically the same as that of "Portrait in Two Mirrors", probably from the beginning of the 20th century to the end of World War II.

The structure of "Melody of Silence" is divided into three chapters, and each part is named after a season, implying the tone of this part... Of course the fact is: I am paying tribute to the three-movement Four Seasons Concerto... …