Radios, one of the greatest inventions since the steam locomotive. They were better than television. All television did was show you images and it took away the creativity of one's mind. No... The radio was much better.
For over 78 years, a certain old stallion would always listen to the radio whenever time permitted. From his adolescence to his current rocking chair, the radio was his escape from the hardships and ever random aspects of life. Sure, the radio would sometimes have new things pop up every so often, but that was the way cultured work. Every decade, it always seemed to change.
However, there was always something that he loved to look forward to whenever he turned on his radio, the classical station. Sure, when he was young and active, he listened to his generations greatest hits on the radio like newer generations do with their new electronics, but the classical station was always his favorite. There was something about it that simply... Allowed him to experience life without opening an eye or staring at a screen. Each piece that came on... It allowed him to experience the fruits of life.
But there was just that one piece... That was odd to him. It was, depressing, but also lively, and also have off a somber feeling. He probably would've remembered it when he was younger... But that was decades ago.
He probably should've taken his pills though, he wife would've reminded him. But she died 2 years ago, thankfully without feeling any sort of pain. His children were off with their own families doing whatever things he did when he was still an active parent. But those days passed once his last child turned 18, and galloped over the horizon into their life.
Too busy reminiscing about days gone by, the electrical system in the house flickered. It was storming outside, but that usually happened whenever it rained over the old home. It never stopped the radio though, he actually remembered to hook up a battery to it. So all he did was nothing.... He just sat, and let the music play.
There was some piece that was just ending as soon as his attention was brought back from nowhere as a bolt of lightning struck the ground outside his window. It was some fantastical ending for whatever piece he was listening to, the brass playing a triumphant tune as they completed the piece. For a moment, it almost seemed to coincide with the rain battering his old, but sturdy, home.
Then... That piece came on.... The piece that he forgot the name of. It was as if the station knew what to play, as the rain began to die down to the pace in which it began.
Ominously, the woodwinds played a theme that could send fear into one's mind... But it was not fear that it gave off, it was... Depressing uncertainty. Soon, the cellos began to play their own theme, shadowed by the violas. Next came the violins and flutes with an equally depressing, but faster tempo. All of this came to reach a slight climax which saw the first of the brass enter with a slight tune which gave way for the flute theme. All of this maintained some sort of harmony in such a dark way... Almost signifying the idea of what childbirth was like for a family...
The tone soon brightened slightly, with a moderate tempo given off by the strings... The child was now born, and the peace of growing up had come to fruition. He could almost feel like he was young again, growing up in a world so large and open to anything. His mind was curious back then, and knowledge seemed limitless, even as he played in the park whenever his mother would take him outside, or when his father first taught him how to fish. The memories he thought long gone with the sands of time and the wrinkles of age soon came flooding back to him as the music went on.
His first day of school soon came and he met it with joy. It was his first true step into life. Everything was easy and tranquil. The violins reached another beautiful climax that would've brought him to tears if he was lost in the memory. However, as the joyousness of the though of it all drowned down, the music became somber, and died down equally as he progressed into his early adult phase. Middle school soon began, and the feeling of being on the top of the world disappeared with it.
Suddenly, the music hit its first chaotic climax with nearly all instruments blaring out one single chord, followed by a fast and frantic string melody. The drums and horns began to blare as he felt a new memory overshadow the old ones. He saw himself succumbing to chaos as work piled up and life truly began to set in and once memories of high school hit, the second climax took hold within the piece until it began to due down after the trumpets and horns blared their depressing chords while the strings brought the tempo to a slowly pace. Soon, the memories of searching for purpose and juggling life began to die down once again and he could see himself, wearing his cap and gown, he mane slightly ruffled by his father, standing before a film camera with his diploma in hand.... And soon, it all came back to the peace and tranquility he saw before. Getting his first job out of high school, saving up for college... Life finally slowing down.
The beautiful melody from before returned and with it, the once fast paced memories of his teenage years finally slowed down into his memories of his early 20s... Ending as the 1st movement died down.
The second movement began as a sort of calm waltz, the woodwinds and strings repeating the same joyous theme over and over again. One would've been bored of it, but those who truly understood it felt true peace. The softness of the strings allowed for the memories to finally flow back into him. He remember getting his first true job, buying his first home.... And finding his beloved wife. As the movement went on, he felt himself drifting to the memories of their wedding day, dancing together on the floor of the dancefloor holding each other hoof in hoof. It was something he would never forget.
Soon, the music turned slightly dark, and his memories flew towards that of the Equestrian financial market crash. It was tough, but they had made it together, making sure that their money and investments never went to waste. Soon, when everything was done and over, they had their first child... And then the next few...
4 children.... 4 of his beautiful offspring. The music had returned to the original waltz like theme as he remembered them all growing up, in their decently sized home. The ups and downs of parenting toddlers as they grew up. Some of the happiest moments in his life occured them. They were never difficult, and watching them all earn their accomplishments one at a time were his greatest memories. Him and his wife were proud of them.... He missed her very much.
The music began to slowly die down once again as the movement drifted away into somber silence... All of the instruments ending in perfect harmony, all together as one.
Luna's moon had risen once the 3rd movement began, bit the darkness did not undermine the joyousness of it all. The 3rd movement started off with a vibrant them played by the strings and as it began to climax, the old stallion's mind drifted off once again to the more faster paced memories of raising his children. Teaching them to ride a bike, magic classes, sports events... All of it.
None of the memories were bad, and as the joyous theme of the clarinets played on, he smiled as he thought back to all of it. Even watching them all move on, early retirement was still fun. Him and his wife did wonderful things... Their hikes and picnics together, the travelling they did.... Everything. It was as if the music allowed for it to be assembled into a collage of beautiful memories, and even as the first theme repeated itself, he remembered when his first grandchildren arrived. Watching them run around as the theme played along... It was beautiful.
It went on before the movement in one final, triumphant climax, ended in what should've been the true end of the piece. Once it had ended, the old stallion would've turned the radio off and went to bed if it wasn't for the sorrowful chord the violins played... Giving the 4th and final movement, it's depressing entrance.
It was too much to bear... He wanted to turn it off before the memories came back, but as it continued, he was compelled to sit back down on his chair... Close his eyes... And listen. Each chord from the violins could've been understood as an equivalent to a tear shed from somepony's eye....
Slowly, the memories began to flow back... Life had finally slowed down, and age set in. Culture and technology had advanced... And him and his wife were left in the dust, growing somewhat cynical of it all. When one of his children wanted to buy him a new TV, he outright refused, wishing go keep his radio. When one of his other children wanted to buy him a CD player, he said his vinyls were just fine. Indeed they were, but he was left further in the dust. The music's tone began to finally cause him to shed tears... As he watched himself grow more detached each year in his memories.
Regret began to flow, but it was not until the final climax came... And he saw it. His wife's casket being lowered into the ground... As the rain poured over him as he watched. The tears were steady, but died down as the music did.
Suddenly, he began to feel week, as his life truly did flash before him. He opened his eyes, and saw that he could not even see the time... All that was present... Was the music. As it died down, he died down with.... Only when the final notes of the depressing piece rang true... Did his mind become active for one last time.
He finally remembered the name of the piece...
Pathétique
Author's Note
Tchaikovsky's 6th....
Pathétique
