The grand auditorium bumbled with noise and chatter. Creatures of all kinds and classes filled the various seats - ponies, yaks, hippogriffs, dragons, and even an occasional gryphon. All were dressed in high or at least decent fashion, from immaculate jet-black suits to intricate laced shawls. They had all gathered to watch a large concert specially sponsored by Princess Twilight Sparkle, who had intended it to be yet another opportunity for friendship to grow between the various races. Observing from the box reserved for royals, it seemed to her that it was going well.
“Hey big sis,” greeted a tenor voice. Twilight turned to face, as she had expected, Shining Armor. “Hey yourself, BBBFF.” They both chuckled, embracing each other. “Where’s Cadence?” “She’ll be here soon, just at the restroom right now.” Nodding, they both shuffled to their seats, perched atop a dais surrounded by an ornate box overlooking the whole auditorium. Just then, the clopping of hooves sounded not far. She turned to meet a familiar face.
“Cadence! It’s wonderful to see you! And…Flurry Heart!” The three ponies laughed as they greeted each other, Twilight’s wings wrapping them into a tight embrace. “I didn’t know Flurry was coming with y’all. I thought she wouldn’t be interested in these kinds of events, especially with classical music.” Said filly smiled.
“Well, at first I wasn’t, but then Mom made me listen to this composer named Neighthoven, and I tell you, I am so hooked! And I’ve begun listening to so many other composers too!” The two mares giggled at her carefree talk, then proceeded to take their seats.
“What’s the program for tonight?” inquired Cadence, adjusting her shawl.
“Well, it says here…um, for the first part, no. 1 – Neighthoven, Symphony no. 6; no. 2 – Mane-delssohn, Piano Concerto no. 1; no. 3 – Frederic Clopin, Ballade no. 2; and finally, no. 4 – J.S. Buck, The French Overture.”
“Huh, these are certainly the classics,” commented Cadence.
“Indeed, but it says here we’re starting off with something a little modern, it’s Meowrice Ravel’s Left-Hoof Piano Concerto.”
“A Left-Hoof? As in, they’ll only play with the left hoof?”
“Yup! Or more like, with their horns actually.”
“Wow, that sounds amazing…I’m excited to see it!”
“Yeah, me too. Wonder who the soloist is though. Any guesses?”
“Hmm…Octavia Melody?”
“I think she only plays the cello.”
“Imagine if I said Fancy Pants, or Fleur-de-Lis, or even both!”
“Whaaat? Nah, I don’t think he or de-Lis even play any instruments,” she paused. “And a piano concerto is usually for one creature with the orchestra.”
“Ooh I see.”
“I’m quite curious though. I actually set up only the necessary things for this event – funds and all - while I left the selection of pieces to the orchestra director, Quintal Melody, Octavia’s dad.”
“Oooh interesting.”
“Well, just gotta wait and see.”
The lights suddenly went dim, and the hubbub slowly died down, as the last remnants of shuffling and fiddling hooves reverberated throughout the spacious hall. The assembled orchestra, which had been tuning and prepping their instruments since the first few ponies arrived, was now poised in silence, waiting for the entrance of the conductor and soloist. A mahogany grand piano stood, lifeless as a statue, in the midst of the large podium, its right side facing the audience.
The moment they had been waiting for soon came. Amidst the clapping of talons and stomping of hooves came out Octavia Melody, apparently the conductor. Behind her however trailed a certain shade of maroon that nobody in the audience expected as the soloist – Fizzlepop Berrytwist, or better known as, Tempest Shadow, emerged into the hall. The audience didn’t cease in their stomping, but a certain sense of disappointment or surprise seemed to weigh on the audience. Tempest could certainly feel it, as did the rest of the orchestra, but they paid no heed. Tempest eyed around, from the bottom row of seats to the ornate box where Twilight and her family were seated. Her glance connected with Twilight, and Twilight’s with hers, and in that moment the impression she got from the princess was that of…approval? Huh, at least that was a small confidence booster.
As the clapping died down the orchestra seated themselves, Tempest trotting to the piano. She heard somecreature call out, insultingly, about how she could play with her thick hooves, or even her broken horn. But she paid no heed as he was hissed down by a nearby gryphon, seating herself at the shiny instrument. She nodded to Octavia, and the conductor raised her baton. It was starting now. Total, complete silence.
(Listen to the music as you read this segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxsfzFdpzV0)
A soft rumble emerged from the lowest strings, undulating in contour. A contrabassoon entered, its melody deep and quiet. Soon, horns joined in, a counter-melody escaping their bells. The tone was dark, abysmal.
The contrabassoon came back with the main melody altered. The bass clarinet took over, soon transferring it to the violas and English horn, a steady crescendo building as they passed it yet again to the clarinets and higher strings. In an almost bellowing fury, the violins joined with a repetitive flourish while trumpets played the counter-melody, timpani rolling underneath. Louder and still louder did the music rise, now triumphant and glorious, as a cymbal roll emerged with one final trumpets’ blast. Everything suddenly cut off as the piano made its first entrance.
Horn sparkling, Tempest attacked the lowest octave, doing the same higher up the keyboard before flourishing downward in exotic tones. Attacking the bass notes again, she slowly and skillfully brought the melody higher up, then returned down again, albeit softer. The minor mood soon turned to a hopeful one, as she played the theme with amazing skill of her horn and hooves. The audience watched with absolute amazement. Twilight and her family watched, entranced and astonished. So…Tempest Shadow actually plays the piano? Mental reminder to discuss with her about it.
A rising contour slowly climbed, then fell back down adventurously, climbing up yet again in another key and falling back down, then rising and falling back down for a third time. Rising yet again, she climbed higher and louder in bold chords, finally breaking with a downward fall where she hammered out the lowest notes again, ending with a loud rising glissando.
The orchestra burst in, playing the main theme with heroic spirit, the audience getting goosebumps and chills at the hearing of such amazing music. It soon quieted down, as the piano returned with a more reflective and dreamy passage. The English horn joined in with strings, transferring it to the clarinets, then to the flutes and bassoons, all while maintaining a slight buildup. The horns took over, the orchestra rising and falling. Another rumble emerged, several instruments rising upon one another in speed, energy, and vigor, and then…
Pramp! The entire orchestra exploded, timpani and snares announcing a march-like rhythm as trumpets blared in descending chords. It soon died down however, as the piano entered with descending chords, the marching contour fading into the background. The descending pattern was repeated, followed by some playful jumping chords. Yet again this pattern was repeated, joined by small outbursts of woodwinds. The music proceeded with a more playful theme, running up and then down the keyboard, ending with small but sharp attacks on the bass notes. A short rising glissando broke into a run of detached chords, topped by a blare of muted trumpets and woodwinds, proceeding to interact with the piano the same pattern of descending chords. Once again the playful theme returned, a little higher, which Tempest then brought low with sharp attacks and rising yet again, into another flurry of detached chords, the orchestra cutting it off with a falling gesture. Returning, the piano continued with its playful contour, of which Tempest handled with good balance, while the orchestra punctuated with stabs of pizzicato strings and muted brass. Woodwinds took over with small exotic tones, the piano soon joining with descending octaves. Bringing it down low, Tempest again attacked with trills, rising octave by octave till the orchestra chirruped over, opening a frisky section. The piccolo and flutes pranced playfully while the piano arpeggiated in fast runs, a skill of which Tempest was executing with near-perfection and accuracy, albeit missing a few notes.
Descending again, the prancing faded as the lower strings marched over, a lone bassoon singing the counter-melody dolefully. As if without serious regard, the piano entered, dancing upon its high notes like fox fires. A muted trombone jerked the mood back into sobriety, repeating the counter-melody while a snare marched in the background. The piano danced its way in as the snare shifted to rimshots, the somber trombone and playful piano contrasting one another. The woodwinds reiterated, a woodblock taking on the march. A piccolo hopped high with the piano while a muted trumpet took on the counter-melody. In came the violins, taking over with a slight screech while the piano reiterated its playful theme. Ever rising in force and strength, the orchestra burst forth in a loud resound of the counter-melody as Tempest brought her efforts to the lower registers, attacking the bass notes with controlled ferocity, then shifting to falling and rising arpeggios. Cymbals stabbed and strings screeched, setting the audience on edge, an invisible dam ready to break open and release the tension at any time. Instead, the layers of orchestral muscle soon dimmed out as a bassoon pumped out a snatch of the playful theme, the piano jumping onto descending chords. A trombone slid in, repeating the same with the piano, tension building yet again as various instruments snatched a small interaction with the solo piano. The strings rose in contour against the booming background of a bass drum.
A trio of clarinets sauntered in, kicking away all tenacious sobriety as they pranced around a major key, while underneath them the piano arpeggiated. An invisible sigh emanated from the music, although Tempest swore she heard some literal sighs. The flutes piped in briefly while the piano descended chromatically.
The music broke off, silence ensuing for a fraction of a minute. Then, a jovial pattern emerged from the bass, Tempest alternating between chords and pulsating notes, while pizzing strings backed her up. The music slowly rose up, tension accumulating like a spring ready to be set loose, however, not before…
…the music cut off again. The audience watched, bated breath in their nostrils, as silence almost literally set on the edge of their seats.
Music is powerful indeed, thought Tempest, as she positioned her left hoof on top of the lowest D. With a nod from Octavia, she swiped up the length of the keyboard in vigorous gusto, a crash of cymbals heralding the fortissimo entrance of the orchestra. All reiterated one of the main themes in unwavering force, before a final crash of cymbals brought everything to a low rumble.
The piano quietly emerged in rippling undercurrents as Tempest now played the part of the contrabasses and contrabassoon from the very beginning. Her solo cadenza was beginning. Undulating in contour, she began to rise a little into an extended passage, a sweet melody singing against long rippling figures. It was fast, difficult, and her broken horn began to strain a bit, but she persevered, eyes narrowed. The rippling continued, as the melody danced around in different colors and keys. Then cascading down to tenor range, the melody shifted to the bass, the rippling intensifying. It was becoming extremely difficult, and her horn was beginning to sparkle from strain. Her head began to swim and her teeth began to grit. Octaves leaped, the rippling increasing in scope and range, as she snatched a segment of the melody, before capping the solo with a cascading waterfall into a culmination of foaming bass notes, as various instruments from low to high mingled in the rising force of orchestral power. Heartbeats raged, butts were set on edge, as the invisible dam began to crack and buckle under the rushing torrent of the music. Then…
Ba-rump! Trumpets blared, strings quavered, and clarinets raced from high to low with the piano, the full force of titanic musical power unleashed upon the entire audience. From the box high up to the aisles down low, a tsunami wave of energy surged through the hearts, minds, and ears of said audience. With a final snatch of the marching rhythm, the piece crashed upon a loud and raucous note. The concerto ended.
The lights flashed back on. The orchestra stood up. Tempest almost fainted from the enormous usage of power if not for the audience to arise and stomp their hooves in frivolous applause. Octavia noticed her jerky movements and assisted in her getting up. Standing before the audience, Tempest glanced from top to bottom and took a deep bow, the applause ringing in her ears. Tears flowed freely as she rose up, unable to contain the excitement and happiness of having the honour to perform. All the months of practice, frustration, determination, and sacrifice paid off for this one event, an event that Tempest would never forget. Among the applauders was Princess Skystar, whose jovial clapping brought elation to her, and Queen Novo, who, despite her soft and reserved clapping, wore a smile on her beak, the genuineness bringing assurance to the ex-commander-turned soloist. She took another deep bow, an expression of gratefulness, and, after a hoof-shake with the conductor and concertmaster, retreated offstage.
The program continued, but Tempest did not attend the rest, for she knew that the whole event would be a success, all thanks to Princess Twilight. She sat on her haunches, breathing in the fresh air of Canterlot. The stars shone, the moon beamed, and the lights of Canterlot illuminated the city in a way that resembled a crown.
Hoofsteps were heard, but Tempest did not turn around. She probably knew who it was anyway.
“Sooo….Commander Tempest plays the piano?”
“Yes, indeed she does.”
“And would she care to tell the Princess how?”
“She does not wish to.”
The two mares giggled as Twilight sat herself next to her. “That was truly impressive, y'know. I didn’t know you played an instrument.” Tempest sighed.
“I learnt a snatch of it while I was young. Would have continued if not for my—” she pointed to the stub where her horn once was, “y’know, that kind of stuff.” Twilight nodded with understanding.
“No matter what, you have more than outdone yourself. I believe this concert will be a success, thanks to your efforts in playing that piano, especially with a broken horn.”
“Yes, it was a lot of effort, but it’s really thanks to you, Princess, that it is a success.”
“No, not to me actually. The credit goes to all who took part in the sweat and toil to make this event possible. No one pony can do it alone, not even you.”
Tempest nodded, a satisfied sigh escaping her mouth. “I’m glad I found the way to redemption.”
“Yes, and I’m happy for you that you’re still walking this path. There are some who receive redemption, and then…leave it all together.”
“I don’t wanna be like that Princess, I-I just…I want to be happy.”
“Please, just Twilight is enough. It is the greatest happiness, and the most precious, when you have redemption in your hooves. Like I said, I’m glad that you have found it.”
“Yes, and in no small thanks to you.”
“Please, I only helped you there. But you found it yourself, y’know, when you decided to accept it.”
“Yeah, and I’m glad.”
The two said no more as the night sky exploded in a colorful cacophony of fireworks, signalling the end of the program. The two looked at each other as they realized what the end of the concert meant.
“Drinks!” both shouted.
“And refreshments. Oh, I’m sooo craving for cake,” exclaimed Tempest.
“Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s gallop!”
Thundering hooves pounded on the grass as the two mares raced each other to the plaza, a stream of guests already making their way from the auditorium. What a night to remember indeed.