Chapter Sixty-Five: It's Him

“The Revolutionary Etude in C Minor” is a staple among today’s art exam candidates, and one of the most frequently performed pieces at concerts, beloved by pianists across the globe.

This is a work of music with a singular, unyielding character, its entire length woven through with anger, intensity, and heart-rending sorrow. The musical imagery arises chiefly from the turbulent currents of the left hand combined with the resolute melody of the right. Yet midway through the piece, the piano’s voice abruptly soars upward; in those sudden surges of accompaniment, it is as if someone is crying out, pouring inner torment to the world.

This etude is among Chopin’s most iconic works and demands extraordinary coordination between the hands. Even amateur players at the highest level, after long practice, find it difficult to avoid mistakes. But Yu Chengjiao is a renowned master pianist in the country. He has practiced the “Revolutionary Etude” since childhood and has performed it repeatedly in candidate evaluations, earning the admiration of teachers and students alike. It is, without a doubt, one of Yu Chengjiao’s signature pieces.

Listening to the rhythm of the etude, Gao Feiliu’s fingers danced with excitement, his face alight with anticipation. He was clearly eager to take his place at the piano and showcase his own artistry. Seeing Liao Yuan’s look of admiration, he suddenly remarked, “With Professor Yu setting the standard, the next person on stage will surely feel immense pressure. Aren’t you nervous?”

“It doesn’t matter whether I’m nervous or not,” Liao Yuan replied with a gentle smile. “Besides, losing to a professor isn’t something to be ashamed of.”

Zhang Chao, hearing this, quickly interjected, “Mr. Liao, then don’t go up yet. Wait a little longer.” Zhang Chao was, of course, firmly supporting Liao Yuan; he had brought Liao Yuan here precisely to help him shine at this exchange event, and “Journey to the Western Regions” clearly had the potential to do so. He didn’t want Liao Yuan’s brilliance to fade before it had even begun.

At this moment, Yu Chengjiao finished his performance, stood up, placed his left hand behind his waist, and swept his right hand from his left chest downward, bowing gracefully. The applause was unceasing, accompanied by praise: “Professor Yu’s mastery of this piece grows ever more refined.”

“Professor Yu’s interpretation of Chopin’s etudes is truly extraordinary; he must be the finest pianist in the country when it comes to performing Chopin’s works.”

“No wonder he’s Lin Weiyin’s teacher—the classic case of the student surpassing the master.”

“Who’s next? Ah, Little Feiliu is taking the stage!”

“Wow, Feiliu really exudes confidence. He’s unfazed by the pressure after Professor Yu’s performance. Isn’t he only thirteen?”

“Youthful ignorance? No, no—looks can be deceiving. Never underestimate Feiliu’s skill because of his age. He’s one of the very few young pianists who can flawlessly play all twenty-seven of Chopin’s etudes.”

“Wait, why did you add ‘young’?”

Neither Zhang Chao nor Liao Yuan had expected Feiliu to suddenly take the stage; after a brief moment of surprise, they joined the applause. Gao Feiliu stood before the piano, placed one hand on it, bowed to the audience, and then sat down with a look of excitement. He was the sort who grew more enthusiastic as the audience grew larger. After flexing his fingers a little, he pressed the first white key under everyone’s watchful gaze.

Soon, his left hand matched Yu Chengjiao’s speed—so fast the fingers were a blur. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th fingers of his right hand were exceptionally nimble, crossing the black and white keys in a relentless mountain-climbing motion, left-right-left-left, continuously striking multiple broken chords. The sound of the piano drifted near and far, as if inviting the listener into a dream.

“The Andante tranquillo and the Glorious Polonaise?” someone exclaimed.

The audience’s gaze toward Gao Feiliu grew fervent; even Yu Chengjiao, who had just left the stage, turned his head in astonishment.

Among the crowd, pianist Meng Han listened intently to the melody. His gaze toward Gao Feiliu deepened, and after a moment he shook his head and said, “Very impressive, but still lacking a bit in rhythm and explosive power.”

Meng Han had a vivid memory of the “Andante tranquillo and Glorious Polonaise”—even among Chopin’s works, this piece is of absolute difficulty, and more importantly, it was Lin Weiyin’s award-winning piece at the Chopin International Piano Competition.

To play this piece flawlessly is already an exceptional feat; to master it with true artistry is rarer still. The andante of the prelude is quite simple, but as the piece progresses, the difficulty escalates until one wishes for eight hands to play it, earning its reputation among art exam candidates as one of the most fiendishly challenging piano works in history.

Gao Feiliu’s faultless performance proved his standing at the pinnacle of Chinese piano circles. Yet, to compete at international competitions against the world's best, he still seemed a bit youthful.

Even so, Meng Han and Gao Feiliu dared not underestimate him, for even Meng Han himself has never perfectly conveyed the emotion of the “Glorious Polonaise”—otherwise, he would have claimed first place at the Chopin Piano Competition that year.

Liao Yuan, listening to Gao Feiliu’s performance, was awestruck. He himself had attempted this piece before—the first five minutes of the andante were straightforward, but later, he usually ended in a flurry of mistakes. To see young Gao Feiliu complete the entire piece, Liao Yuan’s impression of him soared.

When the performance ended, thunderous applause erupted throughout the hall. Gao Feiliu rose and gave a gentleman’s salute, then shouted, “Brother Yuan, it’s your turn!”

Everyone followed Gao Feiliu’s gaze, turning in unison to search for this ‘Brother Yuan.’ Zhang Chao, seeing this, quickly stepped aside and pointed both hands at Liao Yuan, “It’s him, that’s him!”

Liao Yuan: “…”

Gao Feiliu called out again, “Does everyone know ‘Journey to the Western Regions’?”

Most of the audience looked puzzled, though a few seemed to realize and gazed at Liao Yuan with growing interest.

“Yes, he’s the composer of ‘Journey to the Western Regions.’ This piece hasn’t been officially published yet, but I’ve had the privilege to hear part of it. I absolutely love the leaps in its chords—grand and majestic, possessing a tension that could shake the capital! The whole work fuses popular and classical rhythms, brimming with emotion! We really put in a lot of effort to invite Brother Yuan here today, so everyone is in for a treat!!”

With that, Gao Feiliu began clapping enthusiastically. He clearly held original works in the highest esteem, and his admiration for Liao Yuan, who could compose such a masterful, epic piece as “Journey to the Western Regions,” was immense.

At this crucial moment, Liao Yuan did not hesitate. Having agreed, he would fulfill his promise. Amidst the enthusiastic applause, he walked unhurriedly to the piano, taking his seat with calm composure.