https://youtu.be/xyY4IZ3JDFE
(to play while reading if it helps create the atmosphere for you)
(The piece is titled "Nuvole Bianche" by composer Ludovico Einaudi in case the link becomes broken again)
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The dark room was lit with a small, pin-pointed singular light, illuminating the sheet music laid on a music rack. The layered sounds of a well-worn piano echoed around the room, seeming to disappear into the blackness only to bounce to another area. The keyboard was made of ivory and fine ebony which gleamed a little under the sharp lonely light. It was an old and tattered piano, but still sung sweetly all the same. The figure playing seemed almost to melt into the keys as the clock in the hall rang for the middle of the night.
Everything seemed to be washed in black and white; even the man sitting at the bench. Back straight, eyes calculating quickly between hands and paper, his fingers flew across the ageing keys. As the piece progressed, his shoulders shifted more and more and his head seemed to sway calmly. His right foot kept its rhythmic pedaling – never tiring and never increasing in speed. There was no smile on the man’s face, for the piece was not a cheerful one and for he had nothing more to smile about. He was simply breathing in the moment and let himself forget for a while. Forgetting his pain, his anguish, his frustration; with the world and with himself.
Philosophically, there are a lot more white keys than black; equated to a lot more happier times in life than sad. However, the black keys make music all the same- sometimes even lovelier. The man was a lot like the black keys. He had a dark soul through and through and was not the preferred choice to play when music was a concept. He was in the background, the shadows. Waiting for his moment but often came out for an edge to a piece or for tension. However, played alone, he rung out true and had importance all his own.
After all, there needed to be a night to the sunshine and a shadow for the light. He would never be light. Cheerful, happy, uplifting light. Not anymore. Like tainted ivory, he was soiled and thrown in the back. Cheated at the hopes of shining and instead was left day by day to try and claim what he could do. For ebony keys are not nearly as precious or as rare as ivory. The chilling bone ivory that is as white as starlight and as pure as snow.
And so as the piece finally slows to a close, the music gets quieter and quieter. At the resonance of the last note, the man gets up and turns the knob on the light. The room is plunged back into darkness, and the piano is shut back up; only to sing again when the outside sky reflects the shadowed keys and the broken man.
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HEY! I’M NOT DEAD! At camp, I didn’t have as much time to write as I previously thought. Hopefully more is on the way soon!
EDIT: It's come to my attention that the link is broken and doesn't pull up the song anymore! I'll try and see if I can find it again, but I don't quite remember the song by name. I have some ideas for where I can research that, though.
EDIT....EDIT!: My digital Word copy of the story had the name of the song listed for reference, so I've added a new link as well as the song info for use!
