Global Symphony - Prussia
anonymous
August 8 2009, 19:51:02 UTC
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The military knows music, for music keeps the men going. In the stolid madness and discipline of the army, the mind finds rhythms to occupy it, in the thud of feet and horse hooves. A disturbing song can be found in the sounds of battle, of the screams of men and horses, starting with the hiss of steel clearing a scabbard like the hiss of a snake, like a frost edged wind ghosting in the night across snow.
Some years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Prussia doesn’t know why he bought it, recklessly spending several hundred Euros in the expensive instrument shop. He had gotten curious looks from other customers and one or two school girls had goggled at him before giggling. The owner of the shop had given him a sharp look as well and he had glared right back, knowing how disquieting his peculiar red-violet eyes were.
He stares at the long black case and watches his fingers open it carefully. The light glints on silver against deep red velvet. His fingers stop before reaching for it, unwilling to touch the newly forged metal. He can see himself against the metallic surface, though his reflection is oddly distorted. It’s a pretty thing…
Old Fritz would have marveled over the flute in front of him, a top of the line Gemeinhardt. He would have examined it with greatest of interest and puzzled out the keys, murmuring compliments and critiques. Then he would have played it, mastering it in only the way a virtuoso could, and Prussia would have listened to him, unable to tear his eyes from the sight.
Finally, his scarred and worn fingertips dare to touch the cold metal. He strokes it delicately. No, he’s not a stranger to instruments, but only instruments of war. Nothing that is made only for beauty for beauty’s sake, not the perverse beauty men find in battle fields lest they go mad from the disturbing things they make in destruction. Prussia takes a deep breath.
His fingers know more than his mind and they assemble the flute quite easily. He holds it dully, staring at it. Does he remember the notes? Does he know where to put his fingers? Does he even know how to make noise from this thing?
The former kingdom of Prussia puts the instrument down gently. He picks up the sheets of music that the shop had added to his purchase. Discarding most of them, he selects the last one, remembering that composer Old Fritz had admired.
“Flute Sonata in E flat Major by J.S. Bach” reads the top of the sheet.
“I hope I don’t fuck this up too badly for you,” says Prussia with a slight smile, glancing at a small portrait by the door. “You’re not around to throw something at my head.” He raises the instrument to his lips, hearing the first, soft, breathy note.
Re: Global Symphony - Prussia
anonymous
August 8 2009, 20:03:02 UTC
This is lovely - the quiet nostalgia, and yet looking forward too.
The military knows music, for music keeps the men going. I thought you meant military bands here, at first, and then I realized you didn't - and what you did choose, natural melodies, dark sounds, real sounds, is far more powerful.
Old Fritz would have marveled over the flute in front of him I like the contrast here between the new and the old.
This is lovely - to pick something so relatively understated for someone who is so, well, stated.
Re: Global Symphony - Prussia
anonymous
August 9 2009, 00:25:40 UTC
Prussia's an interesting character to mull over in general. And his obvious love for his Old Fritz has to be some of the most heartwarming but heartbreaking stuff in the world.
To a certain extent I meant to imply military bands but the natural sounds got to me a lot more. ^^; And yes... Prussia is likely to be a character who's always looking back but at the same time, doing his best to move forward.
Well, the flute was Old Fritz's instrument of choice. Stands to reason that Gilbert would play it.
Re: Global Symphony - Prussia
anonymous
August 9 2009, 14:34:46 UTC
At first I too though you had meant the music of the military, of the organic naturalistic kind. Then as I read on, and I was just bating my breath, anticipating and eager to read on, like how Prussia is with the flute, though also careful with it.
The flute! FLUTE! It just makes me smile so much. That even with Prussia being a fighter from birth, violent and battle-oriented by nature, there's still something more calming and soothing like the notes of the flutes.
Re: Global Symphony - Prussia
anonymous
August 10 2009, 19:34:12 UTC
Well, the flute isn't always a calming and soothing instrument, considering its use in military bands (admittedly as a fife) as popularized by Revolutionary War images. I don't think the Prussia is strictly a "by the sword" character; Prussia was actually quite dedicated to the arts and sciences and thus had a certain refinement of its own (particularly in Frederick the Great's reign and also during his grandfather's reign). But yes, the flute would represent something gentler and softer for Prussia as the personification.
The military knows music, for music keeps the men going. In the stolid madness and discipline of the army, the mind finds rhythms to occupy it, in the thud of feet and horse hooves. A disturbing song can be found in the sounds of battle, of the screams of men and horses, starting with the hiss of steel clearing a scabbard like the hiss of a snake, like a frost edged wind ghosting in the night across snow.
Some years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Prussia doesn’t know why he bought it, recklessly spending several hundred Euros in the expensive instrument shop. He had gotten curious looks from other customers and one or two school girls had goggled at him before giggling. The owner of the shop had given him a sharp look as well and he had glared right back, knowing how disquieting his peculiar red-violet eyes were.
He stares at the long black case and watches his fingers open it carefully. The light glints on silver against deep red velvet. His fingers stop before reaching for it, unwilling to touch the newly forged metal. He can see himself against the metallic surface, though his reflection is oddly distorted. It’s a pretty thing…
Old Fritz would have marveled over the flute in front of him, a top of the line Gemeinhardt. He would have examined it with greatest of interest and puzzled out the keys, murmuring compliments and critiques. Then he would have played it, mastering it in only the way a virtuoso could, and Prussia would have listened to him, unable to tear his eyes from the sight.
Finally, his scarred and worn fingertips dare to touch the cold metal. He strokes it delicately. No, he’s not a stranger to instruments, but only instruments of war. Nothing that is made only for beauty for beauty’s sake, not the perverse beauty men find in battle fields lest they go mad from the disturbing things they make in destruction. Prussia takes a deep breath.
His fingers know more than his mind and they assemble the flute quite easily. He holds it dully, staring at it. Does he remember the notes? Does he know where to put his fingers? Does he even know how to make noise from this thing?
The former kingdom of Prussia puts the instrument down gently. He picks up the sheets of music that the shop had added to his purchase. Discarding most of them, he selects the last one, remembering that composer Old Fritz had admired.
“Flute Sonata in E flat Major by J.S. Bach” reads the top of the sheet.
“I hope I don’t fuck this up too badly for you,” says Prussia with a slight smile, glancing at a small portrait by the door. “You’re not around to throw something at my head.” He raises the instrument to his lips, hearing the first, soft, breathy note.
And he begins to play.
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The military knows music, for music keeps the men going.
I thought you meant military bands here, at first, and then I realized you didn't - and what you did choose, natural melodies, dark sounds, real sounds, is far more powerful.
Old Fritz would have marveled over the flute in front of him
I like the contrast here between the new and the old.
This is lovely - to pick something so relatively understated for someone who is so, well, stated.
Reply
To a certain extent I meant to imply military bands but the natural sounds got to me a lot more. ^^; And yes... Prussia is likely to be a character who's always looking back but at the same time, doing his best to move forward.
Well, the flute was Old Fritz's instrument of choice. Stands to reason that Gilbert would play it.
Thank you!
Reply
The flute! FLUTE! It just makes me smile so much. That even with Prussia being a fighter from birth, violent and battle-oriented by nature, there's still something more calming and soothing like the notes of the flutes.
Reply
Thank you!
Reply
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