I'm not really sure what to write up here, so without further ado, here is drabble number 13!
This is (akwardly) dedicated to my French horn Sir Hector Farkas III, because he's my buddy and I couldn't play music and be happy without him. :D
White Light
Her hands were shaking as she stood behind the black velvet curtain backstage, her shining horn carefully situated under her left arm. She tried to take in deep breaths to calm herself. In, out. In, out. It's okay, she thought nervously to herself, you've been practicing for weeks. It's going to be all right. But the butterflies swirling in her stomach and her racing heart told her differently.
"Nervous?" a voice in her ear asked. She spun around to see her boyfriend of 3 years behind her.
"A bit," she said with a small laugh. "A lot." He chuckled and pulled her into a comforting hug, careful to avoid the precious horn in her arms. An accident couldn't be afforded tonight. "It's going to be okay. You look beautiful." He gazed lovingly down at her, admiring her beautiful black dress and her long, wavy hair. Blushing slightly, she buried her face into his shoulder.
"Will," she moaned. "I can't do this. I've never played for this many people. What if I mess up?" He took her face delicately into his hands and kissed her forehead.
"You're going to play beautifully, Elizabeth. You've got nothing to worry about. And the number of people doesn't matter. It's just you, me, and the music, okay? Let that take control of you. And if it helps any, you could always imagine the audience in their underwear. Or me," he added in an afterthought, a joking smile on his face. Elizabeth laughed a little and rolled her eyes.
"You know that never works, Will," she replied. He stroked her cheek.
"Yes, but it made you laugh." The stage manager ran by and motioned to the young couple. "Come on, love, it's time." He led her out to the middle of the darkened stage, kissed her softly on the cheek, and took his place at the piano. Situating herself, she stood with her horn poised, prepared for the curtains to be pulled aside to start the show. Her nerves were racing at a million miles an hour as she heard the chatter of the thousands of people on the other side. What had she been thinking to take a gig like this?
With a quiet rolling sound, the curtains were raised and a spotlight clicked on, framing her in a golden white light. Drawing a shaky breath, she glanced at the piano. Will smiled and nodded encouragingly at her. She nodded, and filled her lungs with air.
The pure sound of her horn resonated in the music hall as she started the Nocturno, the piano complementing her sound beautifully. At first, the notes were shy and timid, but as the solo went on, they jumped out of the horn with life and spirit, swirling around the stage in a beautiful melody of color and passion. Closing her eyes, she poured out her soul through the golden instrument, feeling every crescendo and decrescendo of the music, swaying slightly with the phrases. The world melted away and was replaced by a new one, one where nothing mattered but the music, every rhythm, every note, every swell and flow of the breathtaking piece, transforming it into as much of a masterpiece as could be produced. Each phrase took a life of its own, playing in the audience's ears. Elizabeth's heart soared as she reached the peak of the piece, belting it out for all to hear. The twinkling of the piano behind her followed her lead, a perfect match to her dark yet warm sound.
It ended all too soon, and as she released the final note and opened her eyes, she saw the audience applaud loudly and stand. A smile spread over her face, not for the standing ovation, but for the music she had just created. Nothing could ever describe the world that she entered when performing. It was a paradise surrounded by lush harmony and a warm white light.
One more A/N: The piece I imagined Elizabeth playing (and the one I was listening to while writing this) is called Nocturno Op.7 for Horn and Piano. It was composed by John Ericson, I believe. That's what the CD says at least. I've never really played this piece, but my good friend (who is an amazing horn player) did it for Solo and Ensemble, and it was incredibly beautiful. Look it up if you get the chance. Horn is definitely one of the prettiest instruments out there (and I'm not just being biased). ;)
