Sonata for Two Pianos.

[longwinded]

["We're going to have you do a recital with another student on campus, very talented, just as talented as you. He's different but we know you'll work together just fine." Said your private piano teacher. You knew who he was, and what he was all about. You two were practically the most often praised musicians on campus. But you had never spoken with him, or given him the time of day. You were always holed up in your practice room before you went home to perform your songs for Dad, who lived close to campus to make sure you were doing your work. You're sure you're way over your amount of practice hours for the semester- what could one recital hurt?

So you agree. You, John Egbert, are going to perform a recital with another pianist you've never met face to face with until now. A first year student at that, as if you have so much seniority over him.

Your fingers rest easy over the keys, you let your fingers do what they've always done. Glide over the ivories to finish off yet another practice session- Chopin was your composer of choice today. Bach was yesterday, perhaps Beethoven tomorrow if you've been good. Your day isn't done, you have to meet him somewhere. You gather your music and clock your time, your instructor said to wait in the practice hall. Your new duet partner would bring the music for you to play today.

So here you stand.]

Comments

[knightime]

youre so weird dude

[He just shoves John a bit.]

we need to practice

[longwinded]

[He grinned at the shove, and went to sit down at his piano. He had his sheet music prepared. But was he prepared to handle the way Dave was going to play.

He knows it's going to be difficult accepting this still. He doesn't know what he's going to need to do. But that was why Dave was here right?]

Go ahead, start.

[knightime]

[Dave put his notebook away before shifting a bit and placing his hands over the piano keys.

He glanced at John for a moment before looking forward and started playing.]

[longwinded]

[John has his hands on the ivory, they started out together just fine. Until he knew Dave started veering off of the page completely. This was a real challenge.

So calmly he places his hands in his lap. He would rather hear what the other was going to do with that piece instead of flipping his balls this time. John merely looked troubled about this whole thing. Dave was going to have to physically teach him how to play along.

Maybe if he didn't look at the page too it would help.]

[knightime]

[Dave just continues playing, without any hesitation. He's aware that John isn't playing, noting that he doesn't hear a second piano playing.

When he finally finishes though, he looks back at the other, eyebrow slightly quirked. What's up chicken butt. Why'd you stop playing?]

[longwinded]

I couldn't keep up Dave. How am I supposed to keep up with you?

[No don't call him chicken butt in your mind! Not nice! He just kind of gives a defeated look to Dave. he wanted to be able to play with him!]

[knightime]

[Dave gets up from his bench and promptly just knocks the sheet music off the piano. Dave pointed at John then at the piano. He wants you to play.]

[longwinded]

[John goes wide eyed, and then takes a look at Dave's hand gestures. Well of course know it all John is going to have this piece memorized.

So John starts playing his part, is this what Dave wanted?]

[knightime]

[Dave just sits back at his bench and lets John play by himself, waiting patiently for the other to play the song in its entirety.]

[longwinded]

[John plays the song in its entirety, and then sets his hands in his lap. Was there something he wasn't understanding right now?]

Alright, I played it. Now what?

[knightime]

[Dave points at the piano keys again. He wants John to play again. This will probably slowly start frustrating John, because Dave is probably going to request it again and again.]

[longwinded]

[So John plays it again, he doesn't know what is going on here. Shit. Fuck fuck. Okay john, stay unfrustrated.]

[knightime]

[Dave just sits there and watches John play again. Not doing anything but listening.]

[longwinded]

[John even closes his eyes this time, playing by memory and maybe trying to put flare into it. He looks up at Dave again.]

Was that better?

[knightime]

[Dave just points back at the piano again. Yeah, he wants you to play again, John. He's not even saying why more leaving comments about the previous times. Just do it.]

[longwinded]

[Okay Dave you are really about to get on his nerves with this. So he starts again, and this time he is a little sassy when he plays because he really doesn't want to play this over and over again.]

[knightime]

[This time though, Dave moves to pick up his bag. He brings out his laptop and large headphones and what Dave digs out of his pocket looks like a recording device. He had been recording John playing. Once John is finished, Dave just motions John to come sit by him as he transfers the recording to his laptop.]

[longwinded]

[John raises his brow and goes over to sit by Dave, uh, what was that recording device there Dave? What exactly is Dave planning here and why.]

[knightime]

[Dave is completely silent, other than the click clack noises coming from his laptop as he fiddled about. Once he seems satisfied, he takes his headphones off and hands it to John to put on and listen.

Dave just edited the file so John can hear all three of his plays without any pauses or other distractions. He wanted to see if John could hear the differences between each play.]

[longwinded]

[He watched for the next couple of minutes, and then put on the headphones. Within a few moments he realized that Dave had mixed his three plays together.

It's like John had played it differently each time, well duh, that is what musicians did- right? Nothing was ever the same twice.]

That's amazing.

[knightime]

[Well, it was obvious John was getting more annoyed with each playing. That was the point though. Because it meant they sounded different.

Dave just shrugged. He was just trying to prove something. Or at least make John understand. Maybe this might help. He doesn't know.]

[longwinded]

Do you want to play again, Dave? I think I understand what you were getting at. Maybe. Er, honestly we'll have to see if this works out or clashes completely.

Not that I think clashing would sound bad, that might actually sound cool...

[John got off on another tangent as he moved back to his piano. He thinks he has an idea. What if they didn't play this fugue at all and took the fugue's melodies and made their own damn creation here.]

[knightime]

[Dave shut his laptop and got back up to put it all back in his bag. He walked back over and sat at the piano he was practicing on before glancing at John.

Hands gently laid themselves over the keys, but not yet playing. Just waiting.]

[longwinded]

[John look back at Dave. Did he want John to start? Was that what he wanted? Okay. That is what John does. He starts. Just for Dave. But warning him with the of his foot on the pedal.]

[knightime]

[Dave started to accompany the other. Dave's playing was a little sloppy. His timing was a bit off even if he was at least playing all the right keys. But it wasn't Dave really going off but he was actually concentrating on how John's piano sounded and trying to mimic it. Dave was trying to figure out how John's mind worked. Dave was no stranger to music theory and history. There must be ways to figure out how John played and when he chose to do certain things versus other ways.]