“Well that was rather refreshing,” my butler commented as we left the stadium taking out the tablets out of our ears. “It’s nice to hear a pop song that has a soul.” He then turned to me, “What did you think of it, Wolfgang?”
“I’ll give them this: at least rock music has a logic that I can follow. Now that I think of it, I find it hilarious that they’re using the same chord progression techniques of my time but with new instruments.”
“What do you mean?” my maid inquired and the cook answered her.
“I think what he’s referring to is that in the music of his time, composers worked with a set of chords in any given key signature, or the space between certain notes of four, five and one.”
“Precisely! That way a piece can be structured like a building in which there are rhyme and reason to it. Grant it, what I’ve heard today, most of that has been discarded, liberating the music to give it passion. To me, it’s a relief that the method that I used my whole life hasn’t been abandoned.”
“There is a reason that your music is still being performed and studied,” Wilfred pointed out. “Anyway, today has been fun, but I would like to return to the palace for some much-needed rest.”
“Aw,” I whined; my ears folded back, “Is it over so soon?”
“I have to agree,” my maid commented. “This was great, but some of us are tired.”
There was no further need to argue as I could see that this was true. So we began to make our way towards the towering crystal structure. Several minutes later we walked through the front entrance, and I bid my three… at this point, I don’t think “servants” works anymore, so from now on I’ll refer to them as what they really were, friends. After bidding the three of them, “I wish you all good night, crap in your beds with all your might and kiss your own behind.” And thereby making the nearby guards burst out laughing, I too was about ready to retire to bed when a guard popped from out of nowhere.
“The Princesses wish to see you, Mr. Moztrot.”
After following the guard closely through the shiny labyrinth, I was shown to the palace’s music room which was surprisingly crowded. In there I found not only Cadance with her husband, sister-in-law and the little face grabber but also Sunburst and Celestia too. I went up and bowed to them.
“You wanted to see me?”
“Yes, I have,” Sunplot replied. “If you’re not too tired from today’s festivities, there are some ponies in here whom you might find interesting.”
I cocked my head to the side, “That’s it? You just wanted me to say hello to some ponies?”
At that point, I believed that I heard hoofsteps coming from behind, and a voice that said, “So a friend of mine told me that you think that I’m a myth.” At first, I was confused by this statement, along with the identity of whoever was addressing me. Of course, my curiosity made me turn my head this way and that to see the mare in question.
Then as I turned around, I let out an unholy shriek of, “OH MY GODDESSES!!” quickly followed by my tumbling backward at the sight of the frowning face staring down at me. At that moment, imagination had crashed into reality as I saw before me a tall, slender mare of blue, with an undulating mane and tail like a living night sky (although not white like the moon but the face was extremely familiar). She had a crown, a chest plate with a crescent moon, and boots; instantly I thought that the Queen of the Night had become real.
“As I was saying,” she continued on, ignoring the shock on my face. “A friend of mine told me that you apparently don’t think that I exist. That I was a superstition to the point that you’ve based a character on me back when I turned into Nightmare Moon. This was news to me so I went out to get the score of The Magic Flute. Now at this point, I don’t know if I should be insulted that you portrayed me as this manipulative witch. Or that I ought to be amused as you’ve written the hardest aria in Equine history – thereby making those who were unfortunately so cast to sing such impossibly high notes.”
I looked pleadingly up to Celestia, “She’s real… She’s actually real.”
“And my little sister too.”
“Uh-hehe…” I nervously returned my gaze back to the embodiment of the Night. “I-I didn’t know you were real. I swear! Please don’t eat me.” I said that last sentence meekly.
Her nose flared up. “I’m more annoyed than angry. However, you are pushing it.”
“Sorry…”
She facehoofed, “But to your credit, the concert you gave this morning was very good. And given how ponies from where you came from didn’t exactly know better, I’m willing to let this prejudice go. So really, I don’t have any quarrel with you per se. After all, from what little music I was able to hear, I do think you have talent.”
I grinned shyly and slowly scooted my plot away. “Thank you… Princess of the Night.”
“It’s Luna.” She deadpanned.
“Did you say that there were other ponies that you wanted me to meet?” I quickly asked the now merciful alicorn of the sun.
“Yes.” She looked around the room, then helped me up back on my four hooves and I walked beside her. “I wanted to introduce you to a nephew of mine, but he’s currently attending a concert. So perhaps I should introduce you to someone else here that has taken an interest in your music.” She suddenly stopped. “Now, before I do. I need to let you know that this leader, a King, isn’t a pony at all – nor any intelligent creature that you’ve encountered before.”
I tilted my head. “What do you mean?”
“Recently, his species has undergone a reformation. Literally. Thanks in no small part to his efforts, relations between his society and Equestria, once broken, are being fixed. So with that in mind, I need to ask you not to judge him on his looks alone.”
Perplexed, I agreed to this and I followed her to a corner, where I laid my eyes on the most fascinating creature that I’d yet seen. This king was tall, almost like Celestia. But the form was like part moose, part insect, and part pony all forged into one being. And by his side were shorter creatures, likewise a combination of insect and pony, and holding wind and brass instruments.
As soon as I saw them, Celestia glanced down at me, “Now Moztrot, I assure you that these are not mon-”
“That is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen!” Before she could do anything about it, I galloped over to hug a blue one that held a clarinet. “It’s like a walking china doll with such pretty colors! Can I keep this one? Can I? Can I?”
“Help me!” the creature wiggled in my forearms. Sadly we parted ways when Celestia separated us.
“Moztrot,” the Sun Princess scolded, “You cannot treat a Changeling like a pet. It’s very rude of you.” She then addressed the colorful king. “I’m so sorry about that, I didn’t expect he would react in such a way.”
The king pointed at me, blinking. “That’s Moztrot? He’s a little more… eccentric than I thought he would be. Still, at least he didn’t go running off screaming at first sight.”
“Why would anypony run off screaming?” I questioned as I grabbed a yellow one with a basset horn. “With faces like these, who would be afraid when they’re so adorable?”
“Could you please not touch me?” the one I was grabbing asked me. “I would like to have some personal space.”
“Before I answer your question,” the tall Changeling said. “My name is Thorax and these are a mere hoofful of the orchestra that’s going to be playing second to last this evening.”
Now he had my full attention, “Oh? These here are an orchestra?”
“We’re made up of mostly wind or brass instruments,” one of the Changelings said. “We don’t really play strings all that much since we find them a little too difficult to tune right.”
“I’m having my Changelings perform for the first time outside of the hive,” the King informed me. “And ever since we’ve heard about you returning, we’ve practiced a piece that you wrote, in your honor, of course.”
“Really?” I asked, “Which one?”
“We’re only doing a movement from a serenade,” spoke another that held an oboe. “The one in B-flat, number ten I think. The Adagio. It was the only one we could find on short notice that was playable and that the whole orchestra could perform.”
“Plus,” said a green Changeling that had a horn around her neck, “None of us felt it was right to play it until you showed up – I mean, it is your music after all.”
I looked up toward Celestia, “Oh this I got to hear.”
They blinked and looked at one another, “Uh… right now?” One of them asked.
“I’d like to hear it as soon as possible.”
With that, the changelings rearranged themselves. Oboes, clarinets, basset horns, bassoons, horns, and a contrabassoon were organized. This small orchestra of winds and brass looked over to their king for approval, in which he gave a nod. And then, out from the chit-chat and small talk of the crowded room, a slow pulse beat out the Adagio. Almost like the throb and warmth of a noonday sun, oboes and clarinets synchronized to that steady, moving heartbeat. Then, high above all else, a single note on the oboe before it made a gradual, graceful descent. A clarinet repeated this same action before the soloist basset horn added sweet lines of serenity.
I admit on that night, what most surprised me was the fact that not one of them had a page of sheet music to play off of. And yet, it was perfect in form, mood, and timing among the group as it was clear that they had memorized it all. That impressed me, the dedication and memory of these fascinating creatures as they played back what I had written long ago.
I mentioned to their King how I couldn’t hear a single note out of place. “I’m not surprised. Us Changeling have pretty good memories -- well… most of us at least. We’re able to recall things that had happened back to the day when we were hatched. And for them to play this? Believe it or not, they had only one rehearsal before coming here. And that was two weeks ago.”
“Fascinating.” I was awed by this. “So you’re like me in a way, in that I’m able to recall a tune I’d heard once decades ago. Although, at the same time I’m rather curious, why are you called Changelings?”
My inquiry was answered when the most remarkable thing (that day) happened. He suddenly burst into green flames and his image was replaced by my own! It was like looking right into a mirror! “Because we can shapeshift into anything,” he replied in a voice that clearly wasn’t his before he burst back into his original form. “And it’s an ability that not only I can do, but my kingdom as well. Pretty cool, right?”
I was beyond amazed. As soon as he transformed back, the gears in my head turned. “Can you also change your voice as well?”
He coughed before replying in first a baritone voice, “Of course, what would be the point of disguising yourself -- ” he coughed once more, “If you can’t make it convincing?” He asked, this time in a child’s voice. Another cough and his vocals were back to normal. “Why do you ask?”
My muse was whispering furiously in my ears. “Well, with that in mind, I want to ask you, Your Highness, two things that are critical to what I need to do.” He told me to ask away. “First, and importantly, I need this orchestra, since I’m putting together one for the sake of performing my Requiem for the ponies that hadn’t gotten one.”
“Well, sure thing. And the other?”
“With your permission, I was hoping if you Changelings could help bring my last opera from the realm of dreams to reality.”
He tapped his chin in thought, “Well… they are getting better at acting in a theatrical setting so I guess you can.”
“Thank you!” I shook his hoof, “I promise that you won’t regret it.”
There was a flood of ponies that wanted to meet me in that room, many of whom were composers in this new age of passion. They were innovators in a wide range of genres and formats; from pianists like Horseshoepin to librettists like Verdi, and even those who were pushing the boundaries of music in a genre called Jazz. Admittingly, I was getting rather tired and my desire to collapse into a nearby bed grew ever sweeter to my mind.
At the end of it all, I was led towards a balcony that overlooked the Empire. All the Princesses were there. I noticed for the first time that there were clouds being positioned around the palace. Below were an orchestra and choir who stood on a crystal platform ready and waiting.
Princess Twilight lit up her horn as she enchanted her vocal cords and then touched her aura to the crystal itself. “Attention everypony!” she began, and her voice resonated in every direction. “On behalf of the Crystal Empire and the royal family, I want to thank all of you for coming out to the festival! We hope you’ve had a wonderful time today. Well, before we finish this, let’s have one last piece to end this with a bang: Number one on the classical charts, Tchaicoltsky’s latest, the 812 Overture!”
There were collective cheers below and stomping of hooves when the music began. At first, the choir began with a solemn chant in a language that I didn’t understand. To my ears, it sounded exotic but ancient. Then within the first few minutes, the woodwinds assisted the chant, thus building up the Overture.
Suddenly the mood changed when the percussion suddenly shifted the theme to that of a tense, foreign battle. The clarinet lay out a melody that had a sense of anxiety. Galloping strings were the first to charge headfirst into the brass. Once again, the opening only reinforced the spirit of passion as the orchestra seemed to be fighting for their lives.
A few minutes later, a snare drum brought in another theme from the horns. It had an air of pride in its uniformity. A thought came to me, ‘What if there is symbolism in this music that I don’t recognize?’ But as soon as that theme came, the violins and violas made a counter attack. Sneaking their way behind until, under cover of a crescendo, the strings surprised the horns.
In the music, the battle was fierce, but not to the point where it was confusing. Even in this chaos, there was a method to this madness. I could easily picture it in my head: notes that were running through, galloping, casting spells, using spears and shields against their enemies.
At one point, there was calm in this storm from the violins as they called out for a temporary truce. To rest up for the battle tomorrow. The clarinets slowed all of it down until it was a pulse. Then, the sound of mares singing a… folk song? I wasn’t sure what this meant. Could this be symbolizing the mares going onto the battlefield to heal the wounded and bury the dead? One would think it would be more sobering if that were the case.
However, the truce didn’t last as the strings started back up again on the attack, but the brass was prepared. Themes clashed together, shaking the landscape like an earthquake. But at the same time, the counterpoints from both sides were dueling with each other that it was hard not to listen.
Once again, a truce was called for again by the violins, seeing how badly beaten the horns were. There was a sense of relief in the air, and at the same time, worry that this was truly over. The mare choir returned briefly with their folk song until the lower strings slowed down.
Then, by surprise, the theme of the horns returned! The strings, though exhausted, still kept up with the fight. While this was going on, I didn’t notice the clouds that were hanging around the palace, and how some pegasi were getting into position. As the horns and strings were building up to a great crescendo, I suddenly screamed when unexpected thunder banged out from the sky itself!
I glanced heavenward, to see the clouds had exploded into fireworks of red, white and blue. As the colorful flames fell downward, so too the music that reflected the fire. The strings were in a mad dash, but at the last minute, slowed down while the brass stomped out the beat before it erupted to a euphoric choir and deafening bells ringing out throughout the empire. This time, my eyes went towards the sky as I saw that the pegasi hadn’t left. I knew that this wasn’t going to be the last that anyone was going to hear from them.
And then, at the credo, the orchestra ran forward while the thunderclouds exploded in time to the music. This time, both main themes were combined in harmony in the song of victory. Choir, orchestra, and fireworks ruled over that moment, with the finale of bells sounded out peace at last before the orchestra closed it with its last, loud chords.
When the Empire cheered, Princess Twilight called out, “Thank you for coming everypony! Good night!” and with that, she undid her spell. “Woo! That was exciting wasn’t it?” I on the other hoof were covering my ears, shaking. I felt a hoof on my shoulder, “Sorry, too much?”
“Well… that’s one way of ending a party.”
The royals laughed at my response. But I forced myself to recover and go over to the rulers of the Empire. “I take it that your day was fun?” Princess Cadance asked with her child on her back.
“At least now I know what music has become in these strange times.” I replied, “The music around here has refreshingly become passionate.”
“You can say that again,” Prince Shining nodded in agreement. “So did you find the musicians you were looking for?”
“I think I have. But let me tell you tomorrow. Like your Face Hugger, I too need sleep. So if none of you mind, I’d like to go to bed. Good night.” After taking a bow, and asking a guard which way to my room, I left the festival behind. For starting tomorrow, I had much work that needed to be done.