A Musical Introduction 
Ash 4, 105th Year, A.o.S.
Vomira had discussed with Ailuin that it would be good for discipline and character for their daughter to take up an instrument. Proper, even, considering her status. The more well-rounded their daughter was, the better. Which was why the little elfling child was listening to the orchestra with her mother. Princess Vomira certainly had her own ideas about which instrument she would like her daughter to take up, but they would need to see what she was drawn to before she set about influencing that decision.
Akantha did like music, she enjoyed attending concerts and performances, and it was important for dance. "Go on," Vomira touched her firstborn's silky soft blonde hair. The little elfyn took a few steps forward, and looked out over the instruments, considering. The musicians continued to play, and the Princess passed the conductor to get closer to the violins. They were not oversized, and they seemed to produce a rather graceful sound to her inexperienced ears. She stopped in front of one violinist that winked at her, the bow angled just so to produce a hauntingly beautiful melody. Hmm. "That was lovely," the girl said solemnly, before moving on.
She stepped back from the violins, and walked behind the conductor to approach the cellos. These were much larger, but not as big as the basses behind them. The sound from these stringed instruments was different. It was deeper, darker, and somehow, it felt warm... almost akin to the timbres of a voice. This instrument was nearly as large as she was, if not bigger when one considered the neck of it. "Mama, are there smaller ones to learn on?" the girl wanted to know as she turned around to look back to her mother. Vomira nodded. That would be possible, if she chose the cello.
"There are smaller versions for children, flower," she assured her daughter. Now to get her to continue on. The cello was beautiful, deep and elegant, and if Akantha stayed with that one, she likely would not focus on any of the other instruments in the ensemble. "What of the violas?" Patience was a virtue, and while this had to be Akantha's choice, she did want her to take up the violin. She would have looked quite comical with the bass, which was what Akantha had decided to visit next as opposed to the violas. That instrument was even lower still in its tones, and thankfully, the girl moved on fairly quickly.
The lively notes coming from the viola were still deeper than the violin's higher tones, and Akantha studied the musician as he played. "The viola is different in that it requires more pressure," the Hytori with the ash blond hair offered when he saw her looking back between the violin and himself. "But less play it, if you want to stand out." Well, that the child did want. She needed to, after all. She was the daughter of the Phoenix King, and blending in was the last thing she was supposed to be doing.
"Thank you," she smiled at him, her blue eyes intent on the bow and strings and trying to see how more pressure was being applied. His arms and bow did move differently from the violinist's that she had been observing. She moved on once again, stepping easily down the aisles towards the winds. Flute and piccolo, clarinet... she wasn't sure about these, because there was an awful lot of blowing and contorting of the face, and that did seem more difficult. The oboe was stranger, but the bassoon was completely weird. While the music that was produced by them was quite different from the strings, they seemed quite involved. This was less of a matter of how well one could handle the bow, and more on how one could breathe and play. The brasses were the next section for her to visit, with great horns of different sizes, but while she liked the colouring and how shiny they were, the sounds that they made were less appealing to the child. They definitely had their place in the orchestra, as everyone had their part to play, including these ones.
She visited percussion, from the harps to the xylophone to the chimes, and the harpist motioned for her to come closer. "Try plucking this one, Your Highness," she encouraged her, indicating with a finger. The little elfyn reached out with one finger, and carefully tried to emulate the musician in the harp. Oh, that was fun, too. A smile spread from her lips to her eyes and her ears almost seemed to wiggle with the strings as she plucked it again at the older elf's nod. These strings didn't quite seem to stand out in the ensemble as much as some of the others, as the sound naturally seemed softer to her, but it was quite lovely all the same. Akantha knew that she needed to carry on, though, and after thanking the harpist, she made her way back through the aisles towards the front of the orchestra, looking over those that were still playing.
She found herself drawn back to the strings section, and in front of the cello. A small hand touched the side of the wooden instrument, trying to make sure she stayed away from the bow's movements. She closed her eyes and felt the way the instrument vibrated. It did seem to enhance the sound that way, and the instrument reverberated under her touch. The deeper notes she could practically feel in her bones, and she stayed there for a few minutes, enjoying the music. Her mother watched her, and kept her expression neutral. "Do you favour the cello, darling? Perhaps we could hear solos from both," she glanced at the conductor, who got the hint and silenced the orchestra with a motion of his baton.
The cellist that she had stood by began to play once Akantha lifted her hand, folding them together in front of her. The song began with soft notes, and the girl watched the bow and the way it artfully produced sound from the larger instrument. Vomira did enjoy it, but she could not wait for the violin solo. With luck, the violinist would be enough to convince her daughter in that direction... The cello's deep sounds lightened, picking up the pace as the song became stirring indeed, the richer tones in the melody somehow stayed just as smooth. The young princess seemed quite pleased with it, with the way the bow caressed the strings. But it was oddly satisfying in a way that Akantha couldn't quite explain. One thing she did notice as the solo continued was that the middle notes seemed to blend a bit for her. But that may have just been her untrained ear.
After a few more enjoyable minutes, the song ended, and the cellist offered a little bow as Akantha clapped for him. "I thank you," she smiled at the musician. "That was beautiful, and your cello is magnificent." As the musician thanked her, Vomira motioned her back towards the violins, and elfyn in her poofy tulle dress made her way around the conductor back towards the smaller strings. The fabric changed colours under the light, a prism of soft pastel that was rarely the same shade a minute later. With a nod from her mother, the conductor indicated with his baton to the first violin.
The sound that came from the instrument, compared to the cello, was day and night. Even though it seemed to be playing on what the girl thought might be its lower register, the notes were warm, but rich, and she could swear that the violin was singing to her. But what she could feel was a graceful sort of elegance to the notes that had been present in the cello, too. Quite suddenly, the notes became higher and shorter, until the violinist was all but plucking the strings with their bow. To her little pointed ears, it almost resembled raindrops falling in the fountain in the garden of Eilranoikos. Her eyes widened - she wasn't sure the cello could replicate that sort of sound, but it was fascinating.
The lively tune was enthusiastic, changing back from the raindrops into notes, the bow dancing upon the strings. While the notes were sharper and faster than the cello, and with the violinist rapidly moving the bow across the bridge, the sound that was made was almost akin to quivering. The child seemed quite engaged, at least, to judge by her expression. The short notes returned to longer, softer ones to close the song, and at last, the bow was lowered. "Thank you," Akantha smiled at the Hytori who had played for her. "That was very stirring." Politeness and compliments, when earned, had gone a long way, her mother had strove to impress upon her. One could be cutting where it was due, but with her station, she needed to recognize the talents in others and respect those talents.
"Your Highness," the violinist inclined his head to her, and Vomira extended her hand to her firstborn. Akantha headed back to her, taking her mother's hand.
"Thank you all so much for your time--" she began, only for Akantha to pull a bit on her hand. Vomira paused, looking down at her with a smile.
"I would like to hear the harp on its own, please," her daughter was solemn, and Vomira squeezed her hand indulgently. Well, why not? That was what they were here for, and if her child wanted to hear the harp, so be it. That was a very classical and elegant instrument.
"Of course. Could we please...?" she looked to the conductor, who signalled the harpist who had allowed the little Phoenix hatchling to ply the strings of her enormous instrument. The musician nodded, and started a solo of her own while Akantha watched from Vomira's side. By itself, the sounds of the harp were balanced, and yet they were crystal-clear as they resonated through the amphitheatre. It did have a more metallic sound to it than she had thought it might, but the bell-like tones flowed as she worked the strings, and it cascaded in a different way than the cello and violin had. It had the smoothest transition between the notes and tones, like the sounds were gliding along effortlessly.
"Thank you. I enjoyed your harp," Akantha smiled in the direction of the harpist, who inclined her head to the Princesses.
"Again, I thank you all so much for taking the time to share your talents and abilities with us. It has been a very special day, and we look forward to attending your next concert. May Aileor and Suion continue to inspire your passion, and a good day to you all," she inclined her head, and Akantha did the same, before following her mother out. She would not put her on the spot in front of others yet and encourage her to make a decision regarding an instrument in front of professionals who may or may not feel slighted at the decisions of a child. The time would come when Akantha would need to be prepared for being able to make those decisions in a conciliatory way, if necessary, to ensure smoothness and cooperation. It would take coaching and practice, and that would come with time - she was not about to risk making her anxious about it in front of others just yet. That was something they could take about later, and surely Akantha would tell her father all about it when she saw him next, and see what his favourite instrument was.
Akantha did like music, she enjoyed attending concerts and performances, and it was important for dance. "Go on," Vomira touched her firstborn's silky soft blonde hair. The little elfyn took a few steps forward, and looked out over the instruments, considering. The musicians continued to play, and the Princess passed the conductor to get closer to the violins. They were not oversized, and they seemed to produce a rather graceful sound to her inexperienced ears. She stopped in front of one violinist that winked at her, the bow angled just so to produce a hauntingly beautiful melody. Hmm. "That was lovely," the girl said solemnly, before moving on.
She stepped back from the violins, and walked behind the conductor to approach the cellos. These were much larger, but not as big as the basses behind them. The sound from these stringed instruments was different. It was deeper, darker, and somehow, it felt warm... almost akin to the timbres of a voice. This instrument was nearly as large as she was, if not bigger when one considered the neck of it. "Mama, are there smaller ones to learn on?" the girl wanted to know as she turned around to look back to her mother. Vomira nodded. That would be possible, if she chose the cello.
"There are smaller versions for children, flower," she assured her daughter. Now to get her to continue on. The cello was beautiful, deep and elegant, and if Akantha stayed with that one, she likely would not focus on any of the other instruments in the ensemble. "What of the violas?" Patience was a virtue, and while this had to be Akantha's choice, she did want her to take up the violin. She would have looked quite comical with the bass, which was what Akantha had decided to visit next as opposed to the violas. That instrument was even lower still in its tones, and thankfully, the girl moved on fairly quickly.
The lively notes coming from the viola were still deeper than the violin's higher tones, and Akantha studied the musician as he played. "The viola is different in that it requires more pressure," the Hytori with the ash blond hair offered when he saw her looking back between the violin and himself. "But less play it, if you want to stand out." Well, that the child did want. She needed to, after all. She was the daughter of the Phoenix King, and blending in was the last thing she was supposed to be doing.
"Thank you," she smiled at him, her blue eyes intent on the bow and strings and trying to see how more pressure was being applied. His arms and bow did move differently from the violinist's that she had been observing. She moved on once again, stepping easily down the aisles towards the winds. Flute and piccolo, clarinet... she wasn't sure about these, because there was an awful lot of blowing and contorting of the face, and that did seem more difficult. The oboe was stranger, but the bassoon was completely weird. While the music that was produced by them was quite different from the strings, they seemed quite involved. This was less of a matter of how well one could handle the bow, and more on how one could breathe and play. The brasses were the next section for her to visit, with great horns of different sizes, but while she liked the colouring and how shiny they were, the sounds that they made were less appealing to the child. They definitely had their place in the orchestra, as everyone had their part to play, including these ones.
She visited percussion, from the harps to the xylophone to the chimes, and the harpist motioned for her to come closer. "Try plucking this one, Your Highness," she encouraged her, indicating with a finger. The little elfyn reached out with one finger, and carefully tried to emulate the musician in the harp. Oh, that was fun, too. A smile spread from her lips to her eyes and her ears almost seemed to wiggle with the strings as she plucked it again at the older elf's nod. These strings didn't quite seem to stand out in the ensemble as much as some of the others, as the sound naturally seemed softer to her, but it was quite lovely all the same. Akantha knew that she needed to carry on, though, and after thanking the harpist, she made her way back through the aisles towards the front of the orchestra, looking over those that were still playing.
She found herself drawn back to the strings section, and in front of the cello. A small hand touched the side of the wooden instrument, trying to make sure she stayed away from the bow's movements. She closed her eyes and felt the way the instrument vibrated. It did seem to enhance the sound that way, and the instrument reverberated under her touch. The deeper notes she could practically feel in her bones, and she stayed there for a few minutes, enjoying the music. Her mother watched her, and kept her expression neutral. "Do you favour the cello, darling? Perhaps we could hear solos from both," she glanced at the conductor, who got the hint and silenced the orchestra with a motion of his baton.
The cellist that she had stood by began to play once Akantha lifted her hand, folding them together in front of her. The song began with soft notes, and the girl watched the bow and the way it artfully produced sound from the larger instrument. Vomira did enjoy it, but she could not wait for the violin solo. With luck, the violinist would be enough to convince her daughter in that direction... The cello's deep sounds lightened, picking up the pace as the song became stirring indeed, the richer tones in the melody somehow stayed just as smooth. The young princess seemed quite pleased with it, with the way the bow caressed the strings. But it was oddly satisfying in a way that Akantha couldn't quite explain. One thing she did notice as the solo continued was that the middle notes seemed to blend a bit for her. But that may have just been her untrained ear.
After a few more enjoyable minutes, the song ended, and the cellist offered a little bow as Akantha clapped for him. "I thank you," she smiled at the musician. "That was beautiful, and your cello is magnificent." As the musician thanked her, Vomira motioned her back towards the violins, and elfyn in her poofy tulle dress made her way around the conductor back towards the smaller strings. The fabric changed colours under the light, a prism of soft pastel that was rarely the same shade a minute later. With a nod from her mother, the conductor indicated with his baton to the first violin.
The sound that came from the instrument, compared to the cello, was day and night. Even though it seemed to be playing on what the girl thought might be its lower register, the notes were warm, but rich, and she could swear that the violin was singing to her. But what she could feel was a graceful sort of elegance to the notes that had been present in the cello, too. Quite suddenly, the notes became higher and shorter, until the violinist was all but plucking the strings with their bow. To her little pointed ears, it almost resembled raindrops falling in the fountain in the garden of Eilranoikos. Her eyes widened - she wasn't sure the cello could replicate that sort of sound, but it was fascinating.
The lively tune was enthusiastic, changing back from the raindrops into notes, the bow dancing upon the strings. While the notes were sharper and faster than the cello, and with the violinist rapidly moving the bow across the bridge, the sound that was made was almost akin to quivering. The child seemed quite engaged, at least, to judge by her expression. The short notes returned to longer, softer ones to close the song, and at last, the bow was lowered. "Thank you," Akantha smiled at the Hytori who had played for her. "That was very stirring." Politeness and compliments, when earned, had gone a long way, her mother had strove to impress upon her. One could be cutting where it was due, but with her station, she needed to recognize the talents in others and respect those talents.
"Your Highness," the violinist inclined his head to her, and Vomira extended her hand to her firstborn. Akantha headed back to her, taking her mother's hand.
"Thank you all so much for your time--" she began, only for Akantha to pull a bit on her hand. Vomira paused, looking down at her with a smile.
"I would like to hear the harp on its own, please," her daughter was solemn, and Vomira squeezed her hand indulgently. Well, why not? That was what they were here for, and if her child wanted to hear the harp, so be it. That was a very classical and elegant instrument.
"Of course. Could we please...?" she looked to the conductor, who signalled the harpist who had allowed the little Phoenix hatchling to ply the strings of her enormous instrument. The musician nodded, and started a solo of her own while Akantha watched from Vomira's side. By itself, the sounds of the harp were balanced, and yet they were crystal-clear as they resonated through the amphitheatre. It did have a more metallic sound to it than she had thought it might, but the bell-like tones flowed as she worked the strings, and it cascaded in a different way than the cello and violin had. It had the smoothest transition between the notes and tones, like the sounds were gliding along effortlessly.
"Thank you. I enjoyed your harp," Akantha smiled in the direction of the harpist, who inclined her head to the Princesses.
"Again, I thank you all so much for taking the time to share your talents and abilities with us. It has been a very special day, and we look forward to attending your next concert. May Aileor and Suion continue to inspire your passion, and a good day to you all," she inclined her head, and Akantha did the same, before following her mother out. She would not put her on the spot in front of others yet and encourage her to make a decision regarding an instrument in front of professionals who may or may not feel slighted at the decisions of a child. The time would come when Akantha would need to be prepared for being able to make those decisions in a conciliatory way, if necessary, to ensure smoothness and cooperation. It would take coaching and practice, and that would come with time - she was not about to risk making her anxious about it in front of others just yet. That was something they could take about later, and surely Akantha would tell her father all about it when she saw him next, and see what his favourite instrument was.
"There is no rose without a thorn."