7. Wempe Zeitmeister Chronometer | The Pianist

After the young pianist dramatically plays the last bars of La Campanella, there is a brief silence which is ruptured by a thunderous applause. The pianist slowly gets up from the Steinway concert grand model D.  At 274 cm in length, the Steinway truly is a majestic musical instrument, a piano worthy of the next classical music raising star such as him.  The pianist, with his left hand still on the piano, as if the instrument was an extension of his body, bows deeply for this affectionate reception.  As he is basking in the ovation, he carefully surveys the large crowd at the Semperoper, when he notices a man getting up to leave, amidst the continuing applause. The presenter, a representative of the luxury watch chain Wempe, comes on stage to greet the pianist. The audience finally quiets down, the presenter, an attractive and stylish woman in her forties, extends him her hand.  The pianist was still following the man’s movement to the exit when the presenter calls him by name, which jolts him.  She congratulates him for his performance and hands him the Classical Music Raising Star Award which the company is sponsoring. At 22, he's the youngest recipient so far for this prestigious award, she points out, a comment which draws more applause of approval from the audience.  The presenter opens an elegant watch case in piano black finish, which perfectly complements the Steinway, to reveal a simple yet stately looking silver dress watch with roman numerals on a white dial.  In addition to the award, she is presenting the pianist with one of the company’s own line of watches, the Zeitmeister Chronometer. 

Later at the event reception, over champagne, the presenter asks the pianist whether he likes the watch.  He replies affirmatively and asks her, ‘what exactly is a chronometer?’  ‘A chronometer’, she patiently explains, ‘is a specific type of mechanical watch tested and certified to meet the most stringent precision standards. Most of our watches at Wempe, are certified chronometers - German chronometers’, she points out.  She adds, ‘German chronometers, in addition to being actually certified in Germany, are subject to more rigorous tests compared to the Swiss, which naturally makes them more exact’.

It is as if the word ‘exact’ had a hypnotic effect, the pianist’s mind drifts back to a day almost two decades ago when he was still a young boy, about 6 years old. His morning routine is still vivid in his mind.  He remembers that he would start practice at 6 in the morning.  Awakened by his alarm, he would tiredly get up from his bed to pull up the blinds.  Still groggy from sleep, he would drag himself downstairs in a quiet house, goes to the kitchen to fill a glass with water and gulp it down. Finally he would settle at the piano, collect himself for a moment, and begin his the first part of his daily practice.  On this particular day, he remembers starting with his new piece, La Campanella.  From the rattling sounds of keys, the pianist knew his father is home from the local bakery, having bought rolls for breakfast.  His father was pleased to hear the pianist already practicing.  Still holding the breakfast rolls, he walked towards the piano, which was just a used upright.  The pianist continued to play, without looking up, while his father stood next to him, neither of them acknowledging each other’s presence. His father knew that the piece was difficult for the pianist, as gifted as he was, his hands just weren’t big enough for some of the Liszt’s technical demands.  But he insisted, and as he closed his eyes to listen, he was pleased with the pianist’s progress.  Suddenly he opened his eyes and angrily slapped the pianist in the face.  The pianist didn’t dare look at him. ‘Do you know what you did wrong?’ his father demanded.  ‘Yes’, the pianist replied, holding back tears. ‘What is it then?’ his father calmly asked. ‘I didn’t hold the tempo’, the pianist replied, still keeping his head down, fearful of letting his father see his tears, which were beginning to fill his eyes. His father lowered his head, put his face in front the pianist’s, and growled ‘if you knew it, then why didn’t you do? Use the metronome!’ It was then that the pianist’s mother entered the room and demanded to know what was going on when she noticed the pianist’s red cheek.  His mother was furious for they had agreed that neither of them would ever physically punish the child. The father brushed her concerns aside, and demanded the pianist to continue practice, despite protest from his wife, who sat down next to the pianist. Sobbing, the pianist continued his practice. 

His father would take his coffee and go out to the backyard to smoke, deep in thoughts after such fights, which were regular occurrences.  The pianist’s parents eventually separated when he was in his teens.  Their divorce came as no surprise, what was unexpected, was that the pianist chose to live with his father, a decision which was deeply hurtful to his mother as she thought she had been protecting him and therefore deserved his loyalty.  The pianist didn’t take this decision lightly, as much as he loved her, he knew his mother wouldn’t be able to give him the support and structure he needed to become a world class pianist, as her ideas of happiness and success did not align with his.  He had unknowingly become his father’s son, for his ideals had morphed with his father’s, after all the years he’s spent under his tutelage. 

As the pianist grew older, he began to shine on the international competition stage, winning first prizes at major events, full-filling the potential that his father had always seen in him. Though still pained by past memories, the pianist is nevertheless thankful of the path that his father had rightly chosen for him. Although he might never be able to verbally tell his father that, for their relationship was not and never will be one that is outwardly affectionate.  It is enough, the pianist thought, to know that his father is proud of him, by those tears of joy and pride which he tried to hide as he got up to leave.