The Discordant Note (8 page)

The commissioner then tried to go straight to the point, asking the personal opinion of the director on the figure of the Master.

“You see, Commissioner ... Brandenburg came here three or four times a year ... and it’s not that there was a very thorough knowledge between us; for all I know, I can only say he was a good person”.

“Yes ... specifically, what the Master came here to do?”.

“More than anything else, he was invited to attend the award ceremonies; the guys who have distinguished themselves worthy, for instance in national competitions, indeed, received certificates and some subsidy to continue their studies”.

“Any guy could be rewarded here or only those who are enrolled in your center?”.

“Well ... of course only some of our students, who perhaps had made a good impression at regional or national level”.

“What kind of arts are treated in this center, Mr. Angelini?”.

“We have a workshop where we teach how to play several musical instruments, from piano to saxophone, then there's a whole other part about literature and cinematography ... but our pride has always been Music”.

“Do you know if some of your guys has never taken private lessons from Master Brandenburg?”.

“Not that I know, but in reality, I never got to know exactly if that happened”.

“Why not?”.

“Because Brandenburg was not that talkative. When we invited him, he showed up five minutes before the ceremony without exchanging a single word with anyone, then took the stage, two sentences of circumstance and he went away soon after; no boy or girl never asked me how to contact him so, if that happened, it was not by me”.

“Do you have a telephone number of ...”.

“Unfortunately not, the Master wanted be sent only an invitation letter then he would have replied confirming whether or not he would have taken part to the ceremony, nothing more”.

“I see ... I would have one last question, Angelini ...”.

“Tell me, Commissioner ...”.

“What did you think when you came to know, I guess from newspapers, Brandenburg’s death?”.

“What did I think? That perhaps in some people’s lives, there is a part that is never shared with others, that one we call private   life ... some of us, like the Master himself, still manage to keep it private, away from prying eyes and judgments ... I know, Commissioner, that what I have just said is somewhat vague, however, it was the exact feeling I had while reading the news”.

“You’ll find it hard to believe, Angelini, but I’m not surprised at all”.

The answer to that last phrase of the commissioner, was a   half-heartedly smile, after which the two exchanged a few words of circumstance and then said goodbye.

Germano immediately climbed in the car and headed to the second destination of his afternoon tour, the orphanage.

This time he found waiting for him a nun, Mother Alberta, who had been running the structure for many.

The room in which the commissioner was invited, appeared quite austere, with a small table completely filled with papers and one chair as only furniture.

Germano, indeed, had to sit down on one side of the bed, the one you put your feet while sleeping; at this point, he could finally start the conversation with Mother Alberta, who preferred to sit on the only chair in the room.

“You were fast, Commissioner ...”.

“I came as soon as possible ... as I mentioned on the phone earlier, I am conducting the investigation into the death of Master Brandenburg and we came to know that ...”.

“That the Master frequented our orphanage?”.

“More or less ... the only thing that it’s still not clear to us, is the kind of relationship he had with this Institute, I don’t know, maybe Brandenburg used to make donations to the orphanage?”.

“He did better, Commissioner, he used to offer his art to the less fortunate children, believe me, anyone who has to live in this place has a pretty important credit with luck ...”.

“I've no doubt, Mother Alberta ... so Brandenburg destined part of his earnings to ...”.

“No commissioner, maybe I wasn’t clear, sometimes he offered some small amount of money but what he actually used to do was to teach kids to play and create music, in the hope that this knowledge could be useful to some of them in their lives”.

“I see ... he must have thought that the music could provide an opportunity of social payback for these young people”.

“Of that, I am convinced; the Master had perhaps unique experience of what it means to make one’s own way in life, especially when you do not have many aces in the hole to play”.

“I think you are right ... so, his visits were regulars? I mean, the Master was used to come here, regularly, right?”.

“He was not a frequent visitor, he used to come to visit a few times a year but then he wanted it was me to report him the most deserving boys and girls”.

“So ... let me get this straight, you pointed out at Brandenburg, those people you thought might have a future in music ... is that what you're saying?”.

“Yes, Commissioner ... I do not see anything wrong, I mean ...”.

“Wait, Mother Alberta, you don’t need to justify, I just wanted to be sure I got it ... are you a musician?”.

“Me, sir? No ... you must have wondered how I did identify the right persons to report to the Master, then ... I used a technique that he himself had taught me, plus I was serving my ear, it will not be that professional but it can recognize good music when it’s played”.

“Ah ...”.

“You see, Commissioner, all the kids had at least one hour of music per week in their schedules, in which they were taught to play, or at least they were given some basis, to play some musical instruments such as flute, violin, piano or saxophone, and those who seemed to be slightly more talented than the others are ... I mean,
were
reported to the German teacher ...”.

“You’ve talked about a technique that Brandenburg suggested to recognize the potential artists, I'd be curious to know how you do it”.

“It 's easy, Commissioner ... and can be applied to anything in life, just look at the person while playing and try to see if he or she feels emotional transport in doing that, if he or she just performs the score of feels it”.

“Interesting technique ... to hear so, it seems almost obvious but it is not”.

“It wasn’t, for the Master, indeed; he always said that in order to create something from scratch, you need great emotion and disgust for the music already written by others”.

“Very interesting, Mother Alberta ... what happened then? I mean, once you had identified the person, how did you let the Master know?”.

“Simple, I accompanied the boy or girl directly at Brandenburg’s house, I rang the intercom and waited for us to be invited in; once the presentations were finished, I came back here, knowing that I was supposed to go back to take the student after a couple of hours. On that occasion, the Master confirmed me if I was right or not, and we organized, then, one afternoon lesson per week”.

“Did the lessons always take place at Brandenburg’s house?”.

“Yes, always, one hour per week, to be more precise”.

“Do you have, Mother, a list of these boys and girls who came in contact with the Master during all these years?”.

“A list, Commissioner? This story has been going on for almost three decades ... and I never wrote all the names down... I can get you a summary list of the ones that I remember by flipping through the old archives of the boys who have passed through this orphanage, but it will take days”.

“I'll wait if necessary”.

“Well, Commissioner, but I have to ask you a recommendation before you have that list ...”.

“Tell me”.

“You see, some of them have then had extraordinary careers, there are some who composed great soundtracks, pop music for young people or who has been part of major international orchestras and even more; I would appreciate if anyone came to know how these guys have known music and what institution they come from ... I don’t know if you get it, Commissioner ...”.

“You’ve been clear, the private lives of these people won’t be compromised by my investigation, I assure you”.

“Brandenburg wanted so, that nobody knew that it was him to introduce them to music”.

“Why?”.

“He always said it was not right to take others’ merits, that means, if any of those guys has made his way, it was because he had been working hard and firmly believing in his own art, not for the teachings that Brandenburg gave to him; he himself used to say that all he did for those guys was to let them know that there was another way in life, another possibility, but that it was only their task to embrace it or not, and then they’re the only one to deserve credit for doing it”.

“Of course ... may I ask you one last question, Mother?”.

“Yes”.

“Have you ever become suspicious for this extravagant behavior of the Master? I mean ...”.

“I know what you mean ... at the beginning, many years ago, I was a bit undecided whether to let guys work with Brandenburg or not ... but then I realized that the Master had something to be forgiven, a strange feeling I have to admit, though ...you are the detective, Commissioner, perhaps in this case it may be you to clarify some of my doubts”.

Germano’s answer was a half-heartedly smile, after which Mother Alberta understood that the commissioner had already discovered what the teacher had to make amends for.

A few moments later, the two said goodbye, with the promise to see as soon as possible for the list of students and former students on which the nun would have been working in the days to come.

Before heading to the last destination of that long afternoon, Germano preferred to make a phone call to the office, to ask how they were doing and if there were any developments.

“Hello”.

“Angelo, it’s me”.

“Hello Vincent, then?”.

“I just went out from the orphanage and now I am going to the Young Artists Club; I did actually understand something more about Brandenburg, what about you, instead?”.

“We're still working on it, we’ll have some news tonight”.

“Well, then let's see around nineteen in my office, tell the others as well”.

“Alright Vincent, later”.

“See you later, thanks”.

The Young Artists Club, as also reported on the brochure, had the task to promote both literary and musical works of boys under the age of twenty-five.

On his arrival, the commissioner was greeted by a young woman dressed in skimpy clothes, who invited him to follow her; in this case as well, there was a director who Germano would have to talk with.

The room where he spent his time working, was actually more like a small apartment, with quite modern furniture and, judging from the type of wood, they must be also very expensive.

The director introduced himself as Augusto Rossi, forty-seven years and with two degrees in plain sight on the wall just behind his desk.

He received the commissioner with stupid jokes that would not sound funny to a ten year old boy, either; Germano immediately began to wonder if the person in front of him was seriously a perfect fool or if he was just playing the part.

“Please, sit here, Commissioner”.

Germano sat down on one of the three chairs on the opposite side of the desk behind which Rossi had already took his place.

“I'll try to be brief Mr. Rossi ...”.

“Call me Director ...”.

“Um ... if you like ... I'll try to be brief, Director”.

“Tell me”.

“As I already told you on the phone, I'm conducting an investigation on Ralf Brandenburg’s murder ...”.

“That crazy man!”.

“Why are calling him like that?”.

“Because he was really crazy, he used to live in his own world”.

“Okay ... but beyond that, is there something that has somehow strengthened this conviction of yours, Director?”.

“What do you mean?”.

“I mean ... just tell me about one of his crazy behaviors”.

“Well ... actually, there have never been problems between us, it’s just that ... he was a bit strange, that's all”.

“I see, did Brandenburg use to come here often?”.

“Yes, it was two or three times a year, it was one of our honorary member and always wanted to be informed if there were any young talent in music”.

“It's never happened that you suggested to the Master the name of one of the boys?”.

“Not really”.

“Why not?”.

“Usually the kids come to us already built”.

“Do you consider a twenty-five years guy already built? And sorry if I dare, who did not want to learn something more from someone like Brandenburg, a musician known almost all over the world?”.

“Let's say that the service that we provide is far different ... we promote the works of young people to make the world know about them and ...”.

“Excuse me, Rossi, but I don’t want to waste my time, I’ve a curiosity; who is financing all this?”.

“It's a state program, Commissioner, the State finances the project annually so that disadvantaged people can have the chance to get noticed”.

“I understand, Mr. Rossi ... before I go, I have another curiosity of mine, would you answer to one last question?”.

“Sure, Commissioner”.

“Is the half-naked girl at the entrance considered, again for the purposes of reimbursement by the State, a young artist worthy to be known, as well?”.

That last question, of course, didn’t need an answer; the commissioner, indeed, was already with one foot outside the director's office when he spoke those words, and with both outside the building that housed Rossi’s Club when he was finally able to take that stupid expression off from his face, a result of Vincent Germano’s cryptic words.

The commissioner returned to his car a little twisting his mouth; before leaving, however, he wanted to make a phone call.

“Hello”.

“Piazza, do you hear me?”.

“Yes, Commissioner”.

“News about the research on scooters?”.

“We have fifty-seven names only within the province of Rome, Commissioner, and we have already made ​​an initial screening by eliminating those who do not pay stamp duty or insurance of the vehicle”.