Once upon a time, long ago, Hannibal had appeared for the first time upon this stage and played for the house Chopin's Prelude in E minor, Op. 28, No. 4. After which he had been commanded to play something more, and he'd chosen Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 'Pathetique' in C Minor Op 18 to fit the tone of the first piece. Though they were both beautiful and masterful, a fair showing of what Hannibal could do, a showcase for his talents, he did not choose either of them. Nor did he choose any of the music from any of the shows he had played under Erik's employ. He did not choose his beloved Goldberg Variations. All of them were music that anybody could have known.
Even the piece that the boy had died for was music that had been heard by ears outside of this room. Hannibal knew that he needed something that would show Erik that despite the older body and the brain of a man who had lived longer, the boy was still there. His friend was still present. The loss was not whole. He knew that there would be adjustment, getting used to the idea of speaking to the boy in a man's face, but Hannibal felt a burning urge to prove there were two minds, two souls, two beings, within this body.
He sat down and positioned his hands upon the keys. His posture perfect, straight but not stiff, as it had been so long ago. The sixth finger on his left hand finding its place easily. His breathing was calm, his heartbeat normal. Everything and more depended on this moment. Should he mistakenly insult Erik by his choice in music, Hannibal knew the Opera Ghost would be lost from his life forever. There would never be a second chance. The anger in Erik... Hannibal could imagine it fully.
The piece Hannibal played as a serenade to his friend's very being was one that the master had penned with his own hand on that first day they'd met. A challenge, a way to see what talent lay there. Set in 5/8 time, and in B minor, the measures were filled with strange, halting musical phrases that created from their dissonance an atmosphere that captured the notion of tentative exploration and uncertainty. There had been two pages of it. Hannibal started in on the first notes, recalling them perfectly and easily. His head tilted back, his eyes closed, he could almost see the notes as he played them.