He scanned the musical notes on the page, hearing the flowing melody in his mind, the various sections of the orchestra taking the lead as his concerto ebbed and flowed, rose and fell, insisted and reserved.
Reaching the thunderous crescendo, he took the standing ovation.
He glanced at the clock. Five minutes until the client would be calling to hear their first demo.
He tucked away his undiscovered masterpiece and picked up the guitar.
He strummed out the catchy jingle for ‘Doggies Snack’ems: Sweetie Treaties,’ corrected a couple of notes, and waited for the irritating executive to call.
Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).
To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
Iain Kelly 
97 responses to “MINOR CONCERTO”
How one suffers for one’s art. Nice one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Apparently you have to! Thanks Sandra
LikeLike
Aye, life in a nutshell!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pretty much.
LikeLike
I’m sure his day will come when what he dreamed of will come true. Thoughts become things 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here’s hoping, I admire your optimism! 🙂
LikeLike
Really enjoyed reading this, Iain. I wasn’t expecting that twist and I hope his masterpiece is recognised one day!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Susan – we can all dream while making a living!
LikeLike
Dear Iain,
I guess everyone has to start somewhere. Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
PS This sentence, “He and glanced at the clock.” I don’t think you need ‘and.’ 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the spot Rochelle 😉
LikeLike
There’s art and there’s making a living.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The trick is finding a way to combine the two.
LikeLike
I hope his masterpiece does get discovered! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe one day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great work!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you
LikeLike
Genius undiscovered. One day, he’ll reach his dream.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lucky few do get there in the end!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, how real is that for most struggling musicians – his magnum opus lies disregarded and he has to debase himself writing jingles. Well written Iain
LikeLiked by 1 person
It did make me smile but how real that is for many of us struggling with a day job, waiting for a break.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes musicians, writers and artists alike can all sympathise.
LikeLiked by 1 person
His day job pays the bills and his true passion will be exposed for all to hear when he is good and ready…
I like being optimistic.
Very well done, Iain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He admires your optimism 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like the mystery you weaved into this musician’s secret project. I wish I could ask him for a listen. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
One day the world will hear it! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amen!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have to work for your living… hope he one day can live from the masterpiece
LikeLiked by 1 person
Most of us are never that fortunate. Thanks Bjorn
LikeLike
Standing ovations are all very well but they don’t pay the bills. Made me smile 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
Most executives are irritating.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very.
LikeLike
Oh, I very much like the way the opening of your story leads us to believe this is his big moment. Then, boom, doggie treat jingle. Thanks for the suprise.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Alicia 🙂
LikeLike
Jingles can be awfully catchy. It takes a certain level of ability to make a good one, kinda like crafting flash fiction?
LikeLike
If only there where more ways to allow more musicians the opportunity to inspire. I love hearing good street musicians, much as I enjoy seeing how we all interrupt the picture prompts
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Michael
LikeLike
Good rehearsal.
Am sure the client will be impressed! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Anita
LikeLike
His day will come – meanwhile, a chap’s got to eat!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly Liz 🙂
LikeLike
Artists sometimes have to sell our souls to create our art. A sad, but true tale. 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
So many do. Thanks Jan
LikeLike
Such a sadly common story, the artist who stoops to doing crap work to pay the bills while working on their true masterpieces. But this feels hopeful to me, because he really is writing his true love work in his spare time, and not just pining and wishing he were while his days slip away.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, he still has the passion and the belief, and hopefully it will one day pay off!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wondering how many got bogged down in the struggle to survive and lost their passion. Wonderful take.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hopefully he perseveres. Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe not that concerto, maybe not the opera, maybe not the six string quartets that he composed feeling sure he could persuade some friends to perform them…
Experts reckon it takes at least 10,000 hours to fully master the craft; that’s an awful lot to find in your spare time, but not impossible. He needs to persevere, then start networking like crazy. Are any of his irritating employers patrons of the arts, I wonder?
BTW boring technical detail, a crescendo is not a point that you reach, it is the process of getting louder over a musical phrase.
I enjoyed your story, Iain. I felt your main character accepted his fate with a degree of good humour that was rather endearing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Penny – interesting point about a crescendo. It appears you can reach a crescendo in popular speech, but in as a technical music phrase, you can’t! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve written some damn good songs that never got to tickle a recording executives ear, but then my writing hasn’t made it too far either. Oh well, we keep doing what we love and hope that someday it will find acceptance. How many artist didn’t become recognized until after they were dead?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m assuming my writing will be discovered and considered masterful once I’m dead. I guess that’s what all those agents are planning….
LikeLike
So many classical pieces were discovered after their composers had passed on. We can only hope his talent and passion is recognised before too long.
Click to read my FriFic tale
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Keith
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, that’s one way to put doggie treats in the food bowl.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Got to pay the bills somehow 🙂
LikeLike
A sad truth but there was a sweetness here. He’s still passionate about his own music, still pursuing his dreams. Writing jingles is just a pitstop. There’s still hope!
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s always hope, thanks for reading 🙂
LikeLike
Oh fabulous. Well told. The dream vs reality
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’ve all been there
LikeLike
Hey, at least he’s earning a living via his passion in one way or another! Great story. I loved the contrast between the beautiful, lyrical description of his music in the beginning and the plain ridiculousness of “Doggies Snack’ems: Sweetie Treaties” at the end – it really sums up the the double life the musician must feel like he’s living.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Ellie, glad the contrast worked for you. Perhaps one day he can look back and remember it as a funny story on his way to fame and fortune!
LikeLiked by 1 person
sadly, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We can’t all be Beethoven or Bach.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey…even the greatest of talents have bills to pay!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly Dawn 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love it. Very reality-like and fun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Lisa 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Art is great, but you’ve got to pay the bills!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly Russell! Thanks for reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah! A struggling artist. I hope he is one of those who really get to live their dream.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It happens for some!
LikeLike
I hope this dreamer realises his dreams. The jingles must be soul-destroying, but will get him to where he wants to be, eventually.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They keep a roof over his head and food on the table. His time will come hopefully 🙂
LikeLike
He’s had to sell his soul to make a living but there’s hope, the future looks bright. Nicely told
LikeLiked by 1 person
Like so many he just needs that lucky break. Thanks Michael
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very relatable Iain and well crafted!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Dahlia
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really enjoyed how you started the story, as he imagined himself onstage and taking the standing ovation. Then, reality crashes in. You painted well a picture of real life and fantasy. But sometimes fantasy can become real life. Hopefully, he will have his day! =)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fingers crossed – it’s got to happen to someone 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
and the greatest catchy tune ever was unleashed to the world making dog owners everywhere pause to think about the quality of food they gave their pets.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It did some good then! 🙂
LikeLike
Doggie Snackems! Love it. At least it pays the bills so he can write his masterpiece.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Sascha 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wish his talent gets recognized soon and he gets to live his dreams 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t we all wish this?! Thanks for reading 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely! We all wish this 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The things we have to do to fill our bellies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Food on the table is always necessary.
LikeLiked by 1 person
ahhhh… the things we do for love – I mean the things we do to pay the bills –
hope his jingle was great
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was a catchy classic 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
We can all relate to this story, sad but true.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Afraid so. Thanks for reading 🙂
LikeLike
Like your story very much, a perfect ‘cameo’- you create a particular moment in time- love the unexpected ending – made me smile.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much 🙂
LikeLike
They say if you work at what you love you are never working but for most of us, including your protagonist, it’s not possible. Not yet anyway. You have told his story neatly, Iain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe one day – for a few of us at least! Thanks Jilly
LikeLiked by 1 person