How many fingers do you need to play the piano? Two for Chopsticks. Ten for real. So how about fifteen? Or twenty? Husband and wife duo Trick and Alderighi have spent years perfecting their four handed act and the result is a joy not just to listen to, but also to watch.
The melodies are early twentieth century - jazz classics mostly, with tributes in there to the likes of Bessie Smith and Duke Ellington. And, just to be different, a stride arrangement of a bit of Edvard Grieg. A simple formula. Set out the melody in the first few bars, then turn it inside out, upside down and round in circles. The theme remains, the delivery changes constantly. Whether it's either musician performing a solo, or the pair working together, the key is unpredictability. Surprise and delight, with notes appearing where notes have no business being, and balladeering mixing with jazz and boogie woogie (Trick's speciality).
Is one of the pair better than the other? Who knows? They play as one so much of the time. You think the high notes must be coming from the dancing fingers of the one seated on the right, when you see hands and arms flitting between one an other. Then one stands and moves around to take over. It's as mesmeric to watch as it is to listen to.
The musicians have fun, the audience has fun. On top of their virtuosity they have developed (and clearly rehearsed into perfection) a smart line in physical comedy, a carefully choreographed performance that matches the surprises in the music and demonstrates their intuitive teamwork.
Wonderfully diverting.
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