Paul Grabowsky & Andrea Lam

Australia’s world-renowned pianist Andrea Lam has been based in New York for two decades. But she is back in Australia and has been enlisted by Musica Viva for the first time. A self-confessed keen collaborator, Andrea performs Bach’s Goldberg Variations in an unusual classical and jazz fusion concert with the award-winning Paul Grabowsky. Allegedly, the Variations were written by Bach for fellow composer and harpsichordist JG Goldberg to play for his sponsor, Count Kaiserling, during the Count’s bouts of insomnia. While this could be an in-joke by Bach’s biographer, it could explain the stark series of 30 short and disparate pieces, some dissonant, some melodic, all highly complex and requiring a virtuoso performance on the keys. Did JS throw a few tricks in there to impress JG or challenge his skills? It certainly would have kept the player alert!

The gig at Brisbane’s Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University theatre was the opening of the tour and the first time ever that Andrea Lam has played the Goldberg Variations live. The piece takes about 40 minutes and moves from seemingly simple and short spurts to longer pieces requiring highly complex and speedy hand work. Andrea is an elegant and accomplished player. Following her to the stage (after an intermission for a piano retune) Paul then performs the whole of the Variations again – only this time putting his own jazz-infused spin on the collection. This was a satisfying exercise and an enjoyable musical journey. So many rock musicians – from Paul McCartney to Billy Joel – have cited Bach as an influence, and you can hear traces of melodies and riffs that have made their way through the centuries to songs and film scores – which Paul Grabowsky will be only too aware of as an accomplished composer himself. Another virtuoso performance with the added joy of jazz improvisation.

I’m glad I stayed around for the Meet the Artists chat after the show. Andrea and Paul have a palpable respect for one another, a genuine musical mateship, and engaging warmth and humour. It’s a shame that we don’t get to see this on the stage during the performance time. In the Q&A, they explained that JS Bach himself was a great improviser. They also talked about the differences the piano would bring to the piece – having been composed for harpsichord, with its double row of keyboards. This was great and I became fascinated by the artists’ process and the whole exercise.

The duo’s warmth was missing from the show and I think a short introduction at the outset would really help to bring the audience into the fold. (Admittedly a lot of information is given in the printed programme, but you can’t assume that all audience members have had the time to bone up on Bach before the show.) I’d also love to see Andrea and Paul perform something together at the end just to round out the showcase with their vibrant personalities. We’ve all missed seeing our musicians on stage due to the pandemic and, in the Q&A, these performers expressed their joy at being back on tour. And if the opening tour performance felt trepidatious, this could be the explanation – that and JS Bach’s penchant for technical Baroque flourishes. I get the feeling that the Variations are to pianists what Beckett’s Waiting for Godot is for actors – a technical challenge that brings out the best in their technique. No wonder both performers toasted one another with a glass of wine after the gig – they thoroughly deserved it!

After Brisbane, Paul and Andrea tour to perform in Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle plus a livestreamed concert on 25 June.

Beth Keehn

Photographer: Alice Healy

Find out more: https://www.musicaviva.com.au/