Here is Liberace performing The Bumble Boogie, otherwise known as The Flight of The Bumblebees taken from his classic hit television series of the 50's.
Bobbie LaVanway He was an outstanding performer, how to-captivate an audience and even involve them as well. I remember watching him on the t.v.when I was a kid! He drew people in who were there in the studio and also people at home .his outstanding talent and captivating personality not to mention his genius made him a super star then , and I believe he would have commanded the very same accolades in whatever era that he played!
@@Discrimination_is_not_a_right some people are too eager to attribute genius. Some people are too reluctant. I'm not sober enough to pass judgment either way. Skittles.
When I was kid, I always wondered why he was so rich and famous. Now I see why. This performance is off the charts! And he makes it look so easy by smiling and winking at the camera. At one point, Liberace was the highest paid entertainer in the world -- this proves exactly why. Mad skills!!!
"I thought Liberace was great. That guy was smiling while playing his can off, and he wasn’t missing. And all those rings on his fingers didn’t impair anything. He wasn’t playing simple stuff, but he made it look so simple." -Allen Toussaint, Keyboard Magazine, Nov. 12, 2015
He defintely could have become a virtuoso; he was outplaying his piano teacher when he was only eight years old. He was also a guest soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra when he was 19 or 20. But he learned early on that he could get laughs during his performances and he delighted in engaging his audience. He loved making people happy, a natural born entertainer.
He was a virtuoso, full stop! He brought classical piano to people who would never have heard of it otherwise, and introduced an older generation to pop.
Philo68 on the road, very generous with his crew... my friend ran lights for his show in the early '70's... if he liked the work he would get a $200.00 tip/show.... that was a week's pay back then!
My mother ADORED him - especially when he winked at the camera!! I believe she thought he was winking exclusively at her!! S-m-i-l-e. Happy memories before we knew everyone's lifestyles and personal business!!!
Great music and he was fun to watch too. My daughter used to pretend she was playing and immitated him down to his "Thank you, Thank you." with that big smile on his face.
Lee was having a pure blast on this along with his audience. I thought he looked quite handsome with his original nose, (he had it "fixed" later). Miss this super classy guy!
If you play the piano at any level then you know how gifted and talented this man was. And how much time he put into perfecting his craft. In all the clips I've seen of him playing, I've never heard one mistake. Not saying it never happened, but if it did it was very, very rare.
His talent and speed and dexterity were just half of it. Others on CZcams have those. It was his charisma, his presence, the showmanship, the smile, the arms raised at the end, the voice when talking to the audience that made him unique, that made Liberace a superstar, a spectacle not only of sound, but of sight.
Always loved his playing in any style, but when I think of the Bumble Boogie, I always think of him and those old shows. He was always a perfect gentleman and knew how to connect with people.
+spideraxis YES ! His beautiful smile, could melt my soul. It seems God takes something away from someone...and gives a great talent in return.Such a mystery.
I'm only sorry I never got to meet him. There was never such a showman before him and one would have a hell of a time convincing me that one will ever come after him.
Is smile is like a good drug. It's so INFECTIOUS!!!!!!!😁 He was an extremely talented man. Even professional concert pianists pale in comparison. PALE!!!! Liberace also seemed like the most generous and sincerest nice person, too. He also seemed genuinely humbled by his fame and talent. Liberace was a showman, not a show off.
I tried to explain how good his guy was to my friends but couldn't find a word to give him justice,so I showed the video and his jaw is still on the floor right along side of mine. HAS HE EVER MADE A MISTAKE OR MISSED A KEY ? He does not even break a sweat !
I once saw him at the London Palladium. He was on stage for over an hour and he kept the audience spellbound for all that time. Not just a phenominally gifted musician but a true entertainer and showman.
He was as queer as they come.......but boy could play. I played music for a living and had a contract to play for a year in Las Vegas at the International hotel. When we were done every night we usually would try to catch Liberace's last show of the evening. We got to be regulars and soon Lee, as his friends called him, invited us back stage anytime we were there. Although none of us were gay, I felt very comfortable with him as he was a warm and kind gentleman. The way you saw him on stage is the way he was in real life. My mother had gotten very sick back home in South Dakota and Lee sent her flowers everyday and called everyday as well. He was a fine man and a true friend.
Wow, with just 2 hands & 10 fingers, he flew all over those keys. My parents & grandparents made us watch his show & they'd marvel at his talented performances.
I think Liberace's 'flamboyant' personality made him such a natural for mass media entertainment - engaging, funny, warm. But he was supremely talented with the keyboard, made it look easy. So brilliant.
Nicholas Rimsky-Korsakov - my favorite composer, and Flight of the Bumblebee my favorite tune played by my favorite performer. Can't get any better than this.
I love the young Liberace videos too . To me , when I think Liberace , I always think of his beautiful sequence suits , and his rings .... but these ones are so great . He looked so happy , and if you can watch this performance , and not smile atleast once , there must be something wrong . Bravo Liberace
I'm always astounded when I watch clips of Liberace, not just his musical chops but the brilliant persona he created, unapologetic over the top flamboyance but with a kind of humble golly gee midwestern boy charm, a split personality, his homosexuality a closely guarded secret but his style and mannerisms left little doubt of it to anyone in the audience savvy enough to get it.
Forget Elvis! Liberace was the world's greatest entertainer. Proof? There are thousands of Elvis impersonators who sound just like him. Just find ONE person who can imitate Liberace's playing. You won't find even ONE!!
Why would any musician at that level WANT to imitate someone else? If you want to see someone else play this same piece REALLY well, decidedly different though, very technical, take a look at this: czcams.com/video/uOyWTlH6iQE/video.html If you want to see a pianist playing notably more difficult stuff than this (that she wrote/arranged) check out Hiromi Uehara's "Tom and Jerry" or "Summertime". And she does much of it looking at the ceiling or the audience, and smiling ear to ear. There are a few others I know of. But yes, Liberacewas was a top notch, world class entertainer, and pretty funny at times. Bugs Bunny's Liberace was hilarious, and if Bugs "did" him, you know he was famous.
That was "Flight Of The Bumble Bee" On steroids!!! lol .. His hands don`t stay still, now do they? Liberace, was a true master of his craft beyond all doubt!!
WOW! Look at those fingers fly! I remember seeing him on TV when I was a child (born in 1955). My mom told me that when his show first aired, he would get in trouble for looking into the camera, but he said that was where most of the viewers were! I always loved how he would wink while looking into the camera, as he did at 2:09. Great pianist and showman! Thank you for sharing this great performance.
just well fuckin done....big liberace fan...moms to blame...him and elvis...amazing the way he uses both hands,and feet independently amazing brain control
@@p.melvinshyturtle3722 you have no idea what you're talking about! I learned to drive stick shift in a few hours. But to play like Liberace would take 20 yrs
Gifted Genius of Music/ Kind Entertainer/ Heck of a Performance the entire including the room atmosphere & a touch of the other musicians!! Saw his story unique one at that...
Combination showman, and ultra virtuoso pianist. One thing that strikes me is his understanding that the (acoustic) piano is a percussion instrument. A true talent doesn't just play notes - you put your heart into it. I loved the piano, took lessons, but, drat - lousy eye-hand coordination (but my teacher did like my technique) just couldn't play much of anything.
A lot of people play this well but I think Liberace just owns this song.
say what you will about this man, but he was a whiz on the piano, and did everything with such flair, and manners, you just enjoyed whatever he did
a true showman
Bobbie LaVanway He was an outstanding performer, how to-captivate an audience and even involve them as well. I remember watching him on the t.v.when I was a kid! He drew people in who were there in the studio and also people at home .his outstanding talent and captivating personality not to mention his genius made him a super star then , and I believe he would have commanded the very same accolades in whatever era that he played!
I’m confused, did this man do something bad?
@@samshamloo1663 no, he was a very good showman on his piano
@@samshamloo1663 I heard this man is pretty good but when he's bad he's better
One of the most brilliant and charismatic performers of all time.
I wouldn't say brilliant, but he sure could shred the ivories
Agreed
@@anthonyangeli256 He was brilliant. No one did what he did, and he did it every week.
What utter drivel. The man was an oleaginous creep.
@@Discrimination_is_not_a_right some people are too eager to attribute genius. Some people are too reluctant. I'm not sober enough to pass judgment either way. Skittles.
He didn’t just play piano immaculately, he played like he was playing just for you.
When I was kid, I always wondered why he was so rich and famous. Now I see why. This performance is off the charts! And he makes it look so easy by smiling and winking at the camera. At one point, Liberace was the highest paid entertainer in the world -- this proves exactly why. Mad skills!!!
Great great artist ..salute❤🎉
disgusting personality
To reach THIS level of musicianship, technique ans skill while smiling at the camera...BOSS!!!
"I thought Liberace was great. That guy was smiling while playing his can off, and he wasn’t missing. And all those rings on his fingers didn’t impair anything. He wasn’t playing simple stuff, but he made it look so simple." -Allen Toussaint, Keyboard Magazine, Nov. 12, 2015
Questioner: "how do you play with all those rings on?". Liberace: "very well!" :-)
He defintely could have become a virtuoso; he was outplaying his piano teacher when he was only eight years old. He was also a guest soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra when he was 19 or 20. But he learned early on that he could get laughs during his performances and he delighted in engaging his audience. He loved making people happy, a natural born entertainer.
He was a virtuoso. What else you gonna call it?
He was a virtuoso, full stop!
He brought classical piano to people who would never have heard of it otherwise, and introduced an older generation to pop.
and a born entertainer. to boot.@@anthonyangeli256
Liberace in the 50's is his best period. The mix of popular stuff and classical music is his sweet spot.
I agree. I love his 50s shows !!
2.09 That relaxed wink to camera when most people's brains would have exploded from the effort. Hell of a guy!
+Philo68 Mr. Showmanship at his best!
When I was a little girl sitting enthralled watching his TV program, I thought he was winking at me!
Philo68 on the road, very generous with his crew... my friend ran lights for his show in the early '70's... if he liked the work he would get a $200.00 tip/show.... that was a week's pay back then!
Just in case you thought they sped the video up ;)
I'm a 100% straight guy, but after that wink...about 90%.
My mother ADORED him - especially when he winked at the camera!! I believe she thought he was winking exclusively at her!! S-m-i-l-e. Happy memories before we knew everyone's lifestyles and personal business!!!
A fantastic piano player and one hell of a showman!
He was so extremely nice on stage... His charm worked to the max!
Loads of other pianists can do this, but I don't know who else can do this with a wink and a smile...
He was so amazing,i just love him. so nice never a bad word to say about anyone,and that makes me like him even more
damn he's good. don't care who you are, nobody can deny his talent and showmanship at the piano
No gościu daje czadu :)!
Yeah this dude rocks :)!
Agree
He also used to show off his expensive jewelry & say to audience "I hope you like it. You paid for it."☺
Great music and he was fun to watch too. My daughter used to pretend she was playing and immitated him down to his "Thank you, Thank you." with that big smile on his face.
I do believe I could die happy right now having listened to this.
Lee was having a pure blast on this along with his audience.
I thought he looked quite handsome with his original nose,
(he had it "fixed" later). Miss this super classy guy!
Liberace was great, we used to watch him, back in the 50's when he had a TV show, I think it was Sunday nights 🌙
Say what you want to about him but he sure could rip those ivories. A real technician.
That was nothing short of incredible.
He is having so much fun ! Seeing him smile into the camera makes me feel so happy .
If you play the piano at any level then you know how gifted and talented this man was. And how much time he put into perfecting his craft. In all the clips I've seen of him playing, I've never heard one mistake. Not saying it never happened, but if it did it was very, very rare.
he must be one of the best pianists of all time
Very gifted guy, right up there with the best
Such control over the piano.....those fingers are genius ❗🎼🎶🎹😍
Piano playing at its best! Magic!
His talent and speed and dexterity were just half of it. Others on CZcams have those. It was his charisma, his presence, the showmanship, the smile, the arms raised at the end, the voice when talking to the audience that made him unique, that made Liberace a superstar, a spectacle not only of sound, but of sight.
An electric piano is not the percussion instrument the acoustic piano is. 2 different things.
I love you, Liberace, wherever you are. 😘
his extraordinary gift blows me away!
Always loved his playing in any style, but when I think of the Bumble Boogie, I always think of him and those old shows. He was always a perfect gentleman and knew how to connect with people.
Liberace had the rare talent of taking something, whether plain and ordinary, or elaborate and ornate, and turning it into a masterpiece.
+spideraxis YES ! His beautiful smile, could melt my soul. It seems God takes something away from someone...and gives a great talent in return.Such a mystery.
God bless you Mr. Liberace.
I don't care what people said about the guy, you have to admit he's amazingly talented!
It is insane how world class great he was!
I'm only sorry I never got to meet him. There was never such a showman before him and one would have a hell of a time convincing me that one will ever come after him.
The greatest entertainer in the world and probably one of the best pianists for the common people.
He was classicly trained but his greatest financial success was not in serious classical concerts but rather in flamboyant showmanship.
Is smile is like a good drug. It's so INFECTIOUS!!!!!!!😁
He was an extremely talented man. Even professional concert pianists pale in comparison. PALE!!!!
Liberace also seemed like the most generous and sincerest nice person, too. He also seemed genuinely humbled by his fame and talent.
Liberace was a showman, not a show off.
You got that right!!! And one of the best showmen to ever walk out on stage too!!!
Yup. As he used to say about criticism, "I cried and cried, all the way to the bank."
wow, i haven't watched liberace since i was a kid on tv, but what a great talent the man had. he certainly was a master pianist.
Liberace was the best!
I tried to explain how good his guy was to my friends but couldn't find a word to give him justice,so I showed the video and his jaw is still on the floor right along side of mine. HAS HE EVER MADE A MISTAKE OR MISSED A KEY ? He does not even break a sweat !
Talent like this doesn't exist anymore and even if it does, it's not showcased at all.
When I was a kid he used to come on Johnny Carson. Especially around Christmas time. He used to really do his thing. Super talent.
Liberace was amazing! He had so much talent.
Say whatever you like about the dude, but this is pure genius talent.
He's very talented. Great!
Bumble boogie is such a fitting name for it, it’s amazing how perfect it is.
He was so handsome and immensely talented!!! Bravisimo!!!!
Incredible. I watched Liberace when I was a kid. I appreciate him more each passing year.
A musical genius.
I once saw him at the London Palladium. He was on stage for over an hour and he kept the audience spellbound for all that time. Not just a phenominally gifted musician but a true entertainer and showman.
At an age when a lot of people learned to play the piano, why was he the consummate entertainer?
A rare talent indeed.
He was Great! I have never heard anyone play like Liberace!
Absolutely magnificent. A very gifted beautiful human. Someone like him is born every millennia ❤
He was as queer as they come.......but boy could play. I played music for a living and had a contract to play for a year in Las Vegas at the International hotel. When we were done every night we usually would try to catch Liberace's last show of the evening. We got to be regulars and soon Lee, as his friends called him, invited us back stage anytime we were there. Although none of us were gay, I felt very comfortable with him as he was a warm and kind gentleman. The way you saw him on stage is the way he was in real life. My mother had gotten very sick back home in South Dakota and Lee sent her flowers everyday and called everyday as well. He was a fine man and a true friend.
There'll never be another one like him !
Wow, with just 2 hands & 10 fingers, he flew all over those keys. My parents & grandparents made us watch his show & they'd marvel at his talented performances.
This is just mind blowing. Liberace is and always be the best pianist ever
One of the best pianist of the century...
The look he shoots at the camera @1:03 is priceless.
I had never seen Liberace play before and I've never seen anyone in the world play piano like that. Amazing.
What an incredible musician!
Think of how much less we'd be, if there was never a Lee Liberace..
I love his dancing feet while he plays !!!! RIP the GREAT LIBERACE !!!!
I think Liberace's 'flamboyant' personality made him such a natural for mass media entertainment - engaging, funny, warm. But he was supremely talented with the keyboard, made it look easy. So brilliant.
Eddyducinsrory
Eddyduchinstory
*FLAMBOYANT*
Beth Heinecamp I remember reading he sometimes drove a cab taking passengers to Las Vegas Hotels.
Supremely talented? He was a fucking beast on the piano...lol.
He was so darn good at both playing the piano and entertaining. He is missed by his fans. Never be another Liberace!!!!!
Virtuoso pianist, here, no doubt about it!!! RIP musical prodigy, Liberace!
The pianist from outer space . Nothing earthly could play like that .
Fantastic technique and strength of touch!
Liberace was just unreal on the piano!!! I wish I could play like that!! Jesus!!!
Nicholas Rimsky-Korsakov - my favorite composer, and Flight of the Bumblebee my favorite tune played by my favorite performer. Can't get any better than this.
Never a dull moment with this man made of gold and diamond.
I love the young Liberace videos too . To me , when I think Liberace , I always think of his beautiful sequence suits , and his rings .... but these ones are so great . He looked so happy , and if you can watch this performance , and not smile atleast once , there must be something wrong . Bravo Liberace
My favorite pianist Liberace, Fats Domino, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis and Ferante and Theischer
All top acts!
Amazing skill. My hands cramped up just watching this.
I'm always astounded when I watch clips of Liberace, not just his musical chops but the brilliant persona he created, unapologetic over the top flamboyance but with a kind of humble golly gee midwestern boy charm, a split personality, his homosexuality a closely guarded secret but his style and mannerisms left little doubt of it to anyone in the audience savvy enough to get it.
And he stays in time.....it's incredible
Forget Elvis! Liberace was the world's greatest entertainer. Proof? There are thousands of Elvis impersonators who sound just like him. Just find ONE person who can imitate Liberace's playing. You won't find even ONE!!
Why would any musician at that level WANT to imitate someone else? If you want to see someone else play this same piece REALLY well, decidedly different though, very technical, take a look at this:
czcams.com/video/uOyWTlH6iQE/video.html
If you want to see a pianist playing notably more difficult stuff than this (that she wrote/arranged) check out Hiromi Uehara's "Tom and Jerry" or "Summertime". And she does much of it looking at the ceiling or the audience, and smiling ear to ear. There are a few others I know of.
But yes, Liberacewas was a top notch, world class entertainer, and pretty funny at times. Bugs Bunny's Liberace was hilarious, and if Bugs "did" him, you know he was famous.
That was "Flight Of The Bumble Bee" On steroids!!! lol .. His hands don`t stay still, now do they? Liberace, was a true master of his craft beyond all doubt!!
God oh mighty I never knew fingers could go that fast.
I always thought Liberace was blown up buffoon, but now I discover he was actually very very good musician....
No one could match him in any style
Elvis and Liberace were the best of friends.
A great pianist Liberace was . He thoroughly enjoyed what he was doing and that comes across loud and clear. Loved it!
Superior in every way possible! Just blown away!
Others are good, but THIS is the Master at work!
ABSOLUTELY NOBODY can deny the intense talent this man had. Damn near unmatchable.
WOW! Look at those fingers fly! I remember seeing him on TV when I was a child (born in 1955). My mom told me that when his show first aired, he would get in trouble for looking into the camera, but he said that was where most of the viewers were! I always loved how he would wink while looking into the camera, as he did at 2:09. Great pianist and showman! Thank you for sharing this great performance.
just well fuckin done....big liberace fan...moms to blame...him and elvis...amazing the way he uses both hands,and feet independently amazing brain control
Driving a car with manual transmission requires as much skill.
@@p.melvinshyturtle3722 you have no idea what you're talking about! I learned to drive stick shift in a few hours. But to play like Liberace would take 20 yrs
Gifted Genius of Music/ Kind Entertainer/ Heck of a Performance the entire including the room atmosphere & a touch of the other musicians!! Saw his story unique one at that...
I saw him do this in Las Vegas - when he finished - he got a standing ovation!!!!!!!! will never forget that
Liberace was one of the best pianists of his time.
Rex Cluff q
probably best ever
Not of the future.
He's no Leon Russell.. but still a beast.
Rex Cluff b,
My Dad met him a number of times and said Liberace laughs all the way to the bank, no matter what someone says. GREAT TALENT.
Combination showman, and ultra virtuoso pianist. One thing that strikes me is his understanding that the (acoustic) piano is a percussion instrument. A true talent doesn't just play notes - you put your heart into it. I loved the piano, took lessons, but, drat - lousy eye-hand coordination (but my teacher did like my technique) just couldn't play much of anything.
This man is a machine ... so clean, clear and amazing. There was and will only be one Liberace.