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Liberace was at the height of his early fame, with a popular syndicated television show and a series of charting albums on Columbia Records, when he came to give a concert at the Hollywood Bowl on September 4, 1954, so Columbia installed microphones and recording equipment and, in 1955, issued two LPs culled from the show, Liberace at the Hollywood Bowl and Hollywood Bowl Encore. As reissue producer Dan Rivard discusses in detail in his liner notes to this version of the material, many edits were made, and some bits were even pasted in from other sources. But this two-CD set presents the whole show as it occurred, all two and a half hours of it. What is apparent right away is that Liberace is at least as much of a personality as he is a pianist, and an eccentric personality at that. His audience, clearly primed for his behavior by his TV show, eats it up, but the 2002 listener may find the performer even more of a novelty act than he was almost 50 years ago. Liberace chats endlessly, spending more than ten minutes, for example, introducing his band and another four-plus minutes talking about the music critics who don't care for him. He plays some classical music, with his familiar flourishes, but is just as likely to dig into "Beer Barrel Polka" or "Tea for Two." He clearly sees himself as something of a comedian, and he gets big laughs for his efforts. Like his persona, his playing can be characterized as indulgent -- virtuosic, but overly concerned with superficial effects. Yet it's hard to think of this as a flaw when it is what he is trying to do deliberately. Liberace charmed and amused audiences for over 30 years, and this album shows how he did it.
© TiVo
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Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Georges Bizet, Composer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist - The Hollywood Bowl Concert Announcer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - H. Bath, Composer - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - Gordon Robinson, Arranger - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, Composer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - George Liberace, Conductor - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rafael Hernandez, Composer, Lyricist - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - George Liberace, Conductor - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Ervin Drake, Lyricist - ALOYSIO DE OLIVEIRA, Lyricist - Zequinha Abreu, Composer - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Claude Debussy, Composer - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - George Liberace, Conductor - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Lee Ricks, Composer, Lyricist - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - George Liberace, Conductor - Sam Gaillard, Composer, Lyricist - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Frederic Chopin, Composer - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - V. Zeman, Composer, Lyricist - W. Timm, Composer, Lyricist - L. Brown, Composer, Lyricist - Jaromir Vejvoda, Composer, Lyricist - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - Rick Rowe, Mastering Engineer - Andreas Meyer, Mastering Engineer - Patti Matheny, A&R Coordinator - Darren Salmieri, A&R Coordinator - George Liberace, Conductor - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
DISC 2
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Traditional, Composer - George Liberace, Arranger
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - George Gershwin, Composer - Ira Gershwin, Lyricist - Irving Caesar, Lyricist - Dubose Heyward, Lyricist - Gus Kahn, Lyricist - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Frank Adams, Composer, Lyricist - Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - Cosimo V. Matassa, Composer, Lyricist - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, Composer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Robert Cameron Rogers, Lyricist - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - Ethelbert Nevin, Composer - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Victor Young, Lyricist - John Graas, French Horn - Will J. Harris, Composer - George Liberace, Violin - Bob Sande, Drums - Allen Rouse, Banjo - Knobby Lee, Trumpet - Bob Manners, Bass
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Vincent Youmans, Composer - Irving Caesar, Lyricist - John Graas, French Horn - George Liberace, Violin - Bob Sande, Drums - Allen Rouse, Banjo - Knobby Lee, Trumpet - Bob Manners, Bass
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Irving Berlin, Composer, Lyricist - Stephen Foster, Composer, Lyricist - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - Andreas Meyer, Mastering Engineer - George Liberace, Conductor - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - F. ARNDT, Composer, Lyricist - Kurt Weill, Composer - Vera Bloom, Composer - James Burns, Composer, Lyricist - Mitchell Parish, Lyricist - HOAGY CARMICHAEL, Composer - Cy Coben, Composer, Lyricist - Manuel De Falla, Composer - Maxwell Anderson, Lyricist - Ernesto Lecuona, Composer - Roy Turk, Composer, Lyricist - Jacob Gade, Composer - Fred E. Ahlert, Composer, Lyricist - CAROLYN LEIGH, Lyricist - JOHNNY RICHARDS, Composer - W.C. Handy, Composer - Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer, with - Harry Richman, Composer, Lyricist - Felix Arndt, Composer, Lyricist - Euday L. Bowman, Composer - Leo Friedman, Composer, Lyricist - Beth Slater Whitson, Composer, Lyricist - Jack Fina, Composer - Liberace with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, AssociatedPerformer
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Liberace, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Spoken Word, Composer, Lyricist
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Album review
Liberace was at the height of his early fame, with a popular syndicated television show and a series of charting albums on Columbia Records, when he came to give a concert at the Hollywood Bowl on September 4, 1954, so Columbia installed microphones and recording equipment and, in 1955, issued two LPs culled from the show, Liberace at the Hollywood Bowl and Hollywood Bowl Encore. As reissue producer Dan Rivard discusses in detail in his liner notes to this version of the material, many edits were made, and some bits were even pasted in from other sources. But this two-CD set presents the whole show as it occurred, all two and a half hours of it. What is apparent right away is that Liberace is at least as much of a personality as he is a pianist, and an eccentric personality at that. His audience, clearly primed for his behavior by his TV show, eats it up, but the 2002 listener may find the performer even more of a novelty act than he was almost 50 years ago. Liberace chats endlessly, spending more than ten minutes, for example, introducing his band and another four-plus minutes talking about the music critics who don't care for him. He plays some classical music, with his familiar flourishes, but is just as likely to dig into "Beer Barrel Polka" or "Tea for Two." He clearly sees himself as something of a comedian, and he gets big laughs for his efforts. Like his persona, his playing can be characterized as indulgent -- virtuosic, but overly concerned with superficial effects. Yet it's hard to think of this as a flaw when it is what he is trying to do deliberately. Liberace charmed and amused audiences for over 30 years, and this album shows how he did it.
© TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 42 track(s)
- Total length: 02:32:23
- Main artists: Liberace
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Columbia - Legacy
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
Originally released 1955. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
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