Liberace - 16 Biggest Hits

The great Liberace at his best!

Wlasdziu Valentino Liberace was born in 1919.His father was a french horn player in various bands and introduced music not only to Liberace but his two brothers and sister.By four he was playing piano competently and strictly by ear.By eight he was playing very complicated pieces and was inspired by the meeting of his idol the great Polish pianist,legendary Paderewski.Paderewski would eventually become a good friend of the family and Liberace himself.
During the 30s he was honing his piano technique and playing at any venue he could like nightclubs,weddings and even strip clubs.
In 1941 he became a featured soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.By this time he had dropped his first two names and shortened it just to Liberace.Throughout the 40s he continued to hone his stage presence and act,trying all the while to connect to his audience in a more intimate way than ever before.Long before he had realized a strictly classical repertoire was not going to sustain an act like his,so his mixing of some classical with popular tunes(which he preferred anyways) by now was going over tremendously.Came the 50s and he was jumping into the new medium of television like he belonged there because he felt it the best place for the type of visual act he had.And he was right.I recently reviewed a Spike Jones DVD which has Liberace as a guest on one of his early 50s shows.I invite all who can to see this wonderful spot as Liberaces' talent and showmanship is there in all its glory.His gaze is always straight ahead and into the camera,trying to connect to his TV audience.He also often adds little flairs like the exaggerated lifting of his arms when playing designed again to get and keep your attention.And as always Liberaces' almost painted-on smile is a constant throughout.
It is this period in Liberaces' career that is highlighted on this CD,as these Columbia's were his first major recordings.And what a wonderful CD this is as it contains 16 of the maestro's best on that label from 1952 to 1956.There is a great mixture here from the Classical gems like: Rachmaninoffs'"18th Variation:Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini",otherwise known as "The Story of Three Loves",Beethovens' "Moonlight Sonata" or Chopins'"Nocturne #2 in E-Flat Major,Op.9".On the popular side we have that wonderful Weill/Anderson tune "September Song","Easter Parade" and Liberaces' closing tune "I'll be Seeing You",all sung by the maestro himself!.There is even the "Beer Barrel Polka","Chopsticks" and a well known eccentric number first penned(in part)by Slim Gaillard of Slim and Slam fame,called "Cement Mixer".Liberace turns the original tunes' feel and beat on its' ear to produce something totally different that must be heard.All these tunes,but especially the popular ones,are done in the typical Liberace manner,and he never fails to dazzle.His brother George also directs the orchestra on all relevant recordings on this release.
I recall very well Liberaces' TV show during the 50s which was hugely popular.His beautiful piano with the candlabra(a staple of his act since years before) and his smile to the audience and camera that never quit.His big demographic then was with the ladies,especially the older ones.Liberace was a shrewd businessman and performer.He knew featuring his brother George and pointing out his mother who was almost at every show, was a smart move designed to appeal to the publics own sense of family and related values.And it worked like a charm.So much so that many,if not most,of his concerts(which were invariably sell outs) would be chock full of women of all ages and stripes.
The recordings on this CD exemplify and display Liberace as his popularity was on the verge of breaking into the big time.This was before his more glam days which would come a few years into the future.Here he was dressed impeccably displaying his distinct charm and flair and with a playing that was flawless.While his later recordings for Decca are good I still prefer these over those,by a long way.And I think you will too.
No matter what you may think of the man himself,Liberace was an extremely gifted and talented musician/entertainer and I think one of the most under-rated pianists of our time.Give this CD a listen and see why I consider him one of the greatest pianists ever. June 11, 2008

Two Oversights - Two Stars Dropped

For many of the artists in their series of "16 Biggest Hits" for various artists, the producers concerned at Legacy Recordings/Sony Music would have to do some considerable research in order to whittle down each compilation to just 16. For example, Marty Robbins, Andy Williams, Johnny Cash, and Rosemary Clooney, all part of the same series, could each fill 3 volumes with quite a few selections left over.

So, when dealing with someone like Wladziu Valentino Liberace who had exactly 6 hit singles in his career for Columbia (he was much more album-oriented), you would expect to see all six in the volume. Here they left off not one, but two. And there is no doubt that that was what they were referring to when labelling the album "16 Biggest Hits" because, in the skimpy insert (no liner notes at all), they refer to the label and number for each selection and, where applicable, the time of the year the selection peaked on the charts, and the highest level reached. And with the exceptions of tracks 5, 9, 10 and 13 (album cuts or previously unreleased) all were released as singles.

His first hit is here, September Song from the Broadway musical Knickerbocker Holiday, which reached # 27 in May 1952, as is his follow-up hit, The Story Of Three Loves (18th Variation - Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini) which was featured in the 1953 film and made it to # 21 late that year.

But his third hit single that year - Christmas Medley (White Christmas, Jingle Bells, O Come All Ye Faithful, Silent Night) - is omitted. perhaps because they didn't want to include a Christmas tune in the volume. But it was, after all, a legitimate hit, going to # 21 as well (the highest he achieved) that Holiday season. Also left out is his firt hit in 1954, Indiscretion, which, billed to Jo Stafford with Liberace and The Paul Weston Orchestra, topped out at # 30 that March.

His last two, both instrumentals, are, however, included, with Easter Parade, from the Broadway musical As Thousands Cheer, making it to # 26 in April 1954 with the backing of George Liberace & His Orchestra, and Twelfth Street Rag hitting # 23 that May.

The remaining tracks are great in their own way, but they were not "hits" and in my opinion the album would have rated 4 stars had they dropped tracks 5 and 11 and, instead included the missing hits. A 5 star rating would have been awarded by the simple inclusion of a couple pages of background notes in the insert. July 26, 2007

Many A Joke's Been Had...

Many times me and some friends have joked about Liberace. We joked many times about starting a Liberace fan club here in New Zealand where we live and verious other jokes (by the way, when we mentioned his name we would pronounce it Lib-er-ace).
The point is, having heard the mans music as I hadnt before I feel a little sheepish.

We could easily being forgiven for poking fun at this utterly tacky and flamboyant man, but what an artist.

El Cumbanchero is great dance song if you ask me, with a slight latin flavor it makes me itch to dance for some reason.
The Warsaw Concerto is such a haunting song, big and dramatic, the kind of chilling songs I love to hear.

Liebestraum is a wonderful piece that has amazing staying power. One of those classical pieces that you hear some time, thinking you dont know and ending up saying "OH! I love this one!".

Easter Parade is just wonderful. Starts off slow and moody and then swings to an end.

Alexander's Ragtime Band is one of those great songs by Irving Berlin that is almost always good by any performer. While the Liberace version is not half as good as that by Bessie Smith, its still a great track.

Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata is another great classic pience that I find chilling to the bone, in an addictive way. The version hear is a tiny bit faster in tempo than the version by Liberace played in the film Misery (where, I might add, his music was used to great effect as the soundtrack of Paul Sheldon's stay in the deranged Annie Wilkes' house, and where I first heard Liberace's music).

The Story of Three Loves is a delightful slow piano peice perfect for rainy days.

September Song and Sincerely Yours are two great tracks on which Liberace's vocals are stunning, like that of a great crooner.

Beer Barrel Polka and Twelfth Street Rag are great tracks, jumping and upbeat, the kind of thing you expect to see in a silent film from the 20s (perhaps they were in silent films? My knowlege of silent movies isnt as good as it should be, considering how much I love old films - im a bit of a film maker myself).

Liberace Boogie, another live track, and one in which the audience takes part. This is to Liberace what My Ding-A-Ling was to Chuck Berry I suppose.

Cement Mixer (Put-Ti, Put-Ti) is the most peculiar song. Listening to the lyrics, to be quite honest, I dont want to like it...its somehow absurd, but I find myself enjoying it.

Chopsticks....ugh! Every person stands at a piano and plays chopsticks (usually the only song they know), and says "Oh I bet you didnt know I played huh?", and you say to yourself two words... CHOP STICKS...who cant play it? However Liberace's brilliant arrangement adds to it something that is quite unique, and I think probably quite hard to play well.

Nocturne No. 2 in E Flat Major, Op. 9...a peice by the great Chopin is beautiful.

And last, but certainly not least, my personal favorite...I'll Be Seeing You, another song immortalized by Misery. Brilliance and its most stunning.

Over all, I love this CD. But then I love Liberace. His music is haunting, creepy at times (in a way I find thrilling, like watching those taught and tense film noir movies of the '40s), and also supremely joyous and...dare I say it gay (and that does happen to be a pun I believe). So my fellow gay man Liberace's 16 Biggest Hits is a great buy.

(the only disappointment for me is that his awesome version of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 isnt on here. another track that was used in Misery its absence is a shame)
March 9, 2006

16 Biggest Hits

Great music,and I really think he was one of the best Pianist,with lots of humor and style. Of course todays taste its different but if you like to travelling in Time to the great 50,s then go for Liberaces 16 Biggest Hits ! September 12, 2000

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