Today Is Liberace Birthday

He was one of a kind and a master entertainer.

When the Spousal Equivalent was in the Navy, his ship put into port in Greece for a few days and he got liberty. He was walking around the Parthenon and a man came up and asked if he'd like to meet Liberace. "Yeah, right, Liberace's here," he doubted. Looked over, and, sure 'nuff....it WAS him and his entourage. So, he talked to him and got a picture taken.

The S.E. was young, slim and good-looking in his dress whites and Liberace must have had a place in his heart for sailor-boys.

He still has the picture. I was looking at it a couple of months ago.
 
When I was married, my wife & I saw his show live in Las Vegas. There was a big screen behind him for showing the audience each of his custom-made diamond rings while he described them in detail - the type of diamonds, how rare they were, etc.
We were in the front row. I yelled, "Could you pass them around so we can get a better look at them?"
He said, "Oh.....you're so funny." Then he said to my wife, "I'll bet he keeps you laughing."
I said, "Yes, all the time. Wanna know where she laughs the most?"
He really cracked up at that one. :LOL:
 
My mother was a coloratura, the high end of soprano. She also studied under concert pianist teacher Clara Husserl (Newark, NJ).

Clara Husserl taught a number of concert pianists, including her daughter and Seymour Bernstein. She also taught Liberace.

I once asked my mother if Liberace was a legitimate concert pianist, with top level skills, or more just an entertainer.

She said, "oh, no...he absolutely had the full skills of a top concert pianist."


Clara Husserl (and Liberace and my mom) were from the Beethoven lineage. I think this is the correct lineage, but not 100% positive:

Beethoven taught Liszt. Liszt taught Czerny. Czerny taught Leschetizky. Leschetizky taught Clara Husserl. Clara Husserl taught Seymour Bernstein, Liberace and the Momma...

My mother often sang for Seymour Bernstein, who worked on accompaniment with my mother. My mother was not in the league of Seymour and Hortense Husserl and Liberace, as far as her piano playing skills. But her voice work was on a par with them.

It was not like modern times. They were all quite friendly. Different times, innocent times. They would all go on picnics together in the local parks.

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Film on Seymour Bernstein - “Seymour: An Introduction”

A beautiful, beautiful film, for all lovers of classical music and a gentle aesthetic.

From the Beethoven lineage, after his own career as a concert pianist, Seymour Bernstein became a master teacher of other concert pianists.

Actor Ethan Hawke met Seymour Bernstein and was extremely impressed by him.

In 2014, he made a film about him.

Meet Seymour Bernstein: a beloved pianist, teacher and true inspiration who shares eye-opening insights from an amazing life. Ethan Hawke helms this poignant guide to life.

After the film came out, Seymour Bernstein gave some talks around. I took my mom to see him. They hadn't seen each other in something like 60 years. I have some pictures of them, will try to attach them...


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Trailer: “Seymour: An Introduction”



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“Seymour: An Introduction”

Imdb page:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2219650/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2219650/
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Wikipedia - Bio of Seymour Bernstein

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Bernstein
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Bernstein
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SeymourAndMa.jpg

SeymourAndMa2.jpg

SeymourBernsteinMa.jpg
 
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