Possibly the greatest piece of comic pastiche ever. But boy did he give that piano a kicking.

Bill Bailey, Dudley, Les Dawson (think about it - it's difficult to play wrong correctly) and Victor Borge - all pure joy! Thanks lads - we owe ye much.

@raymondo162

2 жыл бұрын

Les Dawson was genius - and even better imo because of his hands - his fingers were like chipolata sausages

@Frederas11811

2 жыл бұрын

Chico Marx was another.

@vladdegs

2 жыл бұрын

@@raymondo162 I think your brain is like chipolata sausages.

@magnificentmuttley2084

7 ай бұрын

Absolutely!!! Couldn’t agree with you more Dave.

Dudley really was a natural genius of comedy through every medium. Sadly missed. RIP Dud 🙏

@helenbailey8419

2 жыл бұрын

I loved him in Bedazzled with Peter Cook.

@kalypso36b

2 жыл бұрын

@@helenbailey8419 I loved Bo Derek with him in "10".

I was playing some Pete and Dud comedy for my housemate and it turned out that she worked a Dudley Moore piano concert. She says that all the staff of the venue had been very clearly told not to approach him bother him speak to him ask him to autograph anything -- she's at all of those things anyhow, she says, and he was extremely sweet and generous to her...

"What do I miss most? Playing the piano. I love it so much and I miss it very much." - Dudley Moore.

Well, I knew he could play, but that was outstanding.

Lots of comments on here regarding Dudley Moore's skills as a pianist. This is no surprise, he was a formally trained musician. He held the organ scholarship at Magdalen College Oxford, one of the most prestigious organ scholarships in England. He was a hugely talented and highly qualified musician.

@charliemaguire2210

2 жыл бұрын

& a highly respected Jazz musician & composer also, just check out the score & music to Bedazzled for one.

@ds1868

2 жыл бұрын

@@charliemaguire2210 This is known. What is less understood is Dudley Moore's prodigious classical training to degree level at Oxford. He was awarded a scholarship at the Guildhall School of Music at age 11, was a professionally paid organist at the age of 14, and won the organ scholarship at the University of Oxford where he was tutored by the composer Bernard Rose. He then graduated with BA Hons (Oxon) later upgraded to MA (Oxon). He could easily have progressed through a successful music career with the top jobs at Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral. That is the true essence of Dudley Moore's gifted musical background.

@charliemaguire2210

2 жыл бұрын

@@ds1868 INDEED, i was merely adding composition to his bow,, all the classical training in the world doesn't automatically make you a good composer ( but it will help if you are ) but you are quite right to highlight his background. especially when you take into account his very humble origins in what was then metropolitan Essex shortly to be absorbed into London, & his childhood medical issues & operations. Both he & Cooky were very extraordinary talented people to say the least.

@ds1868

2 жыл бұрын

@@charliemaguire2210 Yes Dagenham. Just goes to show talent is everywhere, and if supported can lead to great results. I'm not sure if there is such support today, compared to the years when Dudley Moore was growing up. I think we've lost quite a few things in our country in recent years, without perhaps realising the true effect and loss.

@kevinkevin4985

2 жыл бұрын

Without a doubt.

When he’s looking around and looking at the audience it’s almost like he’s on auto pilot. Insane!!!

Such a brilliant mind and immeasurable talent….RIP cuddly Dudley❣️

@MsMesem

2 жыл бұрын

Had crush on Basil Brush and Dudley.

When I die, if there’s a heaven, or at least, an afterlife/alternate universe/different dimension, I hope there is a club called The Establishment where, in the music basement, there is a concert grand piano and dear Dudley performing his heart out - if all this holds true, I’ll be found there!! He is sorely missed. What wit, what boundless talent. How I miss him - thankfully we have KZread!

You really need to know your stuff to be able to do this. Genius.

What a genius,he practically makes the piano talk.What a talent.Roly 🇬🇧.

In an odd way, this performance goes to underline what a fabulous pianist he was!!

@ShineMedia1

2 жыл бұрын

Nothing odd about it, it's very obvious what an incredible pianist he was.

@virginiaconnor8350

2 жыл бұрын

I wonder what the 3 Stooges would think! A man of his talent didn't deserve his type of dementia. Nobody does, but I especially Iiked Duddley because he made the best, despite a club foot. He didn't let it stop him from acting or playing the piano.

@ds1868

2 жыл бұрын

Dudley Moore was organ scholar at Magdalen College Oxford, one of the most prestigious organ scholarships in England. He was a formally trained and highly accomplished musician.

@shawn13mertle13

2 жыл бұрын

@@ds1868 I had heard he was a highly trained musician. Thank you for the information.

@davidkopec5587

2 жыл бұрын

Why in an odd way?

It’s funny in its own right, but he really sells it with the gestures and facial expressions.

O Dudley how The World needs you now. An incredible human being.

Brilliant comedian, brilliant musician. Genius does come in small packages.

@jessiejames7492

2 жыл бұрын

and, dont forget wonderful, loveable comedian. !

Life without Dud will never be exactly the same. Brilliant as usual👍👌👌❤️

I knew that Dudley could play piano but i had no idea Dud could play like this, so very impressive, beautiful, brilliant and funny. RIP Dudley.

@trainliker100

2 жыл бұрын

Many people don't know that he could perform at the highest level. I once saw him in concert playing Gershwin's Concerto in F and it was outstanding.

THIS is Absolutely BRILLIANT 👍

By any measure, that was great piano playing demonstration.

That ending was EPIC! RIP DUDLEY!!!!!

@stevencarr4002

Жыл бұрын

I counted 8 endings altogether in that piece.

Absolutely genuine genius 👏 👏 wow dudleyD Moore, god take a bow.rip man.

One of my favorite celebrities...He had so many talents...wish he was still here. RIP.

@greggriffin3422

2 жыл бұрын

Hello! How are you doing today! Please pardon me for intruding into your privacy but I just wanted to know if you're a fan!..Stay safe

Oh come on Dudley, now you're just showing off. And I love it! ❤️👍

i learned more about music here than in 50 years of listening to pop

Playing flying octaves with such accuracy of delivering comedic timing. Incredible talent, incredible entertainment. Well, at least we have Taylor Swift.

@stephen918

5 ай бұрын

Haha

I knew he could play piano but didn't realize he was that accomplished.. !

@gregsouls2666

2 жыл бұрын

He was a child musical prodigy.

@petermacleod5710

2 жыл бұрын

He was an organ scholar at oxford

I had no idea he could even play, never mind that brilliantly!

You were a genius Dud, God bless.

@MichaelKingsfordGray

2 жыл бұрын

Gods are fictional. Just like your infantile false name.

@petesmith9472

2 жыл бұрын

That’s what Joan Crawford used to say !

@66PHILB

2 жыл бұрын

@@petesmith9472 What about Greta bl00dy Garbo?

Great actor, and a great musician, so sorry that he is not around anymore!

Dudley Moore was a gift Frome God 🙏 good night , sweet prince ; this world was never meant for one as beautiful as You 💖

I love Dudley Moore and his acting. Also his music. A Genius.

How refreshing to watch, no stress no aires just enjoyment

@greggriffin3422

2 жыл бұрын

Hello! How are you doing today! Please pardon me for intruding into your privacy but I just wanted to know if you're a fan!..Stay safe

A comic and brilliant musical genius. Gone well before time; greatly missed.

OMG! The only thing I knew this guy for was that movie where he played a drunk. Fantastic piano! And with an incredible, (un)- disguised sense of humor.

I wasn't expecting this at all lol. Too good!

That was the best performance of this piece on youtube and there are at least three.

how this audience laughs, shows their extremely high level of cultural knowledge, almost as impressive as the performance itself. I wouldn't know where to find a whole room full of people with such knowledge about classical music

@leoisasaturn

2 жыл бұрын

I think this is a laugh track, if you listen it it again it’s the same laugh repeated.

@estherasna8506

2 жыл бұрын

Well classical music has a massive audience on KZread...

God I’d have loved to see him in concert.

Great man, great life wonderful talent, we were blessed.

A Divine Imp! I miss him so much.

Im equally as impressed as to how he stood up so quick

He was a brilliant performer

I was blessed to see him perform with the original cast of "Beyond The Fringe" in London ... he (as were the rest of them) was amazing and very, very funny!!!

Amazing.he passed with same disorder my mother inlaw passed away with.....what an Amazing person such a beautifull talent....RIP

An actual genius.

To all those strange people who don't know why the audience are laughing: it's because it was both clever and funny. No cue cards needed. It helps if you're familiar with Beethoven. If you're not you can perhaps just admire his skill without quite getting the joke. And no, I don't think it was a wig. Believe it or not back in the day men sometimes had hair like that!

@MichaelKingsfordGray

2 жыл бұрын

For those of you adults who are puzzling over why you cower behind a fake juvenile "name": the answer is plain.

@Ferret1900

2 жыл бұрын

I'm sorry Mr Gray, I really don't understand your point. There seems to some criticism of the use of pseudonyms on the internet but after that you lost me. My old grandfather always advised me never to comment on KZread after a few drinks which I think is quite sound.

@tychophotiou6962

2 жыл бұрын

That was absolutely not why people were laughing. There was nothing funny whatsoever about the performance... It was musical genius but nothing funny. People were laughing because he is a comedian and they have got into the habit of laughing at him whatever he does. He could just shake his hands above his head and they would laugh. So for those who have never seen him it would look odd to see people laugh at a great musical performance.

@Ferret1900

2 жыл бұрын

I disagree obviously. Many things are funny about the performance and not only his clowning. The tune has slightly obscene connotations in Britain but is here treated seriously and developed as Beethoven might have. This contrast is intended to be funny and is.

@magusl9628

2 жыл бұрын

@@Ferret1900 what is the tune? It seems to me like he rhapsodised on some famous tune, but what is it? It rings a bell, but I can't identify it and it's bugging me (I'm not british and I grew up listening to classical music only, so please forgive my ignorance)

Karen, you wrote just what I was going to say!. What and amazing musician and wonderful actor.

Nothing like Les Dawson or Victor Borge. A very erudite parody/pastiche with no wrong notes at all using all Beethoven’s mannerisms. A scholarly performance, and highly amusing and thrilling by turn.

Ludwig van finale are always very long. He never knew how to stop. This is exhilarating and a piece of art.

It’s easier to play a Beethoven piano concerto than it is to play this. I know, because I can play Beethoven, but I can’t play this! Absolute genius, musically and comically.

@neorich59

2 жыл бұрын

Couldn't agree more. This is technically very challenging, and although there are a few mistakes, deliberate, or otherwise, there's no doubting his proficiency. I've played most of Beethoven's Sonatas, but don't remember too many passages as challenging as these!

@eleonoraformatoneeszczepan8807

2 жыл бұрын

@@neorich59, purposefully making mistakes in classical music as part of the character of the piece, is generally speaking, much more difficult than making actual mistakes - it seems like the "mistakes", are part of the composition of the Beethoven themed arrangement of the River Kwai tune, and part of the mastery in the performance of the piece, by Dudley Moore, in this particular situation.

@JustSad66

2 жыл бұрын

I can hear , Moonlight, Appassionata , Waldstein and Eric Morecambe in there!!

@john1951w

2 жыл бұрын

@@JustSad66 I love the little trip into Hernado's Hideaway. Brilliant.

@JustSad66

2 жыл бұрын

😂such a talent!

playing his ass off, the multiple resolutions always get me.

I have a note-for-note transcription of this piece of Dudley brilliance! I can *follow* it, yeah, but PLAY it? Huh! Fat chance!! 😉 (So, how many of us heard the "Hernando's Hideaway" reference from The Pyjama Game ?)

@josephclark4186

Жыл бұрын

I also heard the Universal monsters theme from Son of Frankenstein

Great heavens I know Beethoven inside out, and for many years, and this sounds EXACTLY his piano composition style! how clever is this?

@john1951w

2 жыл бұрын

Beethoven's endings were often annoyingly dragged out. Dud nails it. Brilliant!

@antoineduchamp4931

2 жыл бұрын

@@john1951w I am also a John, and I am sorry to disagree... I find Beethoven's endings to be short and abrupt, and I love it. That is except in his 5th symphony, last movement, which ends of 40 crashing major to minor chords. I have played it many times in the orchestra. Kind regards.

@john1951w

2 жыл бұрын

@@antoineduchamp4931 Fair enough. A different opinion.

@antoineduchamp4931

2 жыл бұрын

@@john1951w I would not be able to put into words the enrichment of my life that has come about by knowing the music of Beethoven... I am certain you will agree.

Love the snippet of Hernando's Hideaway he tucks in there

@jacquikirk7797

2 жыл бұрын

Correction Hernando's Hideaway - senility!

A genius from Dagenham, much missed!

...he could have made a career as a concert pianist-his technique was great and his phantasy knew no limits! RIP !

Without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest musical comedian of all time, with all due respects to Victor Borge and Peter (P.D.Q. Bach) Schickele!

@JohnNiemsMusic

2 жыл бұрын

Yes Victor would be hard pressed to be this funny here! I am with you 100%!

@helipeek2736

2 жыл бұрын

And Les Dawson?

@paulfogarty6245

2 жыл бұрын

This bit and Victor Borge both great. Do we really need a GOAT?

@McGravity1

2 жыл бұрын

Improvisation was an important part of his organ degree.

@Nordicroo

2 жыл бұрын

Have a listen to Bill Bailey. He is another incredible comedian musician. kzread.info/dash/bejne/c5eEtqiRqsuWfLQ.html

Brilliant!

How wonderful!

Absolute genius who was taken from us too early 💜

I saw him in a performance with the local orchestra where he played Gershwin's Concerto in F. And he nailed it. I think many never learned what a truly fine pianist he was. (My point of view is somebody whose mother was a professional concert pianist.)

Miss Dudley…….one of my favorite comedic and pianist.

Very talented man

now, this is TALENT !

What surprises me the most is his body English. I am convinced he has a secret stash of Beethoven videos somewhere and his body English too is in the style of Beethoven or similar.

CFAZY in love with this!

@greggriffin3422

2 жыл бұрын

Hello! How are you doing today! Please pardon me for intruding into your privacy but I just wanted to know if you're a fan!..Stay safe

Great Video! Love it!

Pure magic brilliance

@greggriffin3422

2 жыл бұрын

Hello! How are you doing today! Please pardon me for intruding into your privacy but I just wanted to know if you're a fan!..Stay safe

Brilliant he should return and do MOORE OF THIS!

He was soooooo great this little man

Beethoven could have written this. It has a lot of his signature "rifs".

So many geniuses back then. No one would EVER EVER go through all that training, become that good, and decide to make people laugh and stand out doing that too. 10 was funny as hell

Mind blowing brilliant! 👏

I had no idea Dudley was such a brilliant pianist.

@Tania5982

2 жыл бұрын

😃😃👍🔥🔥

@THXx1138

2 жыл бұрын

He was a brilliant pianist first. He was also an actor.

@murdo_mck

2 жыл бұрын

He was a musician (many Jazz recordings) and composer (many film scores).

@phillipecook3227

2 жыл бұрын

Organ Scholar at Magdalene College, Oxford if you please.

@AlexAlcyone

2 жыл бұрын

@@phillipecook3227 it's said that his organ teacher said Dudley was the most talented musician he ever taught.

Prodigious talent!

He even looks like a classical composer. He's the reincarnation of Purcell or Haydn or one of them

Bloody marvellous.

Genius at work.

I wonder how many people today would realise he is playing the Colonel Bogey march,or would even know the tune.of its time but still brilliant

I never knew about his skills as a pianist, very talented man.

@ds1868

2 жыл бұрын

He was a formally trained musician. Magdalen College Oxford.

Yes he was a lovely genius.

Brilliant. Just superb

TY ✌🏼🥰

I like it! It's kind of quirky and I don't know how many times I thought it was about to end and it didn't, quite yet, but then Beethoven was known for his rather dramatic endings. It was a brilliant parody of Beethoven's music. 👍

@magusl9628

2 жыл бұрын

Ehmmm... that's the joke.

@mhicmacglashan3145

2 жыл бұрын

Brilliantly clever and funny - even at the twentieth time of watching !!

Incredible!

Bloody talented

Mind blowing

the traditional "stretched out" Beethoven ending taken the "next level"!

Holly Dudley! I didn't know he was such a pianist!

Excellent

That was amazing

From 3:20 onward Dudley was really giving that right sustain pedal on the piano a brutal stamping - I've seen him before at this point using it, his right foot thumping on it time and time as he played the finale.

Brilliant...to say the least. I have heard it in his first appearance,. The video is black and white and of course, a much younger version of himselñf but such creativity and dexterity are amazing.

Genius!

Genius.

That is fantastic

clever ,clever boy

I forget which virtuoso it was but apparently he grabbed Dudley by the shoulders and said something like "if you'd only stop mucking about with this acting lark, you'd be a good pianist"

Ronnie Wood is a close friend. said he watched Dudley on stage once and he was so maganificent. that is, woods said he ws so goodas a pianist he could make people laugh just doing that ! what a compliment