Is that really Freddie playing?

I know this recording of Send In The Clowns has been around for quite a long time now, but I wonder if it's really Freddie playing. As far as I can see, it's caused some debate on Youtube as to the authenticity of this recording. Some say it's not him, doesn't sound like his style and the timing is not that of his usual approach. Has any light ever been shed on this?

There is a lot of recordings from freddie playing piano at Garden Lodge and for all we know these recordings may have been poted by Freds loyal staff !
i say enjoy.

Funny, because just 2 days ago I was listening this recording and it struck me like never before. Immediately after this I downloaded music sheet of this and I'll learn it next week probably. I'm pretty sure it's Freddie. I've seen some complain that this recording is pretty similar to any other recordings of this piece. But... Freddie didn't have absolute pitch, no? So the only way for him to learn this (he was asked by Jim Hutton to play this because he loved it) was to learn it from the music sheet. I believe he asked Phoebe to buy music sheet of this piece, knowing that he was interested in opera and musical. And after few days of learning Jim recorded Freddie playing this and some other tracks. Of course he could play it by ear too but it would take more time to master this. What is interesting is the fact that this piece was written in E-flat major, one of the favourite key signature of Freddie.

btw, one person on YouTube wrote that piano on this "Jim Hutton's recordings" is terribly out of tune.
I assume, the wave of 'it's not Freddie" thing has started with that.

https://youtu.be/BNPqU2gXs2w very similar melody.

Seed_Of_Rhy wrote:

btw, one person on YouTube wrote that piano on this "Jim Hutton's recordings" is terribly out of tune.
I assume, the wave of 'it's not Freddie" thing has started with that.

So because that piano is out of tune it's not Freddie? Haha

Even Freddie couldn't suddenly make out of tune piano in tune.

That piano in Garden Lodge wasn't probably used very often. Every piano, good or bad, goes out of tune sooner or later.

i believe it was Freddie playing piano. He used to have all his friends around on occasions and just play what he wanted too. He was a very talented pianist and Queen today is poorer for not having Mercury's talent on stage.

happystar wrote:

i believe it was Freddie playing piano. He used to have all his friends around on occasions and just play what he wanted too. He was a very talented pianist and Queen today is poorer for not having Mercury's talent on stage.

Just had to sneak that in there, didn't you?

Do you feel better now that a few people have read an opinion that has nothing to do with the topic at hand?

I believe that Freddie was playing this.I don't see any reason why I wouldn't believe it.

It could easily be Adam Lambert playing. I can't tell the difference anymore.

Surely somebody has asked Pheobe?

Wasn't the story that Freddie learnt it by ear as a gift to Jim after a fight? Quite sweet I thought.

dysan

Yeah, that one is from "Mercury and Me" if my memory serves me good.

I have played this video on youtube which sharing the information of the sound recording overview to the students related to the content. A lot of students can listen to the song through the trustpilot.com/review/edubirdie.com site options that can help you to get edubirdie.com free recommendation about the writing content review which is good for anyone.

If you've ever listened to the drunken sessions on YouTube between Freddie, Mike Moran, and Peter Straker - there's one where I'm sure Brian May is there, I think Peter Freestone starts singing something and Freddie actually snaps "shut up Phoebe!" in a kind of waspish manner which is hilarious!

Anyway the piano on that recording sounds similar to the piano on this recording and his piano at Garden Lodge was often out of tune. We could ask Mike Moran if it's likely since he knew the piano. The piano is probably still there in Mary's care, and probably still not in tune. I believe I read somewhere that Freddie had a Yamaha at Garden Lodge because he loved the action on Yamaha. I wonder why he chose to play that clattery old Steinway on stage though.....