Up in the Air – Atkinson performs Beethoven

This is a lovely performance on an invisible piano by comedy genius Rowan Atkinson (also known as Mr. Bean). The air piano act include two Beethoven sonatas: the first movement from the Pathétique Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op.13 and the third movement of the Moonlight Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2.


This was a part of Amnesty International’s ‘The Secret Policeman’s Ball’, filmed in 1979 and also starring such notable talent as John Cleese, Billy Connoly, Michael Palin, Peter Cook. The Secret Policeman’s Balls is the collective name informally used to describe the long-running series of benefit shows staged in England to raise funds for the human rights organisation Amnesty International. The shows started out in the mid-1970s primarily as comedy galas featuring popular British comedic performers and later expanded to include leading musical performers.