Photo shows josef hofmann, bust portrait, facing front, at age 11. Piano playing with piano questions answered hofmann, jozef. His was a totally individual voice, instantly recognisable, like that of his pupil shura. Hofmann was born on july 22, 1924, in london, england, the oldest of three sons of josef hofmann, an internationally renowned concert pianist and composer, and elizabeth short, an accomplished. Hofmann was one of the greatest of pianists from the golden age, or any age. Josef anton tony hofmann of cambridge, retired solidstate research physicist, home stereo entrepreneur, and peanuts aficionado, died peacefully on november 12, 2010 of complications of lung cancer and a series of strokes. Years after his first visit to the hofmanns, arthur rubinstein wrote the following about it in his book moje mlode lata. Mark obert thorn has done an excellent job at minimizing background noise while keeping the originally recorded sound intact.
Josef hofmann with lange beethoven piano concerto no. Apr 26, 2020 josef casimir hofmann, polishborn american pianist, especially noted for his glittering performances of the music of frederic chopin. His interests in music and technology ended up fuelling each other. When pianist ralph berkowitz was asked if vladimir horowitz had the greatest technique of all the pianists he had heard, berkowitz replied that horowitz.
Later, he was director, dean and teacher at the curtis institute of music, philadelphia. An ongoing project with marston records is the release of any and all of the celebrated pianist, josef hofmanns, alltobrief discography for such a giant in the name of. Josef casimir hofmann was a polish american pianist, composer, music teacher, and inventor. Hofmann, josef, schubert, mendelssohn, chopin josef. A student of anton rubinstein and a leading exponent of the works of chopin, liszt, and schumann, he always balanced his virtuoso playing with. It is this balanced approach to piano playing that he advocates in this highly regarded volume on piano. Steinway eventually built for him custom keyboards with slightly narrower keys pianistcritic stephen hough has commented on how hofmanns mechanical understanding of the steinway piano action set him apart from all. His mother was the operetta soloist and possessed an excellent soprano.
Most of the advise in this little book is timeless, and the pictures of hofmann himself demonstrating correct and incorrect positions of the hand and body make. Rosina lhevinne, wife of pianist josef lhevinne and a virtuoso pianist in her own right, claimed hofmann heard her husband play franz liszts lorelei, a piece hofmann had supposedly never studied or heard. Hofmann was born on july 22, 1924, in london, england, the oldest of three sons of josef hofmann, an internationally renowned concert pianist and composer, and elizabeth short, an accomplished pianist. Piano playing, with piano questions answered by josef hofmann free ebook project gutenberg. Josef hofmann piano concerto in eflat major emperor by. The project gutenberg ebook, piano playing, by josef hofmann this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. He gave his first concert at the age of 6 and toured the united states at 11. Polishborn jozef hofmann was not only a highly acclaimed pianist, respected by the likes of rachmaninov, but also a keen inventor that registered over 70 patents, including a protogps and a solution decreasing the resistive drag of piano keys, still used today in steinway pianos. Great pianistteachers advise and specific pointers on piano technique, interpretation and performance. So that his clavichord is welltempered not only by his knowledge and feeling for its music but also by his own association with many performers.
Mar 20, 2012 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Jan 22, 2010 josef hofmann with lange beethoven piano concerto no. Later he studied with two leading pianists of the late 19th century, moritz moszkowski. Pianist josef hofmanns own piano compositions on cd the. Plus 1956 interview with josef hofmann excerpt from the first movement of chopins concerto no. Josef hofmann was born in podgorze a district of krakow, in austrohungarian galicia presentday poland in 1876.
He was a pianist of unique distinction, with his own individual tonal pallette of colour. A student of anton rubenstein and a leading exponent of the works of chopin, liszt and schumann, he always balanced his virtuoso playing with a firm adherence to the piece as written. Josef hofmann obituary cambridge, ma the cambridge chronicle. The incredible ease and effortlessness with which hoffman plays is as if the piano were actually an extension of his arms and hands. Publication date 1920 topics piano instruction and study.
Josef hofmann bio, albums, pictures naxos classical music. Josef hofmann pianist, heilig theatre, february 18, 1914. This book, originally published as two separate volumes in 1906 and 1907, is a collection of articles hofmann wrote as a regular feature of the ladies home journal. Hofmann composed under the name of michel dvorsky and was an inventor in his spare time. Publication date 1920 topics piano instruction and study publisher philadelphia. The children were inculcated in love for music from the early age. Lane audio research digital sound processing by donald h. What made josef hofmann the greatest pianist of all time. Josef hofmann, legendary pianist josef hofmann songs. Hofmann, josef, schubert, mendelssohn, chopin josef hofmann. By his own admission, sergei rachmaninoff, in his 40s, prepared for a career as a concert pianist by practicing over 15 hours a day with the goal of attaining the level of hofmann s technique. Josef hofmann obituary cambridge, ma the cambridge.
Joszef kazimierz or josef casimir hofmann was one of the great pianists of all time. Josef hofmann 1876 1957 both of josef hofmanns parents were musicians, his mother a singer of light opera and his father a conductor of the krakow theatre and professor of piano and harmony at the warsaw conservatory. Josef hofmann 18761957 was a master of piano technique and an artis. He was also the first pianist ever to make a record.
This little book purposes to present a general view of artistic piano. Josef hofmann, piano the classical music guide forums. Then there are the books written by the real chefs or chiefs of pianoplaying, like josef hofmann, who along with rachmaninoff and a few. Included in the program is piano concerto in d minor by anton rubinstein. Its about the human mechanics involved, written by one of greatest pianists from the turn of the 19th century. Horowitz rachmaninoff 3rd concerto mehta nypo 1978. Hofmann, josef article about hofmann, josef by the free. His father was the composer, conductor and pianist kazimierz hofmann, and his mother the singer matylda pindelska. Hofmann was born on july 22, 1924, in london, england, the oldest of three sons of josef hofmann, an internationally renowned concert pianist and composer. Although josef hofmann was himself a phenominal talent, he offers thoughtful answers to the simplest of piano questions, and guides the reader with a practical, common sense approach. Josef hofmann 18761957 was a master of piano technique and an artist who had few equals at the keyboard. At age 11 he left juilliard to study piano with moriz rosenthal, and. Hofmann is not only a great pianist, but shows here that he is also a musician with a broad outlook. In 1898 he went to the usa, and from 1924 to 1938 he was a professor and director of the curtis institute of music in philadelphia.
An ongoing project with marston records is the release of any and all of the celebrated pianist, josef hofmann s, alltobrief discography for such a giant in the name of pianists. Josef hofmann article about josef hofmann by the free. Here are a few quotes of josef hofmanns, whom i regard as the greatest pianist of the twentieth century, on affected movements and the importance of listening to good music. Polishborn jozef hofmann was not only a highly acclaimed pianist, respected by the. Work title, piano playing with piano questions answered by josef hofmann. Biography, career as a child prodigy, education in music, hofmann at the end of his career, technique and style, repertoire. Once, when horowitz was in the famous steinway basement, a manager pointed to hofmann s piano. Josef hofmann the pianist, composer, teacher and inventor. Piano playing, with piano questions answered by josef hofmann. Remember that hofmann, universally recognized as the greatest pianist of his day, and arguably the most technically proficient pianist ever, had small hands.
Josef hofmann was born in krakow, poland, on january 20, 1878. Hofmann has written a book at once entertaining and full of suggestion, not only to those who play and study the piano, but also to intelligent and sensible amateurs who think and are open to ideas about the art. Holmes2016 copyright disclaimer under section 107 of the copyright act. Hofmann, josef, 18761957 transcription joseph hofmann pianist heilig theatre wednesday evening, february 18,1914 northwest tour direction lois steerswynn coman programme i. You may copy it, give it away or reuse it under the terms of the project gutenberg license included with this ebook or online at title. There are three pianists ive met over the years who heard josef hofmann in. Josef hofmann, piano orchestra conducted by john barbirolli. Josef casimir hofmann was a polishamerican virtuoso pianist, composer, music teacher and inventor. January 20, 1876 february 16, 1957 was a polish american pianist, composer, music teacher, and inventor. Piano questions answered, which, in a dover reprint, are. With piano questions answered by josef hofmann available from rakuten kobo. Josef hofmanns chromaticon for piano and orchestra. Piano playing, with piano questions answered josef. Hofmanns views on technique and musicianship are explained in his book piano playing with questions answered.
Biography josef hofmann was born in podgorze a district of krakow, in austrohungarian galicia presentday poland in 1876. Is there any justification for the swaying of the body, the nodding of the head, the exaggerated mo. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Restoration engineers, especially the caliber of ward marston, are far and few between. The concert program is in excellent overall condition with some tannish toning on the spine and bottom edge of the cover.
Pianophiles are well aware of the great name among pianists of josef hofmann. The main writings of josef hofmann are found in two books, piano playing and. Josef hoffmann piano classical music and musicians. Both parents worked for the krakow theater, where his father, kazimierz hofmann 18421911 was conductor and his mother sang in light operas. His own recordings were and are coveted by collectors across the world. A child prodigy, he gave a debut recital in warsaw at the age of 5, and a long series of concerts throughout europe and scandinavia, culminating in a. Hofmann played it as an encore at his concert that evening. Later he studied with two leading pianists of the late 19th century, moritz moszkowski and. Horowitz was an excellent virtuoso and played certain pieces inimitably. Most of these recordings were made between 1916 and 1923 yet audio restoration engineer.
Josef casimir hofmann originally jozef kazimierz hofmann. Before he became the brilliant and charismatic virtuoso to whom rachmaninov dedicated his third piano concerto, joseph hofmann was a child prodigy. Josef hofmann, on the other hand, basically stopped practicing at the age of 23. Charles began his musical studies at age 4 and at age 6 enrolled in the juilliard school. A sensational child prodigy, he played beethoven with the berlin philharmonic at age ten and made his american debu. Josef hofmann 18761957, a polishborn american piano virtuoso, was a child prodigy who studied with moszkowski and anton rubinstein. Josef hofmann 18761957 is considered by many to be the greatest pianist of his time.