The main writings of josef hofmann are found in two books, piano playing and piano questions answered, which, in a dover reprint, are combined into one, piano 22 heinrich neuhaus, the art of piano playing, trans. 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 hofman 18761957 was a master of piano technique and an artist who had few equals at the keyboard. 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. Josef hofmann obituary cambridge, ma the cambridge. 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. The josef hofmann piano competition, cosponsored by the american council for polish culture and the university of south carolina aiken was established in his honor in 1994.
The solo version from circa 1935 is very beautiful with a characteristic hofmannesque limpidity and delicacy of touch, full of finesse. Biography and work for josef hofmann, listen to classical music and albums. Buy josef hofmanns album titled the complete josef hofmann, vol. A student of anton rubinstein and a leading exponent of the works of chopin, liszt, and schumann, he always balanced his virtuoso playing with a. He however was much more consistent and technically very proficient. Josef casimir hofmann american pianist and composer. Hofmanns views on technique and musicianship are explained in his book piano playing with questions answered. Publication date 1976 topics piano, piano publisher new york. Later he studied with two leading pianists of the late 19th century, moritz moszkowski. Josef casimir hofmann originally jozef kazimierz hofmann. Great pianistteachers advise and specific pointers on piano technique, interpretation and performance.
Concert program for a performance by the polishamerican pianist and composer josef hofmann. The performance included works by beethoven, chopin, debussy, rachmaninoff, dvorsky and moskowsky. The main writings of josef hofmann are found in two books, piano playing and. Josef hofmann bibliography hofmann s books were based on his frequent articles in the ladies home journal piano playing a little book of simple suggestions 1907 etext piano questions answered 1909 piano playing with. Jan 22, 2010 josef hofmann piano concerto in eflat major emperor by ludwig van beethoven. 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. A student of anton rubinstein 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 hoffmann piano classical music and musicians.
Piano playing, with piano questions answered josef hofmann. Piano playing, with piano questions answered by hofmann, josef, 18761957. Our network has bases throughout europe, asia and america all of which provide physical access to superior libraries. A closer knowledge of josef hofmann proves two things. This article is within the scope of wikiproject classical music, which aims to improve, expand, copy edit, and maintain all articles related to classical music, that. Josef hoffmann 18701956 was one of the premier viennese proponents of the gesamtkunstwerk, or total work of art. The complete josef hofmann vol 3 chopin, liszt with hofmann, josef on cd.
Piano playing, with piano questions answered by josef hofmann. Josef hofmann was born in podgorze a district of krakow, in austrohungarian galicia presentday poland in 1876. Carolina press, columbia sc, 1965, 1st edition hardcover, signed presentation from one of the authors sizemore on the free front endpaper, solid red cloth, near fine, slight rubs to cover extremities, ill. The discs start with hofmann s own berceuse, one for solo piano and the other in his own arrangement for violin, here played by curtis associate efrem zimbalist. 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. Hofmann s ragged passagework in the chopin e minor concerto rondo, for example, pales next to the deft assurance of the pianist s great 1938 broadcast containing the whole work the complete josef hofmann volume 1, vai. January 20, 1876 february 16, 1957 was a polish american pianist, composer, music teacher, and inventor. Josef hofmann anton rubinstein first heard the then sevenyearold josef hofmann b.
Josef hofmann 18761957 was a master of piano technique and an artis. With piano questions answered dover books on music josef hofmann on. His debut was a recital in warsaw at the age of five, then at nine years old, he gave a long series of concerts throughout europe and scandinavia, then another series of concerts in america when he was eleven. At his adult debut in hamburg hofmann played rubinsteins piano concerto no. Horowitz was an excellent virtuoso and played certain pieces inimitably. 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. This article is of interest to the following wikiprojects. Josef hofmann pianist, heilig theatre, february 18, 1914.
Hofmanns ragged passagework in the chopin e minor concerto rondo, for example, pales next to the deft assurance of the pianists great 1938 broadcast containing the whole work the complete josef hofmann volume 1, vai. Josef hofmann bio, albums, pictures naxos classical music. Josef hofmann 18761957 was a master of piano technique and an artist who had few equals at the keyboard. Piano playing with piano questions answered hofmann, jozef. The penultimate volume of josef hofmanns complete recordings begins with the pianists april 4, 1938 philadelphia broadcast of beethovens fourth piano concerto, led by eugene ormandy. This is an early program from cecilia schultz attractions at the moore theatre, season of 19391940. Classical music performed by josef hofmann on vinyl, cd. Josef hofmann, on the other hand, basically stopped practicing at the age of 23. With piano questions answered has 3 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. He gave his first concert at the age of 6 and toured the united states at 11.
The complete josef hofmann vol 3 chopin, liszt vai. Is there any justification for the swaying of the body, the nodding of the head, the exaggerated mo. In mozartland with old fogy is the previous story in the etude. We can cite oscar levant both for his ability and his alcoholism. Instructed solely by his father until the age of 10, hofmann began performing at the age of six. Photo shows josef hofmann, bust portrait, facing front, at age 11. The project gutenberg ebook of piano playing, by josef hofmann. Here are a few quotes of josef hofmann s, whom i regard as the greatest pianist of the twentieth century, on affected movements and the importance of listening to good music. Later, he was director, dean and teacher at the curtis institute of music, philadelphia. Piano playing, with piano questions answered josef. Jan 11, 2016 josef hofmann plays piano masterpieces 19121922 recordings donald herbertholmes.
Biography josef hofmann was born in podgorze a district of krakow, in austrohungarian galicia presentday poland in 1876. Josef casimir hofmann was a polish american pianist, composer, music teacher, and inventor. Joszef kazimierz or josef casimir hofmann was one of the great pianists of all time. Once, when horowitz was in the famous steinway basement, a manager pointed to hofmanns piano. Piano rare scores is a weblibrary for piano sheet music. January 20, 1876 february 16, 1957 was a polishamerican virtuoso pianist, composer, music teacher, and inventor. Reprinted from the ladies home journal piano playing was published separately in 1908 and piano questions answered in 1909 photocopy copy 2.
Piano questions answered, which, in a dover reprint, are. The unimportance of being oscar, pocket books 1969 reprint of g. Plus 1956 interview with josef hofmann excerpt from the first movement of chopins concerto no. During his professional visit to this country two years ago, he constructed an automobile with parts secured from different. This little book purposes to present a general view of artistic pianoplaying and to offer to young students the results of such observations as i have made in the. The first page is handsigned by josef hofmann, the polishamerican virtuoso pianist, composer, music teacher, and inventor. Josef hofmann 18761957 is considered by many to be the greatest pianist of his time. Josef hofmann, piano orchestra conducted by john barbirolli. You are reading josef hofmann on piano practice and technic from the january, 1902 issue of the etude magazine.
Order from your preferred classical music cd store arkivmusic. Brazilian pianist, eliane rodrigues, literally taking the performance below the stage. As one of the premier rare book sites on the internet, alibris has thousands of rare books, first editions, and signed books available. His father was the composer, conductor and pianist kazimierz hofmann, and his mother the singer matylda pindelska. Josef hofmann piano concerto in eflat major emperor by. Mar 20, 2012 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Here, old editions of sheet music have been made available to the modern internet audience. Great pianist teachers advise and specific pointers on piano technique, interpretation and performance. Buy josef hofmanns album titled great pianists of the 20th century. This is especially true of hofmanns 194446 bell telephone hour appearances featuring separate concerto movements.
Apr 07, 2020 josef casimir hofmann, polishborn american pianist, especially noted for his glittering performances of the music of frederic chopin. His touring years began then as well, leading him through major european cities with great success and frequent comparisons to a young mozart. 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. Josef hofmann obituary cambridge, ma the cambridge chronicle. Piano playing, with piano questions answered by josef hofmann book 40 editions published between 1909 and 2015 in english and undetermined and held by 1,118 worldcat member libraries worldwide. Josef hofmann s father was a composer, conductor and pianist, and his mother a singer. Josef hofmann to enjoy in your home or car, or gift it to another music lover. Jozef kazimierz hofmann born january 20, 1876 in krakow, austriahungary. One of the terrible tragedies of music was the disintegration of josef hofmann as an artist. Josef hofmann, legendary pianist josef hofmann songs. Piano playing with piano questions answered by josef hofmann piano book item.
Josef hofmann pianist, heilig theatre, february 18, 1914 the gallery. Josef casimir hofmann was a polishamerican virtuoso pianist, composer, music teacher and inventor. Work title, piano playing with piano questions answered by josef hofmann. A full house, seen from the rear of the stage, at the metropolitan opera house for a concert by pianist josef hofmann, 1 nara 541890. This is especially true of hofmann s 194446 bell telephone hour appearances featuring separate concerto movements. If you examine the part books, you will notice a marvelous aesthetic desire to avoid the same capital letterfor the sake of beauty.
Josef hofmann, the celebrated pianist, is of a mechanical turn of mind. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. In fact, hofmann was a great advocate of staying true to the composers intentions, devoting many pages to the subject in his books on piano playing. Josef hofmann 18761957, a polishborn american piano virtuoso, was a child prodigy who studied with moszkowski and anton rubinstein. Josef hofmann the pianist, composer, teacher and inventor.
Josef hofmann plays piano masterpieces 19121922 recordings. Josef hofmann lived in a time when many artists took a rather liberal approach to the interpretation of the music score. Many connoisseurs consider him one of the greatest pianists of all time. I dont see anything contradictory to chopins intentionsof course, i dont know his intentions. Buy josef hofmann s album titled great pianists of the 20th century. Piano playing, with piano questions answered by josef hofmann free ebook project gutenberg. Josef hofmann on piano practice and technic the etude. A gifted and prolific designer of architecture, furniture, utensils, clothing, bookbindings, posters, textiles, and wallpaper, hoffmann was convinced of the social and spiritual benefits of harmonious living environments designed by a single creative mind. Josef hofmann was born in podgorze, poland on january 20, 1876. At rubinsteins suggestion, german impresario hermann wolff offered career management and offered to send the boy on a european tour, but hofmann s. Josef hofmann was born in podgorze, near cracow krakow, austriahungary, now poland in 1876. Both parents worked for the krakow theater, where his father, kazimierz hofmann 18421911 was conductor and his mother sang in light operas. Its about the human mechanics involved, written by one of greatest pianists from the turn of the 19th century.