The Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 3

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Volume 3 gathers Hofmann's complete acoustic Columbia 78s, including seven previously unissued sides. While Hofmann allowed a lot of leeway in live performance, he took recording seriously, both from an artistic and technical standpoint. The myriad subtleties of touch, pedaling, and articulation in Hofmann's playing come through loud and clear in these vintage 1912-1918 recordings. Each selection reveals the pianist's singing tone, extremely even fingerwork, aristocratic poise, and taste. There's a sense of purpose and proportion to the playing that belies the notion that all Romantic pianists took insane liberties. --Jed Distler

The Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 3, Music, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Fryderyk Chopin, Dillon, Edvard Grieg, Josef Hofmann, Franz Liszt, Felix Mendelssohn, Moritz Moszkowski, Ignace Jan Paderewski, Horatio Parker, Sergey Rachmaninov, Anton Rubinstein, Robert Schumann, Constantin von Sternberg, Carl Tausig, Josef Hofmann, Berceuse for Keyboard, Capriccio/Caprice for Keyboard, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Coll. of Character/Single-Movement/Misc. Works for Keyb., Etude for Keyboard, Fantasy/Fantasia for Keyboard, Gavotte for Keyboard, Impromptu for Keyboard, Individual Dance for Keyboard, Keyboard, Keyboard Work with Descriptive or Unclassified Title, March for Keyboard, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Music, Music for Keyboard, Nocturne for Keyboard, Polonaise for Keyboard, Prelude for Keyboard, Romantic Music for Voice and Keyboard, Romantic Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard, Rondo for Keyboard, Song Without Words for Keyboard, Transcription for Keyboard, Vocal, Waltz for Keyboard
The Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 3
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Which Hofmann?
  • Josef Hofmann: Wonderful performances, lots of surface noise
 The Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 3

Manufacturer: Video Artists Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Josef Hofmann, Vol. 4
  2. The Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 2
  3. The Chopin Concertos

ASIN: B000003LJ8
Release Date: 1994-09-01

Tracks:

  1. Valse In A Flat, Op. 34, No. 1
  2. Valse C Sharp Minor, Op. 64, No. 2
  3. Valse In E Minor, Op. Post
  4. Polonaise In A Minor, Op. 40, No. 1
  5. Impromptu No. 1, A Flat, Op. 29
  6. Fantasie-Impromptu, C Sharp Minor, Op. 66
  7. Berceuse In D Flat, Op. 57
  8. Chant Polonaise, 'The Maiden's Wish'
  9. Liebestraum No. 3 In A Flat
  10. Conccert Etude No. 1, 'Waldesrauschen'
  11. Venezia E Napoli - 'Tarantella' (Abridged)
  12. Marche Militaire
  13. Der Erlkonig
  14. Gavotte
  15. 'Moonlight Sonata In C Sharp, Op. 27 No. 2 First Movement
  16. Fantasiestucke, Op. 12, No. 3 'Warum?'
  17. Papillon, Op. 43, No. 1
  18. Spinning Song, Op. 67, No. 14
  19. Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 14 (Abridged)
  20. Spring Song, Op. 62, No. 6
  21. Hunting Song, Op. 19, No. 3
  22. La Jongleuse

Tracks:

  1. Caprice Espagnole, Op. 37 (Abridged)
  2. Minuet In G
  3. Valse-Caprice
  4. Miniatures, Book. 9 No. 7, 'El Dachtarawan'
  5. The Sanctuary
  6. Prelude In C Sharp Minor, Op. 3, No. 2
  7. Prelude In G Minor, Op. 23, No. 5
  8. Valse Gracile
  9. Birds At Dawn, Op. 20, No. 2
  10. Third Etude In C Minor, Op. 120
  11. Polonaise In A Major, Op. 40, No. 1
  12. Hunting Song, Op. 19, No. 3
  13. Spring Song, Op. 62, No. 6
  14. Marche Militaire
  15. Der Erlkonig
  16. Nocturne In E Flat, Op. 9, No. 1
  17. Valse In E Minor, Op. Post.
  18. Papillon, Op. 43, No. 1
  19. Spinning Song, Op. 67, No. 4
  20. Prelude In C Sharp Minor, Op. 3, No. 2

Amazon.com

Volume 3 gathers Hofmann's complete acoustic Columbia 78s, including seven previously unissued sides. While Hofmann allowed a lot of leeway in live performance, he took recording seriously, both from an artistic and technical standpoint. The myriad subtleties of touch, pedaling, and articulation in Hofmann's playing come through loud and clear in these vintage 1912-1918 recordings. Each selection reveals the pianist's singing tone, extremely even fingerwork, aristocratic poise, and taste. There's a sense of purpose and proportion to the playing that belies the notion that all Romantic pianists took insane liberties. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Which Hofmann?.......2004-09-06

Hofmann - particularly late Hofmann - may be an acquired taste.
Despite having been the protégé of Anton Rubinstein, "the wonderful boy" was recognized from quite an early age as the exemplar of a modern style of playing - textually faithful, eschewing swooning or bombast. (See, for example, the references to Hofmann in Henry Lahee's wonderful survey from 1900, Famous Pianists of Today and Yesterday.)
Still, a number of younger colleagues expressed ambivalence. Horowitz was floored by Hofmann's keyboard command - everyone was - but he, Artur Rubinstein and Arrau, to name just three - seem not to have been terribly moved by Hofmann's musicianship.
But which Hofmann are we considering? His playing for the gramophone - as early as 1903 and as late as 1935 - was as disciplined as it was imaginative and dazzling. The late Harold Schonberg called it "perfection plus."
However, as Gregor Benko makes clear in his essays for the Marston reissues, Hofmann switched on what the pianist called a "spectacular" style for many public performances. This may sound cynical. Often it sounds terribly cynical. Hofmann was not speaking merely of the need to project in a large concert hall. In public performance - at least those performances we have from the late `30s and early `40s - the aristocrat often becomes a mountebank, lurching from the softest pianissimos to explosive fortissimos, rattling off passages or entire pieces even faster than Simon Barere boasted he could do.
Schonberg - and Hofmann's friend and admirer Rachmaninoff - reminded us that during this period Hofmann had many personal troubles, including a severe drinking problem. We must believe that at his greatest Hofmann played as scrupulously and with as much refined feeling in public as he did on many of his studio recordings, though his manner may have differed somewhat. And there are some marvelous live performances. The Rubinstein 4th from his Golden Jubilee concert beggars description.
So where does that leave us? As an introduction to Hofmann, I would recommend the early Columbia recordings, those he made somewhat later for Brunswick, and the American and British test pressings from 1935 - perhaps his greatest recorded playing. These are Volumes 3, 4 and 5 of the complete Hofmann series. Serious listeners will also want the ups and downs of the Golden Jubilee (Volume 2). The Chopin concertos in Volume 1 have some splendid moments, but the superlative (not spectacular; superlative) performance there is a fragment of the first movement of the E minor concerto performed in London -- far more poised and committed than its counterpart from New York. (I wonder if Hofmann played differently in America than he did in Europe? Some musicians - for instance, Mahler, Toscanini, Bernstein - for varying reasons apparently did.)
Having said all this, the entire Hofmann series is priceless. Heartfelt thanks to Gregor Benko and Ward Marston for making it available in superb transfers with fascinating notes.

5 out of 5 stars Josef Hofmann: Wonderful performances, lots of surface noise.......2000-03-15

For Hofmann lovers and devoted students of piano performance, this collection is priceless! For others, the surface noise will be a serious drawback. My assumption is that anyone interested in Hofmann will start by getting Volumes 1 & 2 -- the Chopin Concertos and the 1937 Golden Jubilee Recital. Beyond that, in choosing among Volumes 3 through 6, Volume 3 offers a wide range of Hofmann's repertoire in shorter pieces -- 42 tracks on two CD's. These are Josef Hofmann in his prime and the performances are marvelous. Unfortunately, they were recorded in 1912-18 (with six tracks from way back in 1903!) and the surface noise is pretty severe. Listening to them is an effort, but the effort is well worth while!
The Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 2
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Which Hofmann?
  • The Place to Start
  • Staggering Performances!
 The Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Video Artists Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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CapricesCaprices | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. The Chopin Concertos
  2. The Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 3
  3. Josef Hofmann, Vol. 4
  4. Frédéric Chopin: Piano Works
  5. The Art of Piano - Great Pianists of 20th Century

ASIN: B000003LIT
Release Date: 1994-09-01

Tracks:

  1. Academic Festival Ov
  2. Introductory remarks - Walter Damrosch
  3. Pno Con No.4, d: Moderato assai-Allegro
  4. Pno Con No.4, d: Andante
  5. Pno Con No.4, d: Allegro
  6. Ballade No.1, Op.23, g
  7. Nocturne, Op.9 No.2, E flat
  8. Waltz, Op.42, A flat
  9. Andante Spianato e Grande Polonaise, Op.22, E flat

Tracks:

  1. Nocturne, Op.15 No.2, F #
  2. Waltz, Op.64 No.1, D flat 'Minute'
  3. Etude, Op.25 No.9, G flat 'Butterfly'
  4. Berceuse, Op.57, B flat
  5. Chromaticon
  6. Spinning Song, Op.67 No.4, C
  7. Prld, Op.23 No.5, g
  8. Turkish March
  9. Caprice Espagnole, Op.37
  10. Nocturne, Op.48 No.1, c
  11. Mazurka, Op.33 No.3, C
  12. Waltz, Op.34 No.1, A flat
  13. Andante Spianato e Grande Polonaise, Op.22, E flat
  14. Chromaticon - Curtis Institute Student Orch/Ignace Hilsberg

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Which Hofmann?.......2004-09-06

Hofmann - particularly late Hofmann - may be an acquired taste.
Despite having been the protégé of Anton Rubinstein, "the wonderful boy" was recognized from quite an early age as the exemplar of a modern style of playing - textually faithful, eschewing swooning or bombast. (See, for example, the references to Hofmann in Henry Lahee's wonderful survey from 1900, Famous Pianists of Today and Yesterday.)
Still, a number of younger colleagues expressed ambivalence. Horowitz was floored by Hofmann's keyboard command - everyone was - but he, Artur Rubinstein and Arrau, to name just three - seem not to have been terribly moved by Hofmann's musicianship.
But which Hofmann are we considering? His playing for the gramophone - as early as 1903 and as late as 1935 - was as disciplined as it was imaginative and dazzling. The late Harold Schonberg called it "perfection plus."
However, as Gregor Benko makes clear in his essays for the Marston reissues, Hofmann switched on what the pianist called a "spectacular" style for many public performances. This may sound cynical. Often it sounds terribly cynical. Hofmann was not speaking merely of the need to project in a large concert hall. In public performance - at least those performances we have from the late `30s and early `40s - the aristocrat often becomes a mountebank, lurching from the softest pianissimos to explosive fortissimos, rattling off passages or entire pieces even faster than Simon Barere boasted he could do.
Schonberg - and Hofmann's friend and admirer Rachmaninoff - reminded us that during this period Hofmann had many personal troubles, including a severe drinking problem. We must believe that at his greatest Hofmann played as scrupulously and with as much refined feeling in public as he did on many of his studio recordings, though his manner may have differed somewhat. And there are some marvelous live performances. The Rubinstein 4th from his Golden Jubilee concert beggars description.
So where does that leave us? As an introduction to Hofmann, I would recommend the early Columbia recordings, those he made somewhat later for Brunswick, and the American and British test pressings from 1935 - perhaps his greatest recorded playing. These are Volumes 3, 4 and 5 of the complete Hofmann series. Serious listeners will also want the ups and downs of the Golden Jubilee (Volume 2). The Chopin concertos in Volume 1 have some splendid moments, but the superlative (not spectacular; superlative) performance there is a fragment of the first movement of the E minor concerto performed in London -- far more poised and committed than its counterpart from New York. (I wonder if Hofmann played differently in America than he did in Europe? Some musicians - for instance, Mahler, Toscanini, Bernstein - for varying reasons apparently did.)
Having said all this, the entire Hofmann series is priceless. Heartfelt thanks to Gregor Benko and Ward Marston for making it available in superb transfers with fascinating notes.

5 out of 5 stars The Place to Start.......2000-02-28

If you're not familiar with Josef Hofmann, this album is the place to start. And, if you are already familiar with him, well -- this is still the place to start. Contains a recording of Hofmann's 50th Anniversary "Golden Jubilee" recital of 1937, one of the few recordings that catches Hofmann at his best and also contains a wide selection of his repertoire. Pianists should start with the Chopin Minute Waltz, which will astonish you with its velocity and sensitivity. Then go to the Chopin G Minor Ballade and Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise, both considered the greatest performances of these works ever put on disk. Most observers consider Hofmann the greatest pianist of the century. Horowitz, for example, was in awe of Hofmann. This album is one of the few legacies left to us. See for yourself!

5 out of 5 stars Staggering Performances!.......1999-05-18

These two CDs are real treasures for piano recording lovers! After somewhat business-like performance of Brahms' "Academic Overture", conducted by Fritz Reiner, the magic begins. Hofmann's recording of Rubinstein No.4 is beyond description. He makes this somewhat old-fashioned showpiece into a concerto comparable to Rachmaninoff concertos. The way he thunders his entrance of the first movement will make one jump up from his seat. At the same time, more lyrical sections are played with utmost delicacy and elegance. The middle movement is played with winsome simplicity. The last movement has almost terrifying power and intensity. The orchestra seems to have been inspired by Hofmann. The voltage of performance picks up considerably. The shorter works are played with plenty of personality and dashing elegance. Chopin's first ballade is demonic, with curiously cool lyrical sections. Polonaise is dazzlingly colorful. His own "Chromaticon" is an interesting piece. It sounds like a bit like Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff mixed together. Perhaps the most incredible short piece in the CD is Mozskowski's "Caprice Espagnole." This piece shows Hofmann at his very best. His repeated notes are simply astonishing. The piece displays Hofmann's imcomparable elegance, fire and tremendous control. The ending is hair-raising. The sound overall is quite listenable for its age. But it is the quality of performance that really counts here. Never mind the sound, just listen!
Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 6
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Which Hofmann?
  • Listening to hofmann's Beethoven.
  • Yo yo foo's! Hofmann be the bomb KABLAMM!
  • Blew up tha Spot
  • Even when hes dead hes still the tightest pianist out there!
 Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 6

Manufacturer: Marston
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
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GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Josef Hofmann, Vol. 4

ASIN: B00000G3ZP
Release Date: 1998-11-24

Tracks:

  1. Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, 'Moonlight': I. Adagio sostenuto
  2. Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, 'Moonlight': II. Allegretto
  3. Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, 'Moonlight': III. Presto agitato
  4. Nocturne In F Sharp, Op. 15, No. 2
  5. Waltz In A Flat, Op. 42
  6. Waltz In D Flat, Op. 64, No. 1, 'Minute'
  7. Piano Sonata No. 21 In C, Op. 53, 'Waldstein': I. Allegro con brio
  8. Piano Sonata No. 21 In C, Op. 53, 'Waldstein': II. Introduzione: Adagio molto
  9. Piano Sonata No. 21 In C, Op. 53, 'Waldstein': III. Rondo: Allegretto moderato-Prestissimo
  10. Kreisleriana, Op. 16: I. Agitatissimo
  11. Kreisleriana, Op. 16: II. Con molto espressione, non troppo presto
  12. Kreisleriana, Op. 16: V. Vivace assai
  13. Kreisleriana, Op. 16: VI. Lento assai
  14. Kreisleriana, Op. 16: VII. Molto presto
  15. Kreisleriana, Op. 16: VIII. Vivace e scherzando
  16. Polonaise In E Flat Minor, Op. 26, No. 2
  17. Nocturne In B, Op. 9, No. 3

Tracks:

  1. Waltz In E Flat, Op. 18, 'Valse Brillante'
  2. Ballade No. 4 In F Minor, Op. 52
  3. Waltz In D Flat, Op. 64, No. 1 'Minute'
  4. Caprice Orientale, Op. 10, No. 2
  5. Moment Musical, Op. 94, No.3
  6. Kaleidoskop, Op. 40, No. 4
  7. Penguine, No. 1 From 'Three Impressions'
  8. Piano Concerto No. 4 In G, Op. 58: I. Allegro moderato
  9. Piano Concerto No. 4 In G, Op. 58: II. Andante con moto
  10. Piano Concerto No. 4 In G, Op. 58: III. Rondo: Vivace
  11. Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, 'Moonlight': U.S. Columbia (48946-4) unpublished-13 October 1916
  12. Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, 'Moonlight': U.S. Columbia (48946-5) unpublished-13 October 1916
  13. Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, 'Moonlight': Bell Telephone Hour-31 July 1944

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Which Hofmann?.......2004-09-06

Hofmann - particularly late Hofmann - may be an acquired taste.
Despite having been the protégé of Anton Rubinstein, "the wonderful boy" was recognized from quite an early age as the exemplar of a modern style of playing - textually faithful, eschewing swooning or bombast. (See, for example, the references to Hofmann in Henry Lahee's wonderful survey from 1900, Famous Pianists of Today and Yesterday.)
Still, a number of younger colleagues expressed ambivalence. Horowitz was floored by Hofmann's keyboard command - everyone was - but he, Artur Rubinstein and Arrau, to name just three - seem not to have been terribly moved by Hofmann's musicianship.
But which Hofmann are we considering? His playing for the gramophone - as early as 1903 and as late as 1935 - was as disciplined as it was imaginative and dazzling. The late Harold Schonberg called it "perfection plus."
However, as Gregor Benko makes clear in his essays for the Marston reissues, Hofmann switched on what the pianist called a "spectacular" style for many public performances. This may sound cynical. Often it sounds terribly cynical. Hofmann was not speaking merely of the need to project in a large concert hall. In public performance - at least those performances we have from the late `30s and early `40s - the aristocrat often becomes a mountebank, lurching from the softest pianissimos to explosive fortissimos, rattling off passages or entire pieces even faster than Simon Barere boasted he could do.
Schonberg - and Hofmann's friend and admirer Rachmaninoff - reminded us that during this period Hofmann had many personal troubles, including a severe drinking problem. We must believe that at his greatest Hofmann played as scrupulously and with as much refined feeling in public as he did on many of his studio recordings, though his manner may have differed somewhat. And there are some marvelous live performances. The Rubinstein 4th from his Golden Jubilee concert beggars description.
So where does that leave us? As an introduction to Hofmann, I would recommend the early Columbia recordings, those he made somewhat later for Brunswick, and the American and British test pressings from 1935 - perhaps his greatest recorded playing. These are Volumes 3, 4 and 5 of the complete Hofmann series. Serious listeners will also want the ups and downs of the Golden Jubilee (Volume 2). The Chopin concertos in Volume 1 have some splendid moments, but the superlative (not spectacular; superlative) performance there is a fragment of the first movement of the E minor concerto performed in London -- far more poised and committed than its counterpart from New York. (I wonder if Hofmann played differently in America than he did in Europe? Some musicians - for instance, Mahler, Toscanini, Bernstein - for varying reasons apparently did.)
Having said all this, the entire Hofmann series is priceless. Heartfelt thanks to Gregor Benko and Ward Marston for making it available in superb transfers with fascinating notes.

4 out of 5 stars Listening to hofmann's Beethoven........2002-02-05

Well, this album contains many beethoven works played by hofmann and that's interesting because it's hard to find in other series. But the result is not so satisfying. The touch is too light in Concerto, and tempo is too fast in Waldstein. Chopin works are beautifully played, but many of those can be found in other discs. In my opinion Ballade No. 4 is an ideal performance. Only Corot's recording can stand next to hof. Recommand to Hofmann fans or Chopin manias.

5 out of 5 stars Yo yo foo's! Hofmann be the bomb KABLAMM!.......2000-12-05

Rachmaninov considered Hofmann to be the greatest pianist he had ever seen, and these recordings are to show. Reviewing Rachmaninov's recordings of Chopin, as far as precision and skill, Hofmann kills Sergei. Every note exploads with this individual sensation of sound that only Hofmann can emit. The musical ideas are genuine. Give a listen to his original performance of Chopin's minute waltz. It's unlike anything you've ever heard. For this pianist's small fingers, he sure does have the advantage over the other greats in pounding out immaculate works from his customized Steinway & Sons.

5 out of 5 stars Blew up tha Spot.......2000-09-27

What up to all my dogs out there! I gotta agree with my homie Superkike from tha desert in Tucson, A.Z., baby. Josef Hofmann gots mad skills yo. If any of y'all playas think my man Josef ain't got no skills, then take it upon yo self to try and play any piece of his. You won't be able to cuz you ain't got no game that be tight like Josef's. Josef be tha tightest playa eva. What? What's that? What eva foo! Quit doggin' my man Josef. You know he be the illest. If you don't think Josef could be as tight as other greats like Beethoven and Mozart, then I sugest you pick this album up yo. It's got mad flava. It's gots the ups and downs of every day life. Know what I mean? He be playin quick like Maurice Greene and Marion Jones. He be chillin like James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. Ya Heard?. Dis be your homeboy Thug 4Life, boning out, and hopes you join him in tha next Episode.

5 out of 5 stars Even when hes dead hes still the tightest pianist out there!.......2000-09-23

Yo this Cd was off the hook this show why Hofmann was and still is the realest.This album puts dmx and jay-z's new cd to shame. Tight beat and rhythm! U wont be disapointed.
The Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 5
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Which Hofmann?
  • Hofmann -- Phenomenal, as usual
 The Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 5

Manufacturer: Marston
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

PolonaisesPolonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
WaltzesWaltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by BeethovenAll Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by ChopinAll Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by GluckAll Works by Gluck | Gluck, Christoph W. | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by LisztAll Works by Liszt | Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by WeberAll Works by Weber | Weber, Carl Maria von | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by MendelssohnAll Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by DebussyAll Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by ProkofievAll Works by Prokofiev | Prokofiev, Sergei | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by RachmaninovAll Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
PreludesPreludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
ElegiesElegies | Requiems, Elegies & Tombeau | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
RondosRondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Character PiecesCharacter Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
NocturnesNocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
SonatinasSonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
RomanticRomantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
PianoPiano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Lullabies & BerceuseLullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000004BOG
Release Date: 1997-10-14

Tracks:

  1. Berceuse, op.20 no.5
  2. Berceuse, op.20 no.5 - Josef Hofmann/Efram Zimbalist
  3. Waltz in A-flat, op.42: Take 1
  4. Waltz in A-flat, op.42: Take 2
  5. Waltz in A-flat, op.42: Take 4
  6. Nocturne in D-flat, op.27 no.2: Take 1
  7. Nocturne in D-flat, op.27 no.2: Take 2
  8. Chant Polonaise: 'The Maiden's Wish'
  9. Son No.3, op.58, First Movt: Polonaise in A, 'Military'
  10. Polonaise in A, op.40 no.1: 'Military'
  11. Waltz in A-flat, op.42
  12. Waltz in A-flat, op.42
  13. Chant Polonaise, op.74 no.12: 'My Joys'
  14. Chant Polonaise, op.74 no.1: 'The Maiden's Wish'
  15. Nocturne in F-sharp, op.15 no.2
  16. Son No. 18 in E-flat, op.31 no.3: Second Movt - Scherzo

Tracks:

  1. Andante Spianato e Grande Polonaise, op.22
  2. Berceuse in D-flat, op.57
  3. Waltz in D-flat, op.64 no.1: 'Minute'
  4. Nocturne in F-sharp, op.15 no.2
  5. Song Without Words, op.4 no.4: 'Spinning Song'
  6. Polonaise in A, op.40 no.1: 'Military'
  7. Waltz in A-flat, op.42
  8. Nocturne in D-flat, op. 27 no.2
  9. Musical Snuff Box
  10. Son No.1 in C, op.24, Fourth Movt/Presto/Rondo 'Perpetual Motion'
  11. Nocturne in E-flat, op.9 no.2
  12. Waltz in D-flat, op.64 no.1: 'Minute'
  13. Liebestraum No.3 in A-flat
  14. Nocturne in D-flat, op.27 no.2
  15. Waltz in D-flat, op.64 no.1: 'Minute'
  16. Prld in c-sharp, op.3 no.2
  17. March, op.12 no.1
  18. Elegy
  19. Nocturne in F-sharp, op.15 no.2
  20. Waltz in E-flat, op.18, 'Valse Brilliante'
  21. Rondo capriccioso in E, op.14
  22. Ste Bergamasque: 'Clair de lune'
  23. Melodie from Orfeo Ed Euridice

Amazon.com

Transfer whiz Ward Marston presents a treasure trove designed to lure both pianophiles and archivists alike. For starters, Hofmann's 1935 Victor test recordings include all known alternate takes. Encores from a 1938 Philadelphia concert reveal the pianist's superficial side, but a careful representation from his problematic Bell Telephone Hour broadcasts flesh out Hofmann's recorded repertoire with a simple, unforced Debussy Claire de Lune and a rollicking Prokofiev March, op. 12, no. 1. Best of all are five 1935 HMV tests, of which Chopin's F-sharp Nocturne, A- flat Waltz, op. 42, and Chopin/Liszt Maiden's Wish reveal Hofmann at his most unhurried, aristocratic, and purposeful. A home recording of Gluck/Sgambati Mélodie from Orfeo caps this important collection, garnished with superb annotations. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Which Hofmann?.......2004-09-06

Hofmann - particularly late Hofmann - may be an acquired taste.
Despite having been the protégé of Anton Rubinstein, "the wonderful boy" was recognized from quite an early age as the exemplar of a modern style of playing - textually faithful, eschewing swooning or bombast. (See, for example, the references to Hofmann in Henry Lahee's wonderful survey from 1900, Famous Pianists of Today and Yesterday.)
Still, a number of younger colleagues expressed ambivalence. Horowitz was floored by Hofmann's keyboard command - everyone was - but he, Artur Rubinstein and Arrau, to name just three - seem not to have been terribly moved by Hofmann's musicianship.
But which Hofmann are we considering? His playing for the gramophone - as early as 1903 and as late as 1935 - was as disciplined as it was imaginative and dazzling. The late Harold Schonberg called it "perfection plus."
However, as Gregor Benko makes clear in his essays for the Marston reissues, Hofmann switched on what the pianist called a "spectacular" style for many public performances. This may sound cynical. Often it sounds terribly cynical. Hofmann was not speaking merely of the need to project in a large concert hall. In public performance - at least those performances we have from the late `30s and early `40s - the aristocrat often becomes a mountebank, lurching from the softest pianissimos to explosive fortissimos, rattling off passages or entire pieces even faster than Simon Barere boasted he could do.
Schonberg - and Hofmann's friend and admirer Rachmaninoff - reminded us that during this period Hofmann had many personal troubles, including a severe drinking problem. We must believe that at his greatest Hofmann played as scrupulously and with as much refined feeling in public as he did on many of his studio recordings, though his manner may have differed somewhat. And there are some marvelous live performances. The Rubinstein 4th from his Golden Jubilee concert beggars description.
So where does that leave us? As an introduction to Hofmann, I would recommend the early Columbia recordings, those he made somewhat later for Brunswick, and the American and British test pressings from 1935 - perhaps his greatest recorded playing. These are Volumes 3, 4 and 5 of the complete Hofmann series. Serious listeners will also want the ups and downs of the Golden Jubilee (Volume 2). The Chopin concertos in Volume 1 have some splendid moments, but the superlative (not spectacular; superlative) performance there is a fragment of the first movement of the E minor concerto performed in London -- far more poised and committed than its counterpart from New York. (I wonder if Hofmann played differently in America than he did in Europe? Some musicians - for instance, Mahler, Toscanini, Bernstein - for varying reasons apparently did.)
Having said all this, the entire Hofmann series is priceless. Heartfelt thanks to Gregor Benko and Ward Marston for making it available in superb transfers with fascinating notes.

5 out of 5 stars Hofmann -- Phenomenal, as usual.......2000-03-20

Volume 5 contains two CD's that reflect performances of Josef Hofmann from 1935 to 1948. The surface noise is relatively decent, compared to volumes 3 & 4. The performances are phenomenal, although slipping somewhat as Hofmann aged. There is some repetition, such as 5 takes of the Waltz in A Flat, opus 42. My assumption is that anyone interested in Hofmann will start by getting Volumes 1 & 2 -- the Chopin Concertos and the 1937 Golden Jubilee Recital. Beyond that, choosing among Volumes 3 - 6, Volume 5 offers the best combination of relatively low surface noise and Hofmann in good shape, with a wide selection of shorter pieces. There are a few rarities, such as Hofmann playing the first movement of the Chopin Sonata Opus 58, the second movement of the Beethoven Opus 31-3, and the Debussy Clair de Lune.

Track Listings:

  1. The Complete Recordings Of Chopin
  2. The Hyperion Schubert Edition 23 / Christoph Prégardien, Graham Johnson
  3. The Hyperion Schubert Edition 30 - Winterreise / Goerne, Johnson
  4. The Intimate Schubert-Four Great Duos and Trios
  5. The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the World...Ever! [Import]
  6. The Polish Tradition
  7. This Marriage
  8. Thomas Tallis: The Lamentations of Jeremiah/Salvator mundi/O sacrum convivium/Mass for Four Voices/Absterge Domine
  9. Tomas Luis de Victoria: Missa 'Vidi Speciosam'
  10. Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4; Fantasia on Greensleeves

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Pure Therapy [Import]

Strauss Festival 2

Six Silver Strings [Import]

Orchestra Superstring

When White Becomes Black [Explicit Lyrics]

The Dynasty - A NuHouse Compilation

The Complete Commodore Recordings

Rzewski: DeProfundis/Piano Piece No.4/Piano Sonata/Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues

The Moon Was Blue

Solid State

That's Not What I Heard

The Fabulous Wailers

The DJ in the Mix [Import]

Michael Card ~ 8 Great Hits

Ellington