Josef Hofmann plays Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3 ('live')

[@elainemarietta]

After listening to Hofmann, I have no desire to listen to any other pianist. My words cannot express the depth of the beauty of his interpretations.

[@anthonyzamora2955]

This is exactly how I feel about his playing. It's just magical.

[@shenhe6281]

My friend was an admirer of Arrau. When he came to my place to listen to Hofmann, compared with Arrau, he said Hofmann had much better control!

[@Fritz_Maisenbacher]

hmmm .... what can I add to your judjment ... ? This is priceless, perfect inspiration ... and moving. Music in its best sense and way, free, brilliant and deep. Josef Hofmann.

[@MegaLajeunesse]

@@anthonyzamora2955 😍

[@kakoou3362]

from the the first melodic note it hits my heart

[@Ellatigojusticiero]

Wonderful interpretation, perfect, virtuosity and taste,

[@dorfmanjones]

And critics have called him 'cold.' Have you ever heard a vocal line delivered like that on a piano?

[@岸田真-i2s]

信じ難いほどの完璧さ

[@Palestrina-us8sv]

In my opinion he plays the 0:55-1:00 part the best way - with constant tempo. It sounds so magical

[@oscarpliego1001]

Sí lo tocó bien, aunque no terminó de tocar todas las notas de la cadenza.

[@tomasgarcia9565]

Thanks

[@marcgoodman4228]

True about the special pianos that Hofmann designed with slightly smaller keys with the ivory down the sides as well. The fold back lid is less than 1/2 the size of a normal piano to give more of a background to project his great tone. The underside of the sustain pedal is polished so he would not scar his highly polished shoes when he put his foot there to make a big, wonderful crash. It seems the "Steinway accelerated action" originally the "Hofmann Action" that he developed. It also seems the Steinway destroyed the special Hofmann pianos that they used to store for him!!

[@scrutinizer0136]

It looks like some sort of gossip: "the special pianos that Hofmann designed with slightly smaller keys with the ivory down the sides as well. The fold back lid is less than 1/2 the size of a normal piano to give more of a background to project his great to", haha. What's the proof?

[@gerryr1852]

+Marc Goodman Steinway built pianos specifically for Hofmann. However you left out the fact that Hofmann preferred two pedals to three, so those special pianos, of which quite a few were made, only had two pedals.

[@kenimprov]

"Hand Size and the Piano Keyboard.- Technical and Musical Benefits for Pianists Using Reduced-Size Keyboards Hand Size and the Piano Keyboard." Boyle and Boyle (2009)

[@frazzledude]

I own the original Steinway accelerated action piano. It is a 1931 model M baby grand with a mahogany case. It is autographed by Hofmann and Theodore E. Steinway.

[@elainemarietta]

Understand he had very small hands and Steinway made 2 custom pianos for him with slightly narrower keys.

[@tobiolopainto]

They did, but he never played in public with them

[@dim19f]

A couple of mistakes were never a problem.

[@markbordelon1601]

Has that matter-of-fact tempo and octave legato of a piano roll.

[@dorfmanjones]

That's no roll.

[@AulicExclusiva]

@stoklund 1941.

[@pianopera]

From what year is this recording?

[@christopherczajasager9030]

Liszt ohne Schmalz😅

[@Fritz_Maisenbacher]

But the end is too narrow. Too dry.

[@uliwidmaier5192]

It happens, of course, that one disagrees with, or simply doesn't like, the interpretation of a truly great musician (Horowitz, Hofmann, Rubinstein, Richter, and so on). If so, one has to be very careful. I've always felt that it might be my standards, my expectations, my taste, that are at fault (or just insufficiently developed), rather the the pianist's.

[@Overproted]

There are a couple of mistakes

[@junhuichen4740]

Yes Arrau

[@stoklund]

From what year is this recording?