I admire his freedom with making decisive brushstrokes for phrasing! I wish someone today would be able to play with a vision of the whole structure like this, rather than going from note to perfect note. But it is probably an art that could have only been produced in its time. Thank you so much for posting Truecrypt, if you are still there--through your videos you have been my teacher
Who else could this be but Hofmann? Every note is stamped with his unique identity as pianist and interpreter. His inimitable melodic declamation and shaping, his orchestral vertical dynamic relations, and not least, his understanding of the psychology of Chopin's message. Hofmann's restraint in the doppio movimento keeps the music in character, solidifying the pathetic drama. No apologies are necessary for this masterful performance!
Might be the most unique performance I have heard of this work. In the doppio movimento part, he does things I dont understand how fingers are capable of, truly extraordinary
one of the greatest recordings of all times. expressive and free, yet aristrocratic and restrained. mesmerizing shading of colors, voicing and tempo rubato. never heard a crescendo on a single note on the piano? well, give 1:04 a try ... i am hypnotized.
There's great drama in this interpretation, much more than in other nocturne recordings he made. I hear moments which remind me of the Funeral march of the second sonata and the Barcarolle. So this is both daring in its extreme dynamics and vibrato as well as desparate in his overall interpretation. So Hofmann remains unique in his playing, even in later years. It is a pity that nowadays people mostly listen to check on errors and fail to be moved as Chopin and Liszt intended them to be...
When Brahms was playing something or other, someone pointed out to him that he had missed a note. Brahms only response was something like, "Any idiot could have told me that." It takes a little more to hear the aristocratic phrasing, the layered dynamics, and the gentle heart that lies just on the other side of those notes.
merci pour l'enregistrement extraordinaire jeu harmonique dans un nocturne complexe qui sature sur le plan sonore sous les doigts de nombreux autres pianistes;quelle confidence nous fait Hofmann dans la partie centrale! que les mots sont pauvres pour traduire cette pulsation obsédante du thème merci encore!
First time ever listening to Hofmann... one of the best interpretations of the piece in my opinion. As Rachmaninoff once said, "There's Hofmann and then there's me."
This is such miraculous playing of this masterpiece. Tone is so expressive and noble, so utterly beautiful and unique, but it always stays natural, it never becomes sentimental. The sense of rubato is beyond belief! Totally fascinating.
These young people are good pianists and excellent "reproducers/executors". The main difference between them and Hofmann - if you'd ask them to play Nocturne No.14 after, they probably couldn't do it. For Hofmann it was an act of improvisation, for them - act of execution. They (Lim, Igoshina, Halim) do it well - polished, flawless - but still like a glossy photo on the front page of Sport Illustrated (swimsuit edition) ;)
Of course hoffman knew more pieces than international concert pianist today But he knew exactly what to do and where note by note before playing” see Bolet interview about him”, the difference is in the perception of the music , the technical, the ideas and originality and respect of authentic music towards the executant
It's surprising how natural and convincing this piece still sounds despite all this. If I had not seen the score, I would have still believed this was the real thing and one of Chopin's greatest, most tragic works. I guess only someone like Hofmann could do this!
Of course all three pianists feel this music... but they also miss something very important - bitterness. They play it *beautifully* when it should be *painful*. They play it, Hofmann SPEAKS it. I don't mean performer should suffer in his life to be able to express these fillings, but may be just a little suffering would help those young souls to find less generic approach.
I agree 100%. It is difficult to express pain when you have never really felt it yourself. In this performance I can hear a lot of pain and resignation. In stark contrast to his earlier performances.
Rosen didn't "need" to listen to the recordings, he heard him many times live, probably more than once "sober and in the mood"...this must have been an unforgettable acoustic marvel, and no recording can compete of course with the memory of that experience...how I envy him! Personally, I am even flabbergasted with many of the studio recordings Hofmann made (for example, the early "Erkönig" or the Brunswick recordings)...yes, he was one of the greatest pianists of the 20th Century, no doubt.
Thanks for your insightful comments, Camaysar. H sees the agitato as an "inner agitato" so that the pianist does not have to "add" any agitation but it speaks for itself. The beauty of Chopin, of all the composers for the piano, is that his music is open to multiple interpretations. I agree that "agitato" does not, of itself add speed, but probably inner hastening and slowing rubatos, as in the middle section of the E major nocturne. I enjoy H's interpretatation, of course.
The Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 2 VAI AUDIO, 2 CDs 1937 Golden Jubilee Concert and other live recordings. Recorded March 24, 1945 at Carnegie Hall, New York City
I can only imagine what such freedom at the piano feels like. Technical difficulties clearly did not exist for Hofmann, nor for his great colleagues Josef Lhevinne, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Leopold Godowsky. Pianists such as I have to work at it and still don't come close.
Dear licentiousOne, I never stop marveling at human rudeness, ignorance and unwillingness to see something bigger beyond missed notes. Sometimes great art opens to chosen ones only - those with kind heart, open mind and clean hands. It's only logical you can't see beauty here - you don't deserve it.
This is a very audacious thing to say, i.e., if you don't hear it, you don't deserve it. But I agree with you, and I am glad you had the courage to say it. Magnificence is sometimes hard to hear if you're only tuned into trivia.
Amazing independence of voices, and a singing melody separated from the other voices. Only Rachmaninoff had this capacity IMHO, and not even Artur Rubinstein's gorgeous rendition compares..... Just WOW.
Another great example of Hofmann showing fantastic independence of voices is in the filmed performance of him playing Rachmaninoff's c-sharp minor Prelude, especially the opening, where the 'bells' of the 3 note melody ring out. A bit of music we're all (over)familiar with, but I've yet to hear anyone else do this more effectively then Hofmann.
While this is a very nice performance, I have to agree. Nobody plays this better than Rubinstein. He simply OWNED it. That said, if Rachmaninov or Lhevinne recorded this, I'd probably be extolling their virtues instead.
Hofmann was a pure genius. He defined Chopin for the 20th century. Sadly, later in his life he suffered from the disease of alcoholism. That said, his piano art is practically without parallel.
+jsphotos Yes, I would say Cortot, Hofmann and Lipatti defined Chopin for the 20th century. Correct me if I forget someone (but not Arthur Rubinstein please).
+Richard Schubert Why not Rubinstein? In my opinion his mazurkas and nocturnes are the best versions ever and I think It's impossible to play them better than Rubinstein and I'm from Poland and listen to Polish folk music so I know how it should be played.
I am currently being taught by polish man who was schooled in Poland with some renowned teachers apparently and he also says he knows how Chopin should be played however if I might ask you ... Do you consider dinu lapatti's waltz 69 2 to be incorrectly interpreted from a polish view as my teacher said that the last notes of the phrases should never be louder ? I have found information that romantic type pianists tend to make last notes of phrases softer and less romantic more solemn sober refined technicians sorry can't remember the correct word for them but two types pianist overall the other ending phrase with louder notes.
Cziffra1980 is, I believe, correct. It's an exquisite, very highly nuanced performance. As for alcohol, Aardvaark069, I drink a half-gallon of cheap wine daily, and I don't even APPROXIMATE this level of pianistic genius.
Absolute masterwork. Especially in the last part (the Doppio Movimento). What an incredible sense of phrasing, of dynamic differentiation of parts.... My absolute favourite here, with Samson Francois.
This is extraordinary. Phrases are broken because they are supposed to be, but at the same time the Hofmann sound allows our ears to reconstruct the whole long line. The tempo is PERFECT, as it allows the Doppio Movimento section to be twice as fast without sounding frantic and out of control, or even worse, mechanical without any lyrical value. Thanks for posting!!!
exactly. Wouldn't even bother to answer this comment, not exactly the same intellectual level, obviously. Petty, ridiculous. How anybody dares to critisize Hofmann instead of learning as much as one can from it, is beyond me .Thank you for posting these absolutely fabulous recordings, you are doing a terrific job, kindest regards :)
My mother said he was the greatest pianist ever, although he was not perfect. To be the greatest and to be the more close to perfection are two different things. She knew her piano, so I'm sure she was right. This is a summit in art i think.
The very very best pianist of the modern era! Read his biography and see what went on in his live. Not just music but a mind capable of many mechnical inventions. He had a full machine shop in his basement in suburban Philadelphia. Thank you Josef Hofmann for sharing your gift with us all over the years.
Talk about suffering -- I'm suffering right now and this interpretation makes it better by making it worse. I love your channel, truecrypt, because sometimes you have to go back to the old-school (how's that for a layman's term?) artists in order to find someone who understands the sheer beauty that can come out of touching the bottom limits of life. The(maybe) lost ideal of real tragic beauty is revived whenever someone plays a minor nocturne with this kind of heart-wringing pain in it.
@cellotune This is not an example of Hofmann's top... At that period his art was in decline (relatively speaking, of course...) Hofmann probably played this Nocturne "by ear" - he was famous for playing pieces without practice for years. Despite all technical imperfections phrasing and intonation are amazing. Consider this as a "rough draft" made by great artist. There is a lot to learn from Hofmann even when he wasn't at his best.
The way this recording sways is remarkable. The gap of time between the theme and where he punctuates with the bass chords is rather original, I believe.
Charles Rosen mentions this recording in his review on Hamilton's book, calling it "a truly inspired and exquisite performance" that gave a good idea what Hofmann could do when he was "in the mood"...
I'm glad you mentioned that! This question "tortured" me for a long time... There are several "theories", but I think Liszt instantly saw that Anton Rubinstein is an *equal one*. Liszt was wise enough to let Rubinstein to find his own way.
This accurate and artistically sensitive assessment of latter Hofmann reminds me of Coleridge's famous line about the actor Edmund Kean (another 'genius' debilitated eventually by drink.) He could touch greatness in one scene...and 'miss' in another: "Seeing him act was like reading Shakespeare by flashes of lightning."
I have already commented on this recording before, but I am somewhat amazed at your amaze. You must not have listened to many recordings. Of the versions of this work on youtube alone, the differences between the top three or four are minimal. Hardly worth such raving harangue. The "boring technical piano brats" reveals clearly your strong worship of the past. In this particular case, the one deserving the worship is definitely CHOPIN.
I don't see anything criminal in this outstanding, yes, outstanding rendition... And, yes, I have heard quite a lot of fine performances of this piece. 8)
Hofmann's early studio recordings and his live performances are as different as night and day. I can understand that from only listening to his early studio recordings one could think Hofmann is a great technician but only a decent musician. After having listened to his live recordings, I think he ties with Cortot and Lipatti for the greatest musician and ties with Horowitz for the greatest technician (though certainly not in these late recordings anymore) - which makes him the overall greatest pianist.
I love the people you mentioned, but seriously, Rachmaninov was the greatest musician on record, IMHO (save for his recording of Chopin's 2nd scherzo, which is not even anything remotely special). Josef Lhevinne and Walter Gieseking surpassed Sergei at times. But Lhevinne was neurotic and Gieseking scarcely ever practiced (and his idea of making a recording was to show up, play once through, and leave, which gives you an idea of his phenomenal talent). Early Cortot and early Horowitz were certainly forces to be reckoned with, but many of their later recordings were not the same. Lipatti is worshipped by many, and he was certainly a superb poet of the piano (with plenty of technique to boot), but he doesn't even orbit the same planet as Rachmaninov. A good example is Chopin's Op. 18 Waltz. Rachmaninov's performance is pure genius. Lipatti sounds like pretty much everyone. Nothing special at all. This is not to disparage Lipatti's other Chopin waltz interpretations, some of which are probably the best on record. I merely point this out to illustrate the difference between a true titan and a "mere" extraordinary talent. Of course we'll never know what Lipatti might have become had he lived into his prime. Tragic. Ditto Kapell.
6 лет назад
that andante spianato and grande polonaise live is one of the most astonishing performances of anything that I have ever heard.
Well, after reading all the discussion, I guess it's a good thing I don't have the score in front of me so that all I can judge his playing on is. . . the music he makes. Wonderful.
I appreciate the good will towards the common ground, truecrypt. I am sorry about the singing of the old songs, but thanks for helping to listen to them. There should be new songs to sing now, the issue is to find them.
Turbulence, not loudness. The accompaniment must, of course, be ppp as it consists of many notes supporting a single-note melody. To obtain the "agitato" there should be "micro" and "macro" rubato [within the bar and within the phrase]. I also enjoyed Hofmann's interpretation. I have lived & breathed the nocturnes for many years now. Everyone's interpretation of a Chopin Nocturne is different. Each can put his or her own heart and soul into it. That's why Chopin's music is so universal.
The way he plays it takes away all the drama of the piece. He breakes the tension all the time. Listen to Sofronitsky, you'll understand what I'm saying
Pianists do not create tone; piano technicians do. Pianists DO have control over articulations, however (the space between the notes, the attack, and-to an extent-the release). And it was there where Hofmann really shined in his passagework. Hi so-called jeu perlé was unmatched not because he was possessed of some supernatural power to create a beautiful piano tone (physically impossible), but because he had immaculate control over the precise attack and release of each key. His rhythmic control had a lot to do with it, and he would often play passages with 22 notes in one hand while the other played 6 IN PERFECT time, or close to it. Every other pianist typically indulges in rubato. While I find Hofmann's method to be somewhat unmusical, it's hard to deny the striking effect that it produces. It certainly set him apart, in any case. But this is just one more idiosyncratic thing about Hofmann, like his completely out-of-place thundering bass lines/chords. You can't deny that he was a serious talent, but he's never been my guy. Sergei has that distinction, and likely always will.
He never played this at the 1937 Golden Jubilee. However the VAI recording (Volume 2) also included some recordings from later on, c.1945 I believe. This is one of them. I don't think he ever recorded it other than this one instance.
Very interesting, Rabid, your aversion to the perfect, flawless. If so, I should let you hear some of my interpretations of Chopin nocturnes ... you should love them!... my imperfections would leave you moved to the core.
Thanks, carlinhos. My best wishes for your enjoyment of music, old AND new. This venue is not really a place to "respect" other's opinions, but to discuss in good faith about the subject of the videos. This one is about Chopin's nocturne #13. Great music, I think it is among his best. Have a good day. :)
despite the poor sound quality that poorly relays the sound of the real live performance this sounds like a stunning interpretation. The doppio section is a little slow to my liking but stunningly beautiful ............ My favorite renditions of this nocturne are that of Artur Rubinstein and Guoimar Novaes. If you do not know the Novaes Chopin recordings What are you waiting for. They were published by Vox
Here is a snippet from some liner notes... 'Pianist Harold Bauer, writing in his autobiography, included a valuable chapter on interpretation, in which he recounts being present on an occasion in the 1880s when Paderewski was playing a Brahms trio with some colleagues. The score called for a diminuendo in a certain spot, and the great Pole wanted to play a crescendo. The others objected, to which Paderewski replied, "The point is not what is written but what the musical effect should be."'
Not sure if I agree with that at all, regarding the final statement of the theme. Most pianist bang the repeated chords and lose the cantabile. Hofmann offers an exceptionally lyrical rendition of the theme but not a settled one. I would have liked more intensity at times in the short crescendos, but this is far greater than any other performance I have heard.
To clarify what "Romantic style" playing is: you can think of it as intrepretation of the music that is very loose (through many different ways) in order to convey emotion very strongly/plainly. As with many artistic movements they teeter-totter one way or another and modernism is an answer to Romanticism--not to be confused with the music period, which gave birth to that style of playing--in that the performers respect what is written in the music very deeply. Not so with the Romanticists.
I understand what you say, gerard. But I believe that H takes a more subtle and "psychological" approach. It is all too easy to blast out the theme in a frenzy at this point, as most pianists do. But the nature of the theme is not turbulent. Hofmann sees this, and opts instead for dramatic under-statement, using the triplets as a below-the-surface unsettling addition to the theme. The effect is darker than turbulence... a much deeper solution. Well, my opinion, anyway.
I've had fun reading through the comments here. How very very sad I feel for those who can't/don't feel what is contained here, or recognize the artistic mastery involved in the expression. Maybe in his better days Hoffman's performance would have been cleaner....but would it have been better? Quite possibly not.
@brahmschumann seems you do understand Chopin's music and what he wanted for this nocturne. :) i recommend you listen to Valentina Lisitsa's interpretation of this nocturne. Not all pianists play this nocturne like it was meant to. it seems many pianists start this nocturne a little too fast and the Doppio Movimento section is played a little rushed but Hoffman and Valentina understand this like Chopin would have wanted....
Chopin's scheme is that the theme is presented as noble, tragic and stoic but when it returns it is emotional, agitated and distressed. The mood of the exposition never returns. Indeed, after the emotional turbulence of the climax of the middle section, such a return is not psychologically possible. The turbulence must continue until it is consummated by the final emotional collapse and catharsis of the coda. Hofmann does not follow this scheme. Do people agree with my above thoughts?
I think you have very valid points, truecrypt. But I cannot yet imagine that these three don't feel all there is to feel in this music. Can there be a person who dedicates his/her life to the difficult art of piano who is NOT absolutely blown away by Chopin's nocturnes? Could it be that each CHOOSES what feelings to emphasize, according to their schooling? How could they include all the possible choices of harmonic, melodic lines that can be added? Is it not better to be sparing with that?
Hofmann shouldn't be considered a prime example Romantic style player, even though he is considered today to be a prime example of one. Yes, he did take some liberties with the music but he doesn't do rolled chords, doesn't COMPLETELY disregard dynamic markings, and doesn't do mini/extended rubato/acclerando. (Compare to Padreweski, Rachmaninoff, Cortot, etc.) Probably the most noticeable aspect about his Chopin from modern style is that he doesn't play it slow, which IS a modern aspect.
wow ........ I must say that this is awesome... I have always preferred the performance of this nocture by Rubinstein and Novaes I will add this one to my list.... Argerich's is stunning but too fast and icy...
I think you have a point, truecrypt. I am starting to appreciate this recording. There is much beauty in the sadness of Chopin's music, and Hofmann definitely can convey the despair better than the others. Now I have gained the gift of choice, to enjoy both the more sad and the more generic versions. BTW, the fact that the "generic" is not the saddest one, does it say something about us living in happier times?
I don't separate performer and performance... but I also don't judge by the missed or wrong notes (unless they ruin the impression). Your comment doesn't distress me, but I feel sorry for people who are musically impaired to the point of complete inability to hear anything beyond couple missed notes.
Type in "Krystian Zimerman interview" in the search bar, and click the first video. He references Cortot and his "diving under the distortion" and that a "clean" recording of his playing was "absolutely terrible". This is discussed near the end of this video - skip to 8:30.
Sick rendition . I love it . Sick interpretation for sick music . Wonderful . Who is playing ? Hofmann ? Certainly not . Cortot ? No wrong notes enough . Some mad russian ? Perhaps .... or truecrypt himself in Odessa in 1937 when he shot down his girlfriend after a night of alcoholic despair ? I don't know .....
A small point. I've never seen anything in writing that used the word "sober" as a qualification for this assertion of his friend's primacy among pianists. However, it is fair to interprete his use of the phrase "in the mood" to have been used euphemistically. If anyone has seen an instance where Rachmaninoff refered directly on Hofmann's alcoholism, I'd be grateful to be directed to the reference.
See Harold Schonberg's book The Great Pianists from Mozart to the Present; Rach refers directly to Hofmann's alcoholism. Sorry I can't tell you the page or chapter. www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00E1P40FQ/ref=sr_1_3_olp/139-4949189-6925118?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1495179909&sr=1-3&keywords=the+great+pianists+schonberg
'When you criticize, when you analyze something, you may say and write anything you like except intentionally incorrect things about which, the writer, know absolutely nothing. It is just about this which I wish to speak, in order, finally, to relieve some critics of the attractive desire to report things they know nothing about.' - Bulgakov
Rubinstein is always at least decent in general, his recording of this is rather good, i've always liked his older recordings than the one he made in his old age. Less restraint and more better physical prowess. His recording of this on RUclips is really rhythmically poetic but its too restrained for me, not saying it is not excellent. I don't really care for Ashkenazy's, to be honest, I don't feel much structure to it. Hess is probably my favorite now.
I try to make my posts as subjective (my views) as possible when I put down my thoughts on it, rather than saying "It is *this* or *that*". I put a lot of care into it, so I got irritated by your resopnse... I'm not a good friend you know well and can joke around with :D... I still stand by my statements about Igoshina, but I have to agree that Lim was playing in a highly stressful event, it is the Chopin Competition after all.
We differ not only in listening opinions but also in depth of English then; you take time to criticize what I literally write instead of reading what I actually write in order to what? Attack me? I am merely stating my opinion on what I feel. If you cannot understand why being TOO polished/flawless can be a bad thing... Then do not even bother arguing against my opinion: it's useless. Lastly, as with language, music can be read AND "spoken" in many different ways.
Yes, Hofmann could "get away" with relatively lousy performance due to certain reasons. By the end of his life he had problems... Let's discuss how far "behind" Hofman is, when one of these young pianists will be able to play more than 200 pieces within couple weeks... or to play ANY piece by "order" from audience. I understand your position, but with all respect, even these three all together won't be equal to half of Hofmann...
Glad you've read (or heard about) Andersen... Your knowledge of Russian and French people even more impressive. I also like your writing style - very unpretentious, extremely well put. If only Hofmann could take couple lessons from you...
I was just pointing out the outcome of the whole thing. YOu would think it would happen like this if Liszt took him as a student lol. so we can say "some-what rejected". Some-what because liszt rejected him after he performed for liszt. and liszt said something like "you must find your own way" and I think thats when anton became a philosopher for some years before going back to performing or writing pieces or something like that...
Hi RabidCh. I also find Hess's performance great, too bad the poor reconrding quality.. I keep finding excellent versions of this nocturne. These days my favorite is Rubinstein. Also Ashkenazy is a pleasure to hear. I come to realize that the difference between performances is kind of trivial compared to the great difference in Chopin vs. no-Chopin. :)
To be fair, if you read my first comment, I was simply assenting with another person's observation; typing a constructive analysis of Hoffman's playing was never my intention.
Simply unbelievable... How privileged are we to hear this performance!
I admire his freedom with making decisive brushstrokes for phrasing! I wish someone today would be able to play with a vision of the whole structure like this, rather than going from note to perfect note. But it is probably an art that could have only been produced in its time. Thank you so much for posting Truecrypt, if you are still there--through your videos you have been my teacher
Yes yes and yes! Too emotionally overwhelmed after listening 😪 to this 🎶
I can do that. I will record within 3 weeks.
Who else could this be but Hofmann? Every note is stamped with his unique identity as pianist and interpreter. His inimitable melodic declamation and shaping, his orchestral vertical dynamic relations, and not least, his understanding of the psychology of Chopin's message. Hofmann's restraint in the doppio movimento keeps the music in character, solidifying the pathetic drama. No apologies are necessary for this masterful performance!
Wow. This is the best version of this Nocturne I have ever heard! Utter genius!
Might be the most unique performance I have heard of this work. In the doppio movimento part, he does things I dont understand how fingers are capable of, truly extraordinary
one of the greatest recordings of all times. expressive and free, yet aristrocratic and restrained. mesmerizing shading of colors, voicing and tempo rubato. never heard a crescendo on a single note on the piano? well, give 1:04 a try ... i am hypnotized.
1:04
There's great drama in this interpretation, much more than in other nocturne recordings he made. I hear moments which remind me of the Funeral march of the second sonata and the Barcarolle. So this is both daring in its extreme dynamics and vibrato as well as desparate in his overall interpretation. So Hofmann remains unique in his playing, even in later years. It is a pity that nowadays people mostly listen to check on errors and fail to be moved as Chopin and Liszt intended them to be...
yep
When Brahms was playing something or other, someone pointed out to him that he had missed a note. Brahms only response was something like, "Any idiot could have told me that." It takes a little more to hear the aristocratic phrasing, the layered dynamics, and the gentle heart that lies just on the other side of those notes.
I believe the story refers to someone pointing to Brahms that the main theme of his c-minor trio was similar to Chopin's 3d scherzo.
You are partially correct - phrases are broken... as composers' heart was.
As for "piece falling apart" - it may be "falling" but not quite...
merci pour l'enregistrement
extraordinaire jeu harmonique dans un nocturne complexe qui sature sur le plan sonore sous les doigts de nombreux autres pianistes;quelle confidence nous fait Hofmann dans la partie centrale!
que les mots sont pauvres pour traduire cette pulsation obsédante du thème
merci encore!
First time ever listening to Hofmann... one of the best interpretations of the piece in my opinion. As Rachmaninoff once said, "There's Hofmann and then there's me."
This is such miraculous playing of this masterpiece. Tone is so expressive and noble, so utterly beautiful and unique, but it always stays natural, it never becomes sentimental. The sense of rubato is beyond belief! Totally fascinating.
These young people are good pianists and excellent "reproducers/executors". The main difference between them and Hofmann - if you'd ask them to play Nocturne No.14 after, they probably couldn't do it. For Hofmann it was an act of improvisation, for them - act of execution. They (Lim, Igoshina, Halim) do it well - polished, flawless - but still like a glossy photo on the front page of Sport Illustrated (swimsuit edition) ;)
Of course hoffman knew more pieces than international concert pianist today
But he knew exactly what to do and where note by note before playing” see Bolet interview about him”, the difference is in the perception of the music , the technical, the ideas and originality and respect of authentic music towards the executant
It's surprising how natural and convincing this piece still sounds despite all this. If I had not seen the score, I would have still believed this was the real thing and one of Chopin's greatest, most tragic works. I guess only someone like Hofmann could do this!
Of course all three pianists feel this music... but they also miss something very important - bitterness. They play it *beautifully* when it should be *painful*.
They play it, Hofmann SPEAKS it.
I don't mean performer should suffer in his life to be able to express these fillings, but may be just a little suffering would help those young souls to find less generic approach.
I agree 100%. It is difficult to express pain when you have never really felt it yourself. In this performance I can hear a lot of pain and resignation. In stark contrast to his earlier performances.
Rosen didn't "need" to listen to the recordings, he heard him many times live, probably more than once "sober and in the mood"...this must have been an unforgettable acoustic marvel, and no recording can compete of course with the memory of that experience...how I envy him!
Personally, I am even flabbergasted with many of the studio recordings Hofmann made (for example, the early "Erkönig" or the Brunswick recordings)...yes, he was one of the greatest pianists of the 20th Century, no doubt.
Thanks for your insightful comments, Camaysar. H sees the agitato as an "inner agitato" so that the pianist does not have to "add" any agitation but it speaks for itself. The beauty of Chopin, of all the composers for the piano, is that his music is open to multiple interpretations. I agree that "agitato" does not, of itself add speed, but probably inner hastening and slowing rubatos, as in the middle section of the E major nocturne. I enjoy H's interpretatation, of course.
The Complete Josef Hofmann, Vol. 2
VAI AUDIO, 2 CDs
1937 Golden Jubilee Concert and other live recordings.
Recorded March 24, 1945 at Carnegie Hall, New York City
The effect of just taking the pedal off at 0:13 is already genius
I can only imagine what such freedom at the piano feels like. Technical difficulties clearly did not exist for Hofmann, nor for his great colleagues Josef Lhevinne, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Leopold Godowsky. Pianists such as I have to work at it and still don't come close.
I can cry by this performance!
He is a Semi-God!! amazing interpretation.
Dear licentiousOne,
I never stop marveling at human rudeness, ignorance and unwillingness to see something bigger beyond missed notes. Sometimes great art opens to chosen ones only - those with kind heart, open mind and clean hands. It's only logical you can't see beauty here - you don't deserve it.
This is a very audacious thing to say, i.e., if you don't hear it, you don't deserve it. But I agree with you, and I am glad you had the courage to say it. Magnificence is sometimes hard to hear if you're only tuned into trivia.
Beautiful! Thanks for posting!
Amazing independence of voices, and a singing melody separated from the other voices. Only Rachmaninoff had this capacity IMHO, and not even Artur Rubinstein's gorgeous rendition compares..... Just WOW.
+otto6891 Yes! He really has a fantastic melody line over the other voices!
Another great example of Hofmann showing fantastic independence of voices is in the filmed performance of him playing Rachmaninoff's c-sharp minor Prelude, especially the opening, where the 'bells' of the 3 note melody ring out. A bit of music we're all (over)familiar with, but I've yet to hear anyone else do this more effectively then Hofmann.
While this is a very nice performance, I have to agree. Nobody plays this better than Rubinstein. He simply OWNED it. That said, if Rachmaninov or Lhevinne recorded this, I'd probably be extolling their virtues instead.
I agree. As soon as I heard the first note I knew this was something that Artur Rubinstein can't do. It is a different world altogether.
... un'esecuzione così superlativa chissà quando ci sarà dato ascoltare!
Hofmann was a pure genius. He defined Chopin for the 20th century. Sadly, later in his life he suffered from the disease of alcoholism. That said, his piano art is practically without parallel.
+jsphotos A genius, yes, an alcoholic, certainly. A man who defined Chopin for the 20th century? Sorry, not likely.
+Papa mia Let's say that he was one of the few who defined Chopin in the 20th century.
+jsphotos Yes, I would say Cortot, Hofmann and Lipatti defined Chopin for the 20th century. Correct me if I forget someone (but not Arthur Rubinstein please).
+Richard Schubert Why not Rubinstein? In my opinion his mazurkas and nocturnes are the best versions ever and I think It's impossible to play them better than Rubinstein and I'm from Poland and listen to Polish folk music so I know how it should be played.
I am currently being taught by polish man who was schooled in Poland with some renowned teachers apparently and he also says he knows how Chopin should be played however if I might ask you ... Do you consider dinu lapatti's waltz 69 2 to be incorrectly interpreted from a polish view as my teacher said that the last notes of the phrases should never be louder ? I have found information that romantic type pianists tend to make last notes of phrases softer and less romantic more solemn sober refined technicians sorry can't remember the correct word for them but two types pianist overall the other ending phrase with louder notes.
Cziffra1980 is, I believe, correct. It's an exquisite, very highly nuanced performance. As for alcohol, Aardvaark069, I drink a half-gallon of cheap wine daily, and I don't even APPROXIMATE this level of pianistic genius.
Absolute masterwork. Especially in the last part (the Doppio Movimento). What an incredible sense of phrasing, of dynamic differentiation of parts....
My absolute favourite here, with Samson Francois.
No, Hofmann's performance is superb... you simply are not able to apprehend this level yet...
Choose your words carefully when judging great masters.
This is extraordinary. Phrases are broken because they are supposed to be, but at the same time the Hofmann sound allows our ears to reconstruct the whole long line. The tempo is PERFECT, as it allows the Doppio Movimento section to be twice as fast without sounding frantic and out of control, or even worse, mechanical without any lyrical value. Thanks for posting!!!
Haunting, sublime.
exactly. Wouldn't even bother to answer this comment, not exactly the same intellectual level, obviously. Petty, ridiculous. How anybody dares to critisize Hofmann instead of learning as much as one can from it, is beyond me .Thank you for posting these absolutely fabulous recordings, you are doing a terrific job, kindest regards :)
My mother said he was the greatest pianist ever, although he was not perfect. To be the greatest and to be the more close to perfection are two different things. She knew her piano, so I'm sure she was right. This is a summit in art i think.
Absolutely magnificent.
Hoffman one of the greatest of the greatest!!!!!
The very very best pianist of the modern era! Read his biography and see what went on in his live. Not just music but a mind capable of many mechnical inventions. He had a full machine shop in his basement in suburban Philadelphia. Thank you Josef Hofmann for sharing your gift with us all over the years.
Truecrypt, the best channel, a wonderful playing, and now also beautiful comments this....
All the best for you.
Talk about suffering -- I'm suffering right now and this interpretation makes it better by making it worse. I love your channel, truecrypt, because sometimes you have to go back to the old-school (how's that for a layman's term?) artists in order to find someone who understands the sheer beauty that can come out of touching the bottom limits of life. The(maybe) lost ideal of real tragic beauty is revived whenever someone plays a minor nocturne with this kind of heart-wringing pain in it.
Are u still alive ?
@cellotune
This is not an example of Hofmann's top... At that period his art was in decline (relatively speaking, of course...)
Hofmann probably played this Nocturne "by ear" - he was famous for playing pieces without practice for years.
Despite all technical imperfections phrasing and intonation are amazing. Consider this as a "rough draft" made by great artist. There is a lot to learn from Hofmann even when he wasn't at his best.
The way this recording sways is remarkable. The gap of time between the theme and where he punctuates with the bass chords is rather original, I believe.
Charles Rosen mentions this recording in his review on Hamilton's book, calling it "a truly inspired and exquisite performance" that gave a good idea what Hofmann could do when he was "in the mood"...
I'm glad you mentioned that!
This question "tortured" me for a long time... There are several "theories", but I think Liszt instantly saw that Anton Rubinstein is an *equal one*. Liszt was wise enough to let Rubinstein to find his own way.
This accurate and artistically sensitive assessment of latter Hofmann reminds me of Coleridge's famous line about the actor Edmund Kean (another 'genius' debilitated eventually by drink.) He could touch greatness in one scene...and 'miss' in another:
"Seeing him act was like reading Shakespeare by flashes of lightning."
I have already commented on this recording before, but I am somewhat amazed at your amaze. You must not have listened to many recordings. Of the versions of this work on youtube alone, the differences between the top three or four are minimal. Hardly worth such raving harangue.
The "boring technical piano brats" reveals clearly your strong worship of the past. In this particular case, the one deserving the worship is definitely CHOPIN.
I don't see anything criminal in this outstanding, yes, outstanding rendition... And, yes, I have heard quite a lot of fine performances of this piece. 8)
Hofmann's early studio recordings and his live performances are as different as night and day. I can understand that from only listening to his early studio recordings one could think Hofmann is a great technician but only a decent musician. After having listened to his live recordings, I think he ties with Cortot and Lipatti for the greatest musician and ties with Horowitz for the greatest technician (though certainly not in these late recordings anymore) - which makes him the overall greatest pianist.
I am in complete agreement with you.
I love the people you mentioned, but seriously, Rachmaninov was the greatest musician on record, IMHO (save for his recording of Chopin's 2nd scherzo, which is not even anything remotely special). Josef Lhevinne and Walter Gieseking surpassed Sergei at times. But Lhevinne was neurotic and Gieseking scarcely ever practiced (and his idea of making a recording was to show up, play once through, and leave, which gives you an idea of his phenomenal talent). Early Cortot and early Horowitz were certainly forces to be reckoned with, but many of their later recordings were not the same. Lipatti is worshipped by many, and he was certainly a superb poet of the piano (with plenty of technique to boot), but he doesn't even orbit the same planet as Rachmaninov. A good example is Chopin's Op. 18 Waltz. Rachmaninov's performance is pure genius. Lipatti sounds like pretty much everyone. Nothing special at all. This is not to disparage Lipatti's other Chopin waltz interpretations, some of which are probably the best on record. I merely point this out to illustrate the difference between a true titan and a "mere" extraordinary talent. Of course we'll never know what Lipatti might have become had he lived into his prime. Tragic. Ditto Kapell.
that andante spianato and grande polonaise live is one of the most astonishing performances of anything that I have ever heard.
Well, after reading all the discussion, I guess it's a good thing I don't have the score in front of me so that all I can judge his playing on is. . . the music he makes.
Wonderful.
I appreciate the good will towards the common ground, truecrypt. I am sorry about the singing of the old songs, but thanks for helping to listen to them. There should be new songs to sing now, the issue is to find them.
Turbulence, not loudness. The accompaniment must, of course, be ppp as it consists of many notes supporting a single-note melody. To obtain the "agitato" there should be "micro" and "macro" rubato [within the bar and within the phrase]. I also enjoyed Hofmann's interpretation. I have lived & breathed the nocturnes for many years now. Everyone's interpretation of a Chopin Nocturne is different. Each can put his or her own heart and soul into it. That's why Chopin's music is so universal.
этот Ноктюрн кроме Гофмана фантастически исполнял Эмиль Гилельс
The way he plays it takes away all the drama of the piece. He breakes the tension all the time.
Listen to Sofronitsky, you'll understand what I'm saying
Jak Chopin by chciał nie wiadomo .Interpretacji Hofmana nie można zapomnieć są szczególnie swoiste.☘️☘️
The colors he paints are fantastic, and his singing tone has no equal..
+Andrew Strasfogel Well said!
Pianists do not create tone; piano technicians do. Pianists DO have control over articulations, however (the space between the notes, the attack, and-to an extent-the release). And it was there where Hofmann really shined in his passagework. Hi so-called jeu perlé was unmatched not because he was possessed of some supernatural power to create a beautiful piano tone (physically impossible), but because he had immaculate control over the precise attack and release of each key. His rhythmic control had a lot to do with it, and he would often play passages with 22 notes in one hand while the other played 6 IN PERFECT time, or close to it. Every other pianist typically indulges in rubato. While I find Hofmann's method to be somewhat unmusical, it's hard to deny the striking effect that it produces. It certainly set him apart, in any case. But this is just one more idiosyncratic thing about Hofmann, like his completely out-of-place thundering bass lines/chords. You can't deny that he was a serious talent, but he's never been my guy. Sergei has that distinction, and likely always will.
@@karlportland3280 "pianists do not create tone"
"he was possessed of some supernatural power to create a beautiful tone"
We are in full agreement, Rabid. Thanks for your clarifications, and your patience.
thanks for this astounding posting
Dear scandenavius;
Thank you so much! You made my day!!! ;)
He never played this at the 1937 Golden Jubilee. However the VAI recording (Volume 2) also included some recordings from later on, c.1945 I believe. This is one of them. I don't think he ever recorded it other than this one instance.
The 1937 Golden Jubilee Concert I have myself on vinyl, and this is not on it, so it should be from 1945, thanks!
This performance is toweringly musical and to those who cannot hear that well fortunately for you there is sudoku.
Well... You just added another "masterpiece comment" to my collection ...
So Beautiful.
Very interesting, Rabid, your aversion to the perfect, flawless. If so, I should let you hear some of my interpretations of Chopin nocturnes ... you should love them!... my imperfections would leave you moved to the core.
Thanks, carlinhos. My best wishes for your enjoyment of music, old AND new. This venue is not really a place to "respect" other's opinions, but to discuss in good faith about the subject of the videos. This one is about Chopin's nocturne #13. Great music, I think it is among his best. Have a good day. :)
despite the poor sound quality that poorly relays the sound of the real live performance this sounds like a stunning interpretation. The doppio section is a little slow to my liking but stunningly beautiful ............ My favorite renditions of this nocturne are that of Artur Rubinstein and Guoimar Novaes. If you do not know the Novaes Chopin recordings What are you waiting for. They were published by Vox
Here is a snippet from some liner notes...
'Pianist Harold Bauer, writing in his autobiography, included a valuable chapter on interpretation, in which he recounts being present on an occasion in the 1880s when Paderewski was playing a Brahms trio with some colleagues. The score called for a diminuendo in a certain spot, and the great Pole wanted to play a crescendo. The others objected, to which Paderewski replied, "The point is not what is written but what the musical effect should be."'
Not sure if I agree with that at all, regarding the final statement of the theme. Most pianist bang the repeated chords and lose the cantabile. Hofmann offers an exceptionally lyrical rendition of the theme but not a settled one. I would have liked more intensity at times in the short crescendos, but this is far greater than any other performance I have heard.
To clarify what "Romantic style" playing is: you can think of it as intrepretation of the music that is very loose (through many different ways) in order to convey emotion very strongly/plainly. As with many artistic movements they teeter-totter one way or another and modernism is an answer to Romanticism--not to be confused with the music period, which gave birth to that style of playing--in that the performers respect what is written in the music very deeply. Not so with the Romanticists.
I love the F minor chord at 5:13! This is my first experience of a YT recording of Hofmann. Has anyone heard the Sandor Falvay version for Naxos?
I understand what you say, gerard. But I believe that H takes a more subtle and "psychological" approach. It is all too easy to blast out the theme in a frenzy at this point, as most pianists do. But the nature of the theme is not turbulent. Hofmann sees this, and opts instead for dramatic under-statement, using the triplets as a below-the-surface unsettling addition to the theme. The effect is darker than turbulence... a much deeper solution. Well, my opinion, anyway.
I've had fun reading through the comments here. How very very sad I feel for those who can't/don't feel what is contained here, or recognize the artistic mastery involved in the expression.
Maybe in his better days Hoffman's performance would have been cleaner....but would it have been better? Quite possibly not.
@brahmschumann
seems you do understand Chopin's music and what he wanted for this nocturne. :) i recommend you listen to Valentina Lisitsa's interpretation of this nocturne. Not all pianists play this nocturne like it was meant to. it seems many pianists start this nocturne a little too fast and the Doppio Movimento section is played a little rushed but Hoffman and Valentina understand this like Chopin would have wanted....
is it bad that i like this more than Chopin's actual nocturne? :)
Hofmann was a poet...
Chopin's scheme is that the theme is presented as noble, tragic and stoic but when it returns it is emotional, agitated and distressed. The mood of the exposition never returns. Indeed, after the emotional turbulence of the climax of the middle section, such a return is not psychologically possible. The turbulence must continue until it is consummated by the final emotional collapse and catharsis of the coda. Hofmann does not follow this scheme. Do people agree with my above thoughts?
Wonderful: when you listen to such performances you understand why they call it "The Golden Age of Piano".
I think you have very valid points, truecrypt. But I cannot yet imagine that these three don't feel all there is to feel in this music. Can there be a person who dedicates his/her life to the difficult art of piano who is NOT absolutely blown away by Chopin's nocturnes? Could it be that each CHOOSES what feelings to emphasize, according to their schooling? How could they include all the possible choices of harmonic, melodic lines that can be added? Is it not better to be sparing with that?
Hofmann shouldn't be considered a prime example Romantic style player, even though he is considered today to be a prime example of one.
Yes, he did take some liberties with the music but he doesn't do rolled chords, doesn't COMPLETELY disregard dynamic markings, and doesn't do mini/extended rubato/acclerando. (Compare to Padreweski, Rachmaninoff, Cortot, etc.)
Probably the most noticeable aspect about his Chopin from modern style is that he doesn't play it slow, which IS a modern aspect.
wow ........ I must say that this is awesome... I have always preferred the performance of this nocture by Rubinstein and Novaes I will add this one to my list.... Argerich's is stunning but too fast and icy...
I think you have a point, truecrypt. I am starting to appreciate this recording. There is much beauty in the sadness of Chopin's music, and Hofmann definitely can convey the despair better than the others. Now I have gained the gift of choice, to enjoy both the more sad and the more generic versions.
BTW, the fact that the "generic" is not the saddest one, does it say something about us living in happier times?
I don't separate performer and performance... but I also don't judge by the missed or wrong notes (unless they ruin the impression). Your comment doesn't distress me, but I feel sorry for people who are musically impaired to the point of complete inability to hear anything beyond couple missed notes.
As good as it gets.TY for posting.
@gullivior I agree. An amazing interpretation of a most enigmatic, mercurial piece.
Type in "Krystian Zimerman interview" in the search bar, and click the first video. He references Cortot and his "diving under the distortion" and that a "clean" recording of his playing was "absolutely terrible". This is discussed near the end of this video - skip to 8:30.
Sick rendition . I love it . Sick interpretation for sick music . Wonderful . Who is playing ? Hofmann ? Certainly not . Cortot ? No wrong notes enough . Some mad russian ? Perhaps .... or truecrypt himself in Odessa in 1937 when he shot down his girlfriend after a night of alcoholic despair ? I don't know .....
Haha
A small point. I've never seen anything in writing that used the word "sober" as a qualification for this assertion of his friend's primacy among pianists. However, it is fair to interprete his use of the phrase "in the mood" to have been used euphemistically. If anyone has seen an instance where Rachmaninoff refered directly on Hofmann's alcoholism, I'd be grateful to be directed to the reference.
See Harold Schonberg's book The Great Pianists from Mozart to the Present; Rach refers directly to Hofmann's alcoholism. Sorry I can't tell you the page or chapter. www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00E1P40FQ/ref=sr_1_3_olp/139-4949189-6925118?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1495179909&sr=1-3&keywords=the+great+pianists+schonberg
What can that mean to me, Rabid? "perfect" is perfect, and "flawless-sounding" is flawless, since we deal here with sound.
'When you criticize, when you analyze something, you may say and write anything you like except intentionally incorrect things about which, the writer, know absolutely nothing. It is just about this which I wish to speak, in order, finally, to relieve some critics of the attractive desire to report things they know nothing about.' - Bulgakov
Rubinstein is always at least decent in general, his recording of this is rather good, i've always liked his older recordings than the one he made in his old age. Less restraint and more better physical prowess. His recording of this on RUclips is really rhythmically poetic but its too restrained for me, not saying it is not excellent.
I don't really care for Ashkenazy's, to be honest, I don't feel much structure to it.
Hess is probably my favorite now.
I try to make my posts as subjective (my views) as possible when I put down my thoughts on it, rather than saying "It is *this* or *that*". I put a lot of care into it, so I got irritated by your resopnse... I'm not a good friend you know well and can joke around with :D...
I still stand by my statements about Igoshina, but I have to agree that Lim was playing in a highly stressful event, it is the Chopin Competition after all.
Superb!
We differ not only in listening opinions but also in depth of English then; you take time to criticize what I literally write instead of reading what I actually write in order to what? Attack me? I am merely stating my opinion on what I feel. If you cannot understand why being TOO polished/flawless can be a bad thing... Then do not even bother arguing against my opinion: it's useless.
Lastly, as with language, music can be read AND "spoken" in many different ways.
Yes, Hofmann could "get away" with relatively lousy performance due to certain reasons. By the end of his life he had problems... Let's discuss how far "behind" Hofman is, when one of these young pianists will be able to play more than 200 pieces within couple weeks... or to play ANY piece by "order" from audience. I understand your position, but with all respect, even these three all together won't be equal to half of Hofmann...
Amen!!
Hoffman's 'relatively lousy' was better than 'very good' for a lot of other pianists.
Beyond description
Someone like Hofmann can do whatever he wants because he is an artist always; it sounds convincing and completely with reason. Don't be so pedantic.
Glad you've read (or heard about) Andersen...
Your knowledge of Russian and French people even more impressive. I also like your writing style - very unpretentious, extremely well put.
If only Hofmann could take couple lessons from you...
I was just pointing out the outcome of the whole thing. YOu would think it would happen like this if Liszt took him as a student lol. so we can say "some-what rejected". Some-what because liszt rejected him after he performed for liszt. and liszt said something like "you must find your own way" and I think thats when anton became a philosopher for some years before going back to performing or writing pieces or something like that...
@truecrypt I cannot agree more with your entire philosophy.
Hi RabidCh. I also find Hess's performance great, too bad the poor reconrding quality..
I keep finding excellent versions of this nocturne. These days my favorite is Rubinstein. Also Ashkenazy is a pleasure to hear.
I come to realize that the difference between performances is kind of trivial compared to the great difference in Chopin vs. no-Chopin. :)
You know, taking things out of context is very unimpressive.
I said it was "flawless-sounding" and '"perfect"'. I ask you, what does that mean to you?
To be fair, if you read my first comment, I was simply assenting with another person's observation; typing a constructive analysis of Hoffman's playing was never my intention.