Josef Hofmann plays Wagner - Liszt Ouverture from Tannhauser (roll)

[Josh06320]

Reproducing pianos couldn't capture the superhuman precision of Hofmann's technique and this one seems particularly off, I guess the piano needed work. So you have to listen knowing that any sloppiness is the fault of the piano roll and not the pianist -- this will be readily apparent if you listen to his records. Once you've accepted that the piano rolls are valuable to give an impression of the scope of his dynamics, which couldn't be captured on the records of the time. Thanks for posting.

[MrSirknight123]

IMO, the Welte System reproduces the best, if the machine is working properly. Hofmann was a phenomenal pianist and may have taken some artistic license. Thanks for posting this !

[iborrowyourvideos]

i'm just glad to hear a technically brilliant and interpretively phenomenal artist play the piano version. thanks for sharing this!

[aardvaark069]

that seems poorly contolled and arbitrary. He worked maybe not so hard for the money.

[gullivior]

@aardvaark069

this too is taken from a very old LP ... is a Welte Mignon roll made in 1913 ... Hofmann made some changes to the text ... I think that the mechanism of reproduction was not always perfectly calibrated ... but despite the problems of the roll, there are, in my opinion, very beautiful passages here ...