Josef Hofmann plays Chopin Concerto Op. 21, Larghetto

[bvbwv3]

Unendingly elegant twines of romantic jewels.

[camaysar222]

@xgnothixseautonx Well, the author of this somewhat hysterical comment seems to have closed his account. Perhaps he was sent to the front. Still, I agree that "puppy love" generally involves 2 tweens, and not one 19-year-old. Yet at the time Chopin composed his Larghetto for Gladkowska, he had not spoken a word to her since their first informal meeting 6 months previously; he worshipped her from afar as his fantasy "ideal". It was this immature one-sidedness I loosely called "puppy love".

[ReturnOfTheStienway]

mmmmm

[shilloshillos]

Finally Chopin without loads of sugar topped up with whipped cream. The finest balance of expression but not overdoing it with rubato and soppy pedalling oozing pseudosweetness left and right. Hofmann plays the definitive performance right here.

[steamednotfried]

can somebody please upload the first movement!

[paulostroff99]

Beautiful-to say the least. TY truecrypt.

[yyyyyyyyyyyyeee]

Chopin wasn't aristocrat.

[HeifetzBeatsOistrakh]

what a sense of pulse

[ConcertoArt]

Thank you so much, pianopera for this record. In my opinion, this is one of the greatest moments of a piano recording history.

[1fattyfatman]

I really think this may be one of the greatest piano recordings in history.

[kasyapa]

astounding creativity.

[Classicmozayful]

the trick to playing chopin (and music in general) is to play with a sort of aristocratic restraint while still being emotional and NEVER SENTIMENTAL.

this is a colossal task, which hofmann had a nack for lets say...

[truecrypt]

Well said!

[stoklund]

@truecrypt Hello Truecrypt!!!!! Love your videos and your own playing aswell!!!

Do you have a recording of chopin scherzo no 3 with Josef Hofmann or Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli !!!! Please!!! ;)

[katkula]

@Classicmozayful There you have it!

[rhadamanthes82]

@Classicmozayful : indeed : "expressive but never sentimentalism", on piano the problem is playing with low pedal and having the good finger on the good pressure, it's ... really a lot of work

[kristoffersen1]

"Hofmann's genius lies in how he lets the music speak for itself, and gets to the heart of the matter with directness, direction, and complete mastery. No need for extraneous "emotion"... it's all in the music as he presents it."

But if you think of 19 yr. old heartbroken Chopin composing, don't you think he played with some extraneous emotion? To me this version seems like birds singing and its beautyful, but its also very balanced...not a heartbroken young boy playing. Copin was also human.

[katkula]

@kristoffersen1 You're right.

[cabdrivinghog]

Idil Biret has a wonderful interpretation as well.

[cabdrivinghog]

I bet birds love this song as well! :o)

[Tsotne16]

He is the best Chopin performer

[ForeverIsis]

3:52 - 5:45 its grand philosophy! this ia a touching talking through music!

[SamuelFeinberg]

True. Astonishing. Breathtaking.

[ForeverIsis]

...amén! :)

[paulostroff99]

Amazing,but that marked what and who he was musically.

Bravo! TY.

[camaysar222]

And... how about a thumbs-up for 19-year-old Chopin. Astonishing depth for a teenager - I guess puppy-love brought out his best!

[camaysar222]

Love this performance! Hofmann's genius lies in how he lets the music speak for itself, and gets to the heart of the matter with directness, direction, and complete mastery. No need for extraneous "emotion"... it's all in the music as he presents it.

[snaaptaker]

Check out the brand-new CD (not the older one) of the concertos. Ward Marston has just remastered (or whatever) them from Hofmann's own private acetates.

The difference in the sound is remarkable,esp. #2.