Chopin Andante Spianato Op. 22 Hofmann Rec. 1937

Recorded during Josef Hofmann's Golden Jubilee Concert,Metropolitan Opera House,New York,N.Y, November 28, 1937

When,in 1955,the Los Angeles classical music station broadcast the Hofmann Golden Jubilee Concert after the recordings had been released for the first time, I recall the announcer saying in a reverent tone,"We understand Mr. Hofmann is listening tonight." I've often wondered what thoughts went through his mind as he listened. There were some in the audience who had been present at the 11 year old's New York debut.W.J. Henderson of the New York Times wrote of Hofmann's concert,"He appeared on stage last evening in a blue and gray striped sailor shirt,knee breeches and stockings,and looked if anything younger than he is." Henderson ended his review by writing,"Suffice is to say,for the present that Josef Hofmann,as a musical phenomenon,is worthy of the sensation that he has created. More than that,he is an artist,and we can listen to his music without taking into concideration the fact that he is a child."
Here, Hofmann the mature artist, plays the Andante Spianato of the Op. 22 in a smooth,level and flowing fashion just as the title suggests.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Chopin
• Andante
• Spianato
• Op.
• 22
• Hofmann

[allegrissimo]

Incredible, incredible, INCREDIBLE! Again, there's no equal to this performance. I'm so glad there are live recordings of Hofmann! Many thanks!

[hophmi]

No comparisons are available. This recording represents everything great about Hofmann. The speed here is very fast. Why? Because the melody is supposed to be andante, not adagio. (This makes the Andante Spianato a hell of a lot harder to play.) The legato and phrasing is just beyond amazing. And he brings out inner voices to boot.

[Modeltnick]

Josef Hofmann was a man truly gifted by God himself from a very young age.  He started playing concerts at the age of 5. He worked very hard his entire life to achieve what he did. In spite of personal problems in later years, he is still well loved and admired by anyone to recognized a true miracle from heaven. God gifted Josef Hofmann with rare talents that we may never see again in this corrupt world. We will see his giving concerts in Heaven.

[DNatz369]

1 dislike!!!??? Justin, nice try

[lovesGenet]

My cd does not sound as good as my old records of this concert. There is no recorded playing like this anywhere on any instrument. Mind,personality as great as his unbelievable hands. Only in heaven is playing like this. We are so lucky for what we have.His Kreisleriana has sounds you will never hear on this planet from a piano.God he was magic. Allof Hofmann's rec are redone on Marston .It is possible to hear it all even the private home recs.The Rubin#4 is amazing on record .cd different?

[Martyn383]

What an absolutely marvellous performance, and a pleasure to hear not only the piece itself but Hofmann's improvised prelude. It's a lost art we're listening to.

[gerryrains]

Thanks for all of the now impossible to procure Hofmann recordings. You enrich our lives.

[RutBats]

Thank you very very much for this. Incredible performance. Impossible to hear something similar today.

[aardvaark069]

I'm just glad that you are familiar with these performances. Wonderful stuff aye?

[RabidCh]

I agree for Andante spiniato, disagree for Grande Polonaise. Although I think the recording sounds better on the Philadelphia.

[aardvaark069]

There weretwo Golden Jubilee concerts. This one and I think the other was in Philadelphia. This was on both programs. One a little faster than the other. Both are absolutely definitive performanes. I prefer the Philadelphia performance just a little bit more.