A child prodigy, Hofmann (1876-1957) toured at a young age and was later placed under the tutelage of Anton Rubinstein. Hofmann's polymath abilities led him to compose, invent patented parts for the automobile and design mechanisms for the piano. He enjoyed an international career, was one of the first pianists to record, and prepared many prominent pianists for their careers while serving as director of the Curtis Institute of Music.
Hofmann's pianism maintains a sovereign control of sonority, perfection in touch, and phrasing. His style conveys the best of what modern pianism strives for: textual accuracy, rhythmic precision, and a high level of technical mastery few artists have achieved. Unfortunately, many recordings sound restrained, calculated, and more pianistic than musical. Perhaps a glimpse of the truer side of his art is found in a a performance of Chopin's Fourth Ballade, resembling the accounts of Anton Rubinstein and giving the impression that the music was being evoked forth by an elemental force. Rachmaninoff considered Hofmann as his equal, if not superior and dedicated his Third Concerto to Hofmann, who, oddly, never performed the work in public. Hofmann had an encyclopedic repertoire, only a portion of which was recorded. It is a difficult matter, as Hofmann was adored by the greatest but perhaps did not leave his best playing on disc.
© Allan Evans, 1998