Hofmann, Josef (Casimir) (actually, Józef Kazimierz)

Hofmann, Josef (Casimir)(actually, Józef Kazimierz), celebrated Polish-born American pianist, son of Casimir (Kazimierz) Hofmann; b. Podgorze, near Krakow, Jan. 20, 1876; d. Los Angeles, Feb. 16, 1957. At the age of 4, he began to play the piano, tutored by an older sister and an aunt; at 5, he began taking regular lessons from his father. He was barely 6 when he first appeared in public in Ciechocinek, and at the age of 10, he played Beethoven’s Concerto No. 1 with the Berlin Phil, under Hans von Bülow. He also made a tour of Scandinavia and played in France and England, his concerts as a child prodigy becoming a European sensation. Soon an American offer of a concert tour came from the impresarios Abbey, Schoeffel & Grau. On Nov. 29, 1887, Hofmann appeared at the Metropolitan Opera House as soloist in Beethoven’s Concerto No. 1; he also played works by Chopin and some of his own little pieces. He electrified the audience, and hardheaded critics hailed his performance as a marvel. He appeared throughout the U.S., giving 42 concerts in all; then agitation was started by the Soc. for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children against the exploitation of his talent. Alfred Corning Clark of N.Y. offered $50, 000 to the family for his continued education. The offer was accepted, and he began serious study with Moszkowski (piano) and Urban (composition) in Berlin. Then Anton Rubinstein accepted him as a pupil in Dresden, where Hofmann traveled twice a week for piano lessons. At the age of 18, he resumed his career, giving recitals in Dresden and elsewhere in Germany with enormous success; made his first tour of Russia in 1896, attaining huge popularity there; he reappeared in Russia frequently. In 1898 he again played in the U.S.; from then on, he appeared in American cities almost every year. At the peak of his career, he came to be regarded as one of the greatest pianists of the century. He possessed the secret of the singing tone, which enabled him to interpret Chopin with extraordinary delicacy and intimacy. He was also capable of summoning tremendous power playing Liszt and other works of the virtuoso school. His technique knew no difficulties; but in his interpretations, he subordinated technical effects to the larger design of the work. When the Curtis Inst. of Music was founded in Philadelphia (1924), Hofmann was engaged to head the piano dept.; he was director from 1926 to 1938. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1926. On Nov. 28, 1937, his golden jubilee in the U.S. was celebrated with a concert at the Metropolitan Opera in N.Y. He performed the D-minor Concerto of Anton Rubinstein, and his own Chromaticon for Piano and Orch. From 1938 to his death he lived mostly in Calif., his concert career coming sadly to a close in 1945 owing to alcoholism. Hofmann was also a composer, under the pen name Michel Dvorsky (a transliteration of the literal translation into Polish of his German name, meaning “courtyard man”). Among his works are several piano concertos; some symphonic works; Chromaticon for Piano and Orch. (Cincinnati, Nov. 24, 1916, composer soloist); numerous piano pieces. He also publ, a practical manual, Piano-Playing with Piano—Questions Answered (1915).

——Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire