New-York tribune., 1901-03-06
MUSIC.
JOSEF HoFMANNs RETURN

Three years ago Josef Hofmann returned to the
New-York public that he had astonished nine
years before a wonder child and was found 70
have kept many OF the remarkable promises he had
held forth and to have become artist OF serious
purposes and high attainments. we'll on the road
maturity. Yesterday afternoon he appeared
again before this public and showed that he has
advanced steadily in the of the remarkable
talents with which he is endowed He is what he
promised 10 become when the spoliation OF his
infant genius stopped Just in time artist Of
uncommon power. who bids fair 20 be a force
II be reckoned with in the musical world. The
large size of his audience in Carnegie Hail. which
filled that great auditorium. and the kind OF at
tention paid to him showed that he has strong
hold on the memory and affection OF the musical
public What IL found 10 admire in his playing
eminentlv wholesome and sound. making for
the best things in Mr. Holman has deepened
and broadened in many ways since he was last
here. but he has lost Of the sincerity, direct
ness and unaffeCtedness that marked his playing.
lie has vet something 10 learn. to experience. be
fore he sound the note OF passion of the high
est poetry. reach the grand style. In this re-
spect he seems-as he loOks-ycUuGer than his
years For the music of his fellow countryman
Chopin he shows the deepest insight. but he has
a real sympathy and understanding for many
styles. He has gained in warmth and depth Of ex-
preston a we'll as.in technical power. and he has
done away with a certain hardness Of touch that
made itself frequently in evidence during his last
visit here. His cantabile is beautiful in its singing
quality now. and his execution of transcendent
technical difficulties. shown in such things
as Moszkowskrs Caprice Espagnole' and the two
transcrptons from Wagner is OF unconcerned
ease. Mr.. Hofmann makes II plain that his
thought is always for the music never for the ex-
ploitaton in the faintest degree OF himself. his
technique his sentiments; and this may be a.c-
counted one of his supreme artistic excellences-
His programme yesterday a singularly in
tcresting and unconventional one. He played
Liszts transcription Of Bachs minor organ toe
cata and fugue In broad style. with fine
position of the contrapuntal structure. In the
sonata bv Beethoven usually called the "Appas-
sonata he did not. perhaps. sound the full depth
Of it's tragic significance; he showed too great
fondness for the extremes of dynamiCs. with too
little place for true mezzoforte; but il
eminently sane and fresh reading. and with
finely felt sentiment In the slow movement Most
popular with the audience was his playing OF
Merdelssohns two Songs without Words. the
called Spring Song and the Spinning Song: he
had "a repeat the latter but it very dry play
ing. with little consideration for the melody sing
ing through the piece. He wiped the memory
of It, however by superb performance of Schu-
mcnn's "Etudes Symphoniques.' which marked the
summit of his achievement in the concert il
large and buoyant in style. plastic in conception.
full of elaborate detail and of variety of mood
His Chopin have referred 10 as the music he
played the whole most sympathetically and
with the most intimate feeling of its poetry The
programme included besides. LISTS transcriptions
of Schubert's Gretchen Spinnrad'' and the
"Erlkong.'' in which latter Mr. Hofmann gained
some remarkable tonal effects; Schubert's Mo
Musical in F minor. the Moszkowski caprice
and transcription of Siegmunds Song the first
act of Die Wakire.'' and a fantasfe on themes
from Die Mestersinger.'' of which the latter
quite ineXcusabIe Liszt's Don Juan fan
TASTE After the last piecc there a focking of
the feminine element the platform and
thustasm of applause which Mr. Hofmann in
dulged with several additional pieces of a gauzy
suitable a he