The San Francisco call., 1904-10-09

II is not for nothing that Josef Hof-
mann has the whimsicaIy lowered
right eye, the waywardly curved mouth
that lend such a Puck-1ike humor to
the face. Only at hand you get these.
The broad brow that governs them
dominates his platform face, the gen.
eral mastery balance of the head. Sit
ting opposite. with the mischievous
sparkle OF his brown eyes to further
the fancy. Hofmann seems sometimes
very sprite.
He does the elhsh thing, too, as
have portended Asked 10 pose at the
piano the other day when I went to
chat with him, he sat down at the
great Steinway soberly enough. Then
he put out his wonderful little hands,
with the cushioned fingers, TO the key
board, touching 1t delicately.
A bit OF the ''Waldstein,' I promised
myself He was TO play Il that night
But Master Hofmann. turning a
whimsical eye over his shoulder at me,
began TO play-la la-la- la-what was
it, - e cheap, swaying, three-four
rhythm.
Fishing" he explained solemnly.
Il heard It at Fischer's the other night.
Very pretty? Miss - what is her
manner"
Morton"
Sings very well" la, Ia la, Ia.
And II turned out that Mr.. Hofmann
had not been deferred by Miss Mazu-
ma" from taking IN also Down the
Line"
AutomObiling seemed nearer after
that than Beethoven and asked the
pianist which he preferred. playing
piano or inventing autos, which is his
preferred amusement
1t Is easier TO play the piano" he
laughed, settling back into a big chair,
with something the air OF Eugene con-
fronting Moreu in the second act Of
Candida"
Then he told me that he had invented
two machines. One is a gasoline affair,
the other an electric motor car. A man
had Just been with himfto talk over
self, had not before considered the
business side OF his inventions. Pleas
ure-weu. he had travelled up hill and
down dale for 1000 miles in his machine
this summer and never touched the
railroad. Was not that true fun-rac-
ing, scaling hills, rocking along the
level among the loveliest Of scenery?
Alone? Yes, without a chauffeur-that
is. he looked after the ma chine himself.
His friend. Constantine Sternberg. the
Philadelphian, composer and pianist,
had travelled with him. Did they camp
by the way No. They took only
chocolate and cognac with them, de-
pending upon the hotels for the rest.
The latter was necessary from the rad
lcal changes Of climate.
How delightful TO be able to go
where you please, stop when you
please, start when you please"
Nay" quantity interrupted the
pianist, sometimes you must start
when the tire pleases."
Then. with little rings Of smoke
wheeling about his head-he had made
eager appeal for this-Mr. Hoffman,
began 20 discuss the difference be
tween the musical and mechanical fac
Ulties. I had suggested that they were
both mathematical
In essence they are" this possibly
unique example of their combination
decided, only mechanics is a strict
Science. Composing is a work Of fan
tasy. The composition works always
machine doesn't. 1 believe" he ad-
vanced then. that I am the only one
Of the musicians with this hobby. At
three years Of age"-with delightful
pomposity-''it showed itself"
] pulled out a pompous pencil to
note this and invited further infant
aUtObiogra ply
Mr.. HOffmann-anything than Mis-
ter" better suits the incorrigible young