PIANO PLAYING BOOK JOSEF HOFMANN HC FIRST ED 1908 RARE Start Price USD 19.99 Current Price USD 51.00 Time Left - Bid Count 2 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Sunday, August 31, 2008 End Time Sunday, September 07, 2008 Location Westboro, MA See more about 'PIANO PLAYING BOOK JOSEF HOFMANN HC FIRST ED 1908 RARE' Description This is the rare book  - “Piano Playing - A Little Book of Simple Suggestions” written by the master pianist Josef Hofmann. It is a hardback book of 69 pages with original green cloth covers, and lettering in gilt. It has listed Copyright, 1907, by the Curtis Publishing Company and Copyright, 1908, by the McClure Company. It is in very good condition, binding and spine are tight, and only 1 page has come loose. It has the owners name in the front, dated Nov 7/08. It has a very nice portrait picture of Josef opposite the title page with the tissue divider intact. I have only seen one other copy available on the web for $250. There are a couple of light pencil marks inside.   From Wikipedia: “Józef Kazimierz Hofmann (born January 20, 1876 in Krakau (Kraków), Austria-Hungary; died February 16, 1957 in Los Angeles), was a Polish-American virtuoso pianist and composer. Many connoisseurs consider him one of the greatest pianists of all time. He was a child prodigy who played a long series of sensationally received concerts throughout Europe and Scandinavia at the age of ten, culminating with a series of concerts in America in late 1887 and early 1888 at which he became a media celebrity. Following controversy over alleged child exploitation, Alfred Corning Clark donated $50,000 for Hofmann to retire from the stage until the age of 18. Clark's donation made possible studies with the famous teacher and composer Moritz Moszkowski and Russian virtuoso and composer Anton Rubinstein. Hofmann became Rubinstein's only private pupil and later, his leading disciple. Hofmann was also a gifted inventor who invented mechanisms for the piano and automobiles, with numerous patents to his credit. Once Hofmann had learned a piece of music, it was apparently in his mind and fingers for good. This was fortunate for Hofmann, for he reportedly never practiced. Hofmann, reportedly, also had the ability to hear a composition just once and play it back flawlessly without seeing the printed note. Again, this was fortunate—Hofmann was a poor sight reader.”   There isn’t one dedicated classical pianist that has not heard of Josef Hofmann. For those of you wanting the best of his early teachings, this is the book to have. This book was the foundation for his later book titled Piano Playing with Piano Questions Answered. A very rare book that would complement any serious piano player’s library. Bid your best!   Contents   Foreword The Piano and Its Player General Rules Correct Touch and Technique The Use of the Pedal Playing “In Style” How Rubenstein Taught Me to Play   List of Illustrations (which are actually photographs of Hofmann demonstrating the techniques)   The position of the Hand Incorrect Way to Play an Octave Correct Way to Play an Octave Incorrect Position of the Little Finger Correct Position of the Little Finger Incorrect Position of the Thumb Correct Position of the Thumb Incorrect Position of the FeetCorrect Position of the Feet on the Pedal Place a Bid!