Piano Playing: With Piano Questions Answered (Paperback)

by Josef Hofmann (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Great pianist-teacher's advice and specific pointers on piano technique, interpretation, performance.

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Product Details Paperback: 272 pages Publisher: Dover Publications (June 1, 1976) Language: English ISBN-10: 0486233626 ISBN-13: 978-0486233628 Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #267,421 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Look Inside This Book

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Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover

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Citations (learn more)

1 book cites this book:

• Virtuosi: A Defense and a (Sometimes Erotic) Celebration of Great Pianists by Mark Mitchell in Back Matter

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	61% buy the item featured on this page: Piano Playing: With Piano Questions Answered 4.2 out of 5 stars (6) $9.56
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	9% buy Piano Technique 3.8 out of 5 stars (6) $7.95
	8% buy What Every Pianist Needs to Know About the Body 4.9 out of 5 stars (20) $21.75

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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews 5 star:  (4) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.2 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 30 of 31 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars For somebody serious about piano - amazing, August 5, 2001 By A Customer I can't begin to tell you how many people make a poor attempt at learning very difficult piano pieces just so they can say "I can play this, and I can play that". However, if they're serious about piano, they will come to a point where they realize that, sure, they can "get through" the piece, but they can't actually "play" it. There is so much more to the piano that so many people are missing out on these days. Technique, dynamics, tempo, and even simple things such as how you are seated at the bench. Most teachers skip over teaching these key aspects of music because most students just want to be able to play what they want as fast as they want. This book covers all the things that many have missed out on. It covers nearly everything you need to know on how to be a great piano player. Combine this book with natural talent, and a desire to bring the piano to life, and you're set. Theres even over 160 pages of frequently asked questions that amatures sent to Hoffman over the years (and answers of couse). If you're serious about playing the piano, get this book before your poor playing habbits are implanted in your head even further. If you're not serious, or just like to mess around... then skip it. It would be a waste of your money. 23 of 23 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Hofmann offers practical advise!, October 9, 2000 By  Piano Teacher (USA) - See all my reviews This book, originally published as two separate volumes in 1906 and 1907, is a collection of articles Hofmann wrote as a regular feature of the LADIES HOME JOURNAL. Although Josef Hofmann was himself a phenominal talent, he offers thoughtful answers to the simplest of piano questions, and guides the reader with a practical, common sense approach. Most of the advise in this little book is timeless, and the pictures of Hofmann himself demonstrating correct and incorrect positions of the hand and body make this a pedagogical gem that his admirers will cherish. 9 of 11 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read!, June 17, 2005 By  BLee "bpslee" (HK) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    Probably the greatest pianist of our time telling us the secret of his success: how one should approach the piano and music, how Rubinstein taught him, what music to start with, the advantage and disadvantage of having a perfect pitch... a lot more. Most amusing as well as informative. It deserves more than 5 stars. However, note that more often than not, a child prodigy wouldn't be able too tell you very much how he got there. And I dare say Mozart's father would be able to tell you more about it than himself. Say, for instance, how would it be possible to avoid all but really good concerts as suggested by Hofmann? Without the benefit of both, how would we be able to differentiate the two? However, at a certain point of time this is so correct! Hofmann's insistence on the cleanliness of the keyboard, I suppose would carry different meaning for different pianists too. Likewise, soaking one's hands in warm water to warm them up may or may not work for all. And having a terrific memory, Hofmann is celebrated for his ability to learn, like Mozart, a piece by listening to it instead of sightreading any music. As such, Dohnanyi (the pianist), Richter, Gulda or even Nelson Freire might be in a better position to tell anything substantial about it... All in all, this book is nothing like an anti-biotic that can cure your ailments within virtually a couple of days, but just some very general guidelines or principles which would, nevertheless, takes you years if not months of practice to accomplish, if at all. Nonetheless, there are some good suggestions that would lead you and guide you through some turning points, without which you may get easily lost or else need much more time to unlearn.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book for Real Pianists and Piano Aficionados When buying a french cookbook, one can choose from wonderful derivative sources (for example, an American popularist of french cooking such as Julia Childs, or a Betty Crocker... Read more Published 14 months ago by Dr. Ervin Nieves 2.0 out of 5 stars Don't buy this book I have to be honest. I do not like this book. I don't even think I got through the first chapter. I am a real nut about piano playing and piano theory, so if there is something... Read more Published 17 months ago by The Fredinator 3.0 out of 5 stars Piano Playing with Piano Questions Answered I was slightly disappointed in this book. I did not feel that I learned very much that I didn't already know. Read more Published on April 22, 2003 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (June 1, 1976)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486233626
• ISBN-13: 978-0486233628
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #267,421 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For somebody serious about piano - amazing, August 5, 2001

By A Customer

I can't begin to tell you how many people make a poor attempt at learning very difficult piano pieces just so they can say "I can play this, and I can play that". However, if they're serious about piano, they will come to a point where they realize that, sure, they can "get through" the piece, but they can't actually "play" it. There is so much more to the piano that so many people are missing out on these days. Technique, dynamics, tempo, and even simple things such as how you are seated at the bench. Most teachers skip over teaching these key aspects of music because most students just want to be able to play what they want as fast as they want. This book covers all the things that many have missed out on. It covers nearly everything you need to know on how to be a great piano player. Combine this book with natural talent, and a desire to bring the piano to life, and you're set. Theres even over 160 pages of frequently asked questions that amatures sent to Hoffman over the years (and answers of couse).

If you're serious about playing the piano, get this book before your poor playing habbits are implanted in your head even further. If you're not serious, or just like to mess around... then skip it. It would be a waste of your money.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hofmann offers practical advise!, October 9, 2000

By	Piano Teacher (USA) - See all my reviews

This book, originally published as two separate volumes in 1906 and 1907, is a collection of articles Hofmann wrote as a regular feature of the LADIES HOME JOURNAL. Although Josef Hofmann was himself a phenominal talent, he offers thoughtful answers to the simplest of piano questions, and guides the reader with a practical, common sense approach. Most of the advise in this little book is timeless, and the pictures of Hofmann himself demonstrating correct and incorrect positions of the hand and body make this a pedagogical gem that his admirers will cherish.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read!, June 17, 2005

By	BLee "bpslee" (HK) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Probably the greatest pianist of our time telling us the secret of his success: how one should approach the piano and music, how Rubinstein taught him, what music to start with, the advantage and disadvantage of having a perfect pitch... a lot more. Most amusing as well as informative. It deserves more than 5 stars.

However, note that more often than not, a child prodigy wouldn't be able too tell you very much how he got there. And I dare say Mozart's father would be able to tell you more about it than himself.

Say, for instance, how would it be possible to avoid all but really good concerts as suggested by Hofmann? Without the benefit of both, how would we be able to differentiate the two? However, at a certain point of time this is so correct! Hofmann's insistence on the cleanliness of the keyboard, I suppose would carry different meaning for different pianists too. Likewise, soaking one's hands in warm water to warm them up may or may not work for all. And having a terrific memory, Hofmann is celebrated for his ability to learn, like Mozart, a piece by listening to it instead of sightreading any music. As such, Dohnanyi (the pianist), Richter, Gulda or even Nelson Freire might be in a better position to tell anything substantial about it...

All in all, this book is nothing like an anti-biotic that can cure your ailments within virtually a couple of days, but just some very general guidelines or principles which would, nevertheless, takes you years if not months of practice to accomplish, if at all. Nonetheless, there are some good suggestions that would lead you and guide you through some turning points, without which you may get easily lost or else need much more time to unlearn.