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Piano Playing: With Piano Questions Answered
Josef Hofmann (1876–1957) was a master of piano technique and an artist who had few equals at the keyboard. A student of Anton Rubinstein and a leading exponent of the works of Chopin, Liszt, and Schumann, he always balanced his virtuoso playing with a firm adherence to the piece as written. It is this balanced approach to piano playing that he advocates in this highly regarded volume on piano technique.
The first section of the book contains a discussion of the rules and tricks of correct piano touch, methods of practicing, the use of the pedal, playing the piece as it is written, "How Rubinstein Taught Me to Play," and indispensables in pianistic success. The second, much longer, section contains Hofmann's answers to specific questions sent to him by piano students and questions on positions of the body and hand, actions of the wrist and arm, stretching, staccato, legato, precision, fingering, octaves, the pedals, practice, marks and nomenclature, phrasing, rubato, theory, transposing, and much more.
Full of important background information that is highly useful to every piano player, this book will set students on the right track in their studies and allow every amateur to measure the level of his commitment and the quality of the instruction he is receiving. For insight into many facets of playing the piano, there is no better guide than Josef Hofmann.
The first section of the book contains a discussion of the rules and tricks of correct piano touch, methods of practicing, the use of the pedal, playing the piece as it is written, "How Rubinstein Taught Me to Play," and indispensables in pianistic success. The second, much longer, section contains Hofmann's answers to specific questions sent to him by piano students and questions on positions of the body and hand, actions of the wrist and arm, stretching, staccato, legato, precision, fingering, octaves, the pedals, practice, marks and nomenclature, phrasing, rubato, theory, transposing, and much more.
Full of important background information that is highly useful to every piano player, this book will set students on the right track in their studies and allow every amateur to measure the level of his commitment and the quality of the instruction he is receiving. For insight into many facets of playing the piano, there is no better guide than Josef Hofmann.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 28, 2024
This is a fine book, took a while to read because of a slump. But I must say: DO NOT BUY THIS EDITION. This is the most poorly printed book I have read in my life- massively ajar margins, horrible binding, and entire pages and charts and images from the original are entirely missing. This was probably literally printed from a word document- its all in one size of times new roman, ignoring all of the formatting. This is a rape of the book written by the author and a battery against the reader.
June 5, 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crG_s... - Josef Hofmann plays Chopin: Andante Spianato e Grande Polonaise in Eb, Op.22
This is a very good book from 1908, for students of piano music. It's about the human mechanics involved, written by one of greatest pianists from the turn of the 19th century. Easily understood writing on a range of foundational pianistic topics that lesser authors get wrong, explain incompletely or overelaborate on, which is what I believe makes most books published on piano technique frustrating, often worthless reads.
Hofmann was prodigiously gifted, famous by six years old for dazzling even elite audiences, a veteran concert pianist who had to stop performing for a few years just to have some chance at a childhood. Sixteen years old, Josef Hofmann became Anton Rubinstein's only private student for two years.
The Saint Petersburg Conservatory, founded in 1862 by Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein, along with the Moscow Conservatory, founded by Anton's younger brother, Nikolai, these two schools *are* the Russian piano tradition. The Rubinstein brothers were around to attend (later on to host and promote) some of the first piano recitals ever given, by their inventor, Franz Liszt.
The tradition of the Russian piano school hasn't been bound to a geophysical location for decades. Over time, our world became interconnected and media flows so easily now that all (American, German, Russian, French) the major world schools' lessons and performances, by their artists, can be accessed from anywhere with internet access.
About the pictures...
Since I play piano, and I love this book: The pictures in this book show Hofmann demonstrating correct/incorrect ways to position ourselves at the piano, but should be understood as his method, his best attempt to be a reference for an audience that isn't uniformly going to agree. You have to incorporate knowledge like this through your own piano practice. Hofmann's "correct" is "correct". If you're a piano student, books cannot better having a living teacher, when it comes to communicating minutiae or to individualize the student-teacher relationship. These pictures from 1908 were probably the only place its reading audience, mostly hobbyists, would get learn from an artistic authority of Hofmann's stature.
Alternatively, if you love pictures and learning visually, or if you just don't like Hofmann's book, I suggest trying "On Piano Playing" by György Sándor. It's modern, neatly organized, less about important historical events and figures, nearly all about the nuts-and-bolts stuff; Sándor's book teaches through pictures about technique methodologies through connecting movements at the piano with music notation, stressing importance on efficiently visualizing the notation to perform at the piano without problems, so how you read, learn, and play music doesn't automatically set you up to have habitual technical problems.
This is a very good book from 1908, for students of piano music. It's about the human mechanics involved, written by one of greatest pianists from the turn of the 19th century. Easily understood writing on a range of foundational pianistic topics that lesser authors get wrong, explain incompletely or overelaborate on, which is what I believe makes most books published on piano technique frustrating, often worthless reads.
Hofmann was prodigiously gifted, famous by six years old for dazzling even elite audiences, a veteran concert pianist who had to stop performing for a few years just to have some chance at a childhood. Sixteen years old, Josef Hofmann became Anton Rubinstein's only private student for two years.
The Saint Petersburg Conservatory, founded in 1862 by Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein, along with the Moscow Conservatory, founded by Anton's younger brother, Nikolai, these two schools *are* the Russian piano tradition. The Rubinstein brothers were around to attend (later on to host and promote) some of the first piano recitals ever given, by their inventor, Franz Liszt.
The tradition of the Russian piano school hasn't been bound to a geophysical location for decades. Over time, our world became interconnected and media flows so easily now that all (American, German, Russian, French) the major world schools' lessons and performances, by their artists, can be accessed from anywhere with internet access.
About the pictures...
Since I play piano, and I love this book: The pictures in this book show Hofmann demonstrating correct/incorrect ways to position ourselves at the piano, but should be understood as his method, his best attempt to be a reference for an audience that isn't uniformly going to agree. You have to incorporate knowledge like this through your own piano practice. Hofmann's "correct" is "correct". If you're a piano student, books cannot better having a living teacher, when it comes to communicating minutiae or to individualize the student-teacher relationship. These pictures from 1908 were probably the only place its reading audience, mostly hobbyists, would get learn from an artistic authority of Hofmann's stature.
Alternatively, if you love pictures and learning visually, or if you just don't like Hofmann's book, I suggest trying "On Piano Playing" by György Sándor. It's modern, neatly organized, less about important historical events and figures, nearly all about the nuts-and-bolts stuff; Sándor's book teaches through pictures about technique methodologies through connecting movements at the piano with music notation, stressing importance on efficiently visualizing the notation to perform at the piano without problems, so how you read, learn, and play music doesn't automatically set you up to have habitual technical problems.
July 5, 2025
Quite possibly one of the oddest books I’ve read!
My man was super passive aggressive, and he definitely hated women! I learned some cool stuff about technique and form but way too much about how ragtime and dancing is dangerous for the mind 😔
My man was super passive aggressive, and he definitely hated women! I learned some cool stuff about technique and form but way too much about how ragtime and dancing is dangerous for the mind 😔
February 29, 2020
The book designed in Q&A format.
Categorize question type into each chapter e.g. fingering, teacher, exercising, legato, staccato, octave.
A good read for piano player who wants to get the perspective from Josef Hofmann.
However, the language in this book is archaic since it was written in 70s, hence it is difficult
to interpret long sentences and uncommon words at times.
Categorize question type into each chapter e.g. fingering, teacher, exercising, legato, staccato, octave.
A good read for piano player who wants to get the perspective from Josef Hofmann.
However, the language in this book is archaic since it was written in 70s, hence it is difficult
to interpret long sentences and uncommon words at times.
September 20, 2025
There's some old-timey sexist and elitist jank in this book, but also a bunch to like about it. Plus, you can get it from Project Gutenberg for $0.
Hofmann shares some wonderful (and encouraging!) advice about practising and playing, such as:
— Limit sessions to 1 hour at a time (2 hours at the most).
— Engage in "mental unhitching" to accelerate learning. For example, take a walk and get your mind off music for a while.
— Create a varied routine to encourage spontaneous and soulful playing. Change up the time of day, sequence of practising tasks, etc.
— Work on your technique in the context of suitable pieces or études, rather than dry, mechanical exercises that stifle musical expression.
— Strive to be so familiar with your pieces that you can toy with them and introduce variations of mood. Play with sincerity, whatever you do!
— Tempo indications convey mood and are not metronomically prescriptive. Treat metronome markings with caution. Two people can play a piece marked Allegro at different speeds (within reason) and still capture its character. Allegro doesn't just mean fast! It's a contraction of "al leggiero", which means with lightness (cheerful).
Hofmann gives constructive tips about pedalling, getting up to tempo, and thumb crossings. He also outlines the difference between a fugue, invention, and prelude, and—later—waltz, mazurka, and polonaise. There are some recommendations for intermediate to advanced études and pieces, many of which you can find on IMSLP.
The dude also drops some insightful truth-bombs about memory and mistakes:
— Your regular playing environment becomes embedded in your musical memory and performance, including trivial details like visual details about your piano, pictures on the walls, etc. Test the robustness of your playing in several venues before playing for a formal audience.
— When learning a new piece, spend time with it away from the piano (with and without the music) to ensure you understand it. Don't rely on muscle memory to get you through.
— "Whenever we find the fingers going astray in the piece we play, we might as well admit to ourselves that the trouble is in the main office." Amusingly worded and true.
And now for some critique.
The book oozes sexism from Hofmann and indirectly from his teacher, Rubinstein. For example, one day when Hofmann played something poorly, Rubinstein said: "The way you played this piece would be all right for auntie or mamma." Thanks, guys.
I could also do without the disparaging remarks about ragtime, wind instruments, and street sweepers.
P.S. Rubinstein sounds like an infuriating teacher. He reportedly refused to work with Hofmann on a piece more than once for fear of later contradicting himself. In one lesson, he forced Hofmann's hand down on the keys, causing a cacophony of notes, and then blamed Hofmann for the racket.
Hofmann shares some wonderful (and encouraging!) advice about practising and playing, such as:
— Limit sessions to 1 hour at a time (2 hours at the most).
— Engage in "mental unhitching" to accelerate learning. For example, take a walk and get your mind off music for a while.
— Create a varied routine to encourage spontaneous and soulful playing. Change up the time of day, sequence of practising tasks, etc.
— Work on your technique in the context of suitable pieces or études, rather than dry, mechanical exercises that stifle musical expression.
— Strive to be so familiar with your pieces that you can toy with them and introduce variations of mood. Play with sincerity, whatever you do!
— Tempo indications convey mood and are not metronomically prescriptive. Treat metronome markings with caution. Two people can play a piece marked Allegro at different speeds (within reason) and still capture its character. Allegro doesn't just mean fast! It's a contraction of "al leggiero", which means with lightness (cheerful).
Hofmann gives constructive tips about pedalling, getting up to tempo, and thumb crossings. He also outlines the difference between a fugue, invention, and prelude, and—later—waltz, mazurka, and polonaise. There are some recommendations for intermediate to advanced études and pieces, many of which you can find on IMSLP.
The dude also drops some insightful truth-bombs about memory and mistakes:
— Your regular playing environment becomes embedded in your musical memory and performance, including trivial details like visual details about your piano, pictures on the walls, etc. Test the robustness of your playing in several venues before playing for a formal audience.
— When learning a new piece, spend time with it away from the piano (with and without the music) to ensure you understand it. Don't rely on muscle memory to get you through.
— "Whenever we find the fingers going astray in the piece we play, we might as well admit to ourselves that the trouble is in the main office." Amusingly worded and true.
And now for some critique.
The book oozes sexism from Hofmann and indirectly from his teacher, Rubinstein. For example, one day when Hofmann played something poorly, Rubinstein said: "The way you played this piece would be all right for auntie or mamma." Thanks, guys.
I could also do without the disparaging remarks about ragtime, wind instruments, and street sweepers.
P.S. Rubinstein sounds like an infuriating teacher. He reportedly refused to work with Hofmann on a piece more than once for fear of later contradicting himself. In one lesson, he forced Hofmann's hand down on the keys, causing a cacophony of notes, and then blamed Hofmann for the racket.
November 28, 2022
Undoubtedly a professionally proficient pianist, of high pedigree, at times intimidating. Best parts are reflections on Anton Rubinstein, his teacher and model for excellence. Second half of book is Q&A. It was cool to briefly hear about 'dumb pianos' (I'm constrained to practicing on a digital piano but wish for an acoustic one). This whole book is restricted to the turn of the century, so it predates radio and recordings. Hofmann comments that he could not hear Liszt play because he was sixteen when the legend passed away. Today, well, what do you mean you've never heard Liszt play? All these guys are gone. Even for Hofmann, he more or less admitted that his generation was not on par w/that of Liszt, Rubinstein, Chopin, Thalberg et. al.
This is for pianists that take themselves seriously for it brooks no mediocrity. It's not a technical book but the tone of Hofmann is one of delicacy & mastery. Aspirants like myself will be reminded regularly that there are levels, and levels, and more levels above those levels. Hofmann had a brilliant father, who was a musician himself, and who took the boy to see performances of pianists. He had from quite early on, built a repertoire, and blessedly landed under the tutelage a titan, the one Anton Rubinstein. His career was destined to be successful. He's a pretty good pedagogue, there are many tidbits of wisdom or guidance regarding the shape of the hand & fingers, or the position of the feet, or whether or not scales are useful. His comments on legato were illuminating. All in all, solid, valuable read.
This is for pianists that take themselves seriously for it brooks no mediocrity. It's not a technical book but the tone of Hofmann is one of delicacy & mastery. Aspirants like myself will be reminded regularly that there are levels, and levels, and more levels above those levels. Hofmann had a brilliant father, who was a musician himself, and who took the boy to see performances of pianists. He had from quite early on, built a repertoire, and blessedly landed under the tutelage a titan, the one Anton Rubinstein. His career was destined to be successful. He's a pretty good pedagogue, there are many tidbits of wisdom or guidance regarding the shape of the hand & fingers, or the position of the feet, or whether or not scales are useful. His comments on legato were illuminating. All in all, solid, valuable read.
December 26, 2024
Josef Hofmann was a remarkably down-to-earth character for a virtuoso. Unlike a lot of opinionated pedagogues I've read through the years, he rarely says "this is the only way". He frequently says, "this technique can work" - but only if it works for you, if not don't push it. He made me want to get back to learning how to play quicker - as it is now, I can play Mozart's slow movements - but the movements on either side of them are slow.
He is cognizant that everyone's hand is different. My old piano teacher used to be driven to distraction because my thumb bent at its top joint - a genetic quirk of my hand. She thought I was intentionally bending that thumb and was increasing tension. Never really got it through to her that it was never a problem...Hofmann would have just said "C'est la vie".
And he also is realistic in that there are some pieces that you just won't be able to do because of your hand - let them go, rather than contort or something worse. It's not like there aren't several lifetime's worth of piano literature to go through.
One of the best parts of the book are the questions that real students have - things that perplex a student that are second nature for advanced. Sometimes he has real answers (but there are a few that aren't really helpful).
If you come across this book and are a piano player - I recommend it. But I wouldn't seek it out.
He is cognizant that everyone's hand is different. My old piano teacher used to be driven to distraction because my thumb bent at its top joint - a genetic quirk of my hand. She thought I was intentionally bending that thumb and was increasing tension. Never really got it through to her that it was never a problem...Hofmann would have just said "C'est la vie".
And he also is realistic in that there are some pieces that you just won't be able to do because of your hand - let them go, rather than contort or something worse. It's not like there aren't several lifetime's worth of piano literature to go through.
One of the best parts of the book are the questions that real students have - things that perplex a student that are second nature for advanced. Sometimes he has real answers (but there are a few that aren't really helpful).
If you come across this book and are a piano player - I recommend it. But I wouldn't seek it out.
June 17, 2021
This classic is well worth reading for anyone who loves playing the piano.
August 24, 2021
Quite lengthy, and needs time set aside to read.
Perhaps another time.
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Perhaps another time.
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December 14, 2023
Easy to read. Some helpful observations. Overall delightful.
December 18, 2023
I can’t imagine Hofmann having a detailed book of piano learning. His language is simple and straightforward, using common words to explain piano playing actions. A book is required revisiting.
October 25, 2021
This book combines two books published by the great pianist Josef Hofmann in the early twentieth century. The first, Piano Playing, is shorter and written in chapters. The second, Piano Questions Answered, is a compilation of Hofmann's replies to questions submitted by readers of the Ladies' Home Journal, to which he was a contributor.
The most valuable part of this book is Hofmann's chapter on his studies with Anton Rubinstein, a legendary pianist who, like Franz Liszt, died shortly before the era of recording. Hofmann paints a vivid picture of what a lesson with Rubinstein was like, and of how he had to travel to get there.
The rest of the book is filled with Hofmann's advice on often mundane aspects of piano playing. He writes well (assuming there was no ghostwriter involved), especially for someone born in Poland for whom English must have been a third or fourth language. But his recommendations reveal a fundamentally conservative mindset. He categorically dismisses both ragtime/jazz and early 20th-century modernism as impure and harmful. He also casually tosses off comments about female pianists and teachers along the lines of "There are some good ones, but of course they are in the minority."
In terms of practical advice to the pianist, I can't say I took away much from this book that is not common sense or part of typical piano training. As I've already mentioned, the best part was Hofmann's description of how his final teacher, Anton Rubinstein, taught. My advice is to read that chapter and skim/skip the rest.
The most valuable part of this book is Hofmann's chapter on his studies with Anton Rubinstein, a legendary pianist who, like Franz Liszt, died shortly before the era of recording. Hofmann paints a vivid picture of what a lesson with Rubinstein was like, and of how he had to travel to get there.
The rest of the book is filled with Hofmann's advice on often mundane aspects of piano playing. He writes well (assuming there was no ghostwriter involved), especially for someone born in Poland for whom English must have been a third or fourth language. But his recommendations reveal a fundamentally conservative mindset. He categorically dismisses both ragtime/jazz and early 20th-century modernism as impure and harmful. He also casually tosses off comments about female pianists and teachers along the lines of "There are some good ones, but of course they are in the minority."
In terms of practical advice to the pianist, I can't say I took away much from this book that is not common sense or part of typical piano training. As I've already mentioned, the best part was Hofmann's description of how his final teacher, Anton Rubinstein, taught. My advice is to read that chapter and skim/skip the rest.
December 30, 2012
I'm half done, and I love this book! Can I give it about twice as many stars? I look at other comments about it and I haven't yet reached the parts that inspire the complaints; I am neither the best piano teacher, nor the best piano player, nor have I been taught by the best musicians in the world; but if ever there was a book that put into words all the thoughts I've ever had about teaching and being taught, this is it--kindred spirit! No, what makes me most glad is that he's human (with all the good and bad implied) more than he's a musician (and I don't think anyone would argue that he wasn't a musician). I've read books where the musician in the author has taken over the human, and that's sad. Music is supposed to teach us more about humanity, and Josef Hofmann became more real and warm and sympathetic and friendly as a result of his musical training and performing. This is what I'm trying to get my students to learn, no matter how well they ever play. This is what I get out of having played piano my whole life. I guess I should point my students to this book (and some others) and see if they understand and agree with this book; that would be a better assessment tool than some things people come up with.
June 16, 2012
I'm sure he was a fine pianist, but he was also mind-bogglingly offensive. Here's what Hofmann had to say about "rag time" piano:
"The touch with vulgarity can never be but hurtful, whatever form vulgarity may assume -- whether it be literature, a person, or a piece of music. Why share the musical food of those who are, be it by breeding or circumstance, debarred from anything better? The vulgar impulse which generated rag-time cannot arouse a nobel impulse in response any more than 'dime novels' can awaken the instincts of gentlemanliness or ladyship. If we watch the street-sweeper we are liable to get dusty. But remember that the dust on the mind and soul is not so easily removed as the dust on our clothes."
There are better books on this subject, to be sure.
"The touch with vulgarity can never be but hurtful, whatever form vulgarity may assume -- whether it be literature, a person, or a piece of music. Why share the musical food of those who are, be it by breeding or circumstance, debarred from anything better? The vulgar impulse which generated rag-time cannot arouse a nobel impulse in response any more than 'dime novels' can awaken the instincts of gentlemanliness or ladyship. If we watch the street-sweeper we are liable to get dusty. But remember that the dust on the mind and soul is not so easily removed as the dust on our clothes."
There are better books on this subject, to be sure.
December 12, 2011
did not enjoy this book. for such a celebrated pianist/teacher, he did not show much sincerity or interest in the soulful part of music-making. it is a cold and uninspiring book.
March 22, 2016
Interesting aspect from a Rubinstein's student, a delightful read.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews