Josef Hofmann was one of the greatest pianists of any age. His unique abilities incorporated a technique second to none, and a clarity and pureness of tone that has probably never been heard since his death. Always in total command of everything he played, Hofmann presented each work with an impression of complete facility of execution. The acoustic recordings on this disc include stunning performances of Liszt’s Tarantella from Venezia e Napoliand Moszkowski’s Caprice espagnole, both notable for supremely accurate repeated notes. In the extraordinary performance of Chopin’s Nocturne in F sharp, Op. 15, No. 2, Hofmann’s wonderful singing legato tone is coupled with his understanding of passages of filigree decoration that are played as an integral part of the melodic line, the descending chromatic passages sounding like vocal slides.