....By all means, please send Mrs. Biasini my note.  She deserves all possible praise for her very impressive bravura playing of Josef Hofmann's pieces, most of which no-one living has ever heard.  I did see his student Shura Cherkassky play "Kaleidoscope," which Marc-Andre Hamelin and Hofmann himself recorded.  Mrs. Biasini is in good company.  And I have Hofmann's piano-rolls of "Sanctuary" and the "Elegie" for left-hand.  I especially like the set of Preludes and several pieces in mazurka-style on your beautifully produced CD.  It must have been a great relief and pleasure for her after John Cage (one of whose night-pieces I like very much).

Browsing through Volume 4 of the monumental biography of Gustav Mahler by Henry-Louis de la Grange yesterday, I discovered that Hofmann played Saint-Saens's fourth concerto in New York with the Philharmonic and Mahler conducting.   I never knew Hofmann played this concerto.  It's well known that Mahler conducted for Rachmaninov playing his third concerto, and went into deep overtime rehearsing
his orchestra on the accompaniment.

Charles Rosen tells a story of going as a boy to hear Rachmaninov and sitting between his teacher Moriz Rosenthal and Hofmann.  They spoke only once.  Hofmann leaned over and said, "Too slow," and later Rosenthal said "Too fast."

I will try to generate some sales here of your outstanding CD, with its excellent booklet, commentary, and rare photographs of Hofmann.  It deserves the widest possible circulation and is an enterprising publication that does you and Hera great credit.  Surely Zeus would agree?  With every good wish,