Rachmaninoff and Josef Hofmann

My thanks to Francis Crociata for recently sending me the original version of a Rachmaninoff anecdote concerning Josef Hofmann

Rachmaninoff calling Hofmann the best pianist in New York.  I think you were actually referring to a 1931 exchange of letters between SVR and JH first published in the Bertenssen and Leyda Rachmaninoff biography:

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In the meantime more compliments passed between the two greatest pianists. Josef Hofmann addressed a letter to “Premier Sergei Rachmaninoff”:

“By “Premier” I mean the “Premier of Pianists,” in spite of my artistic attempt of Sunday last!”

“After thinking over your offer to exchange hands with me, which you were so good as to suggest at the Zimbalist party, I accept. So I am to trade you my 20 fingers, according to your count, for your 10, which I still swear—despite the smaller number—are far superior. The only difficulty is how to close our deal—and in a painless fashion. Any suggestions?”

January 19, 1931

My dear Mr. Hofmann:

“There is a story that goes as follows: “Once upon a time in Paris there were a great many tailors. When one of them succeeded in renting a shop in a street devoid of tailors, he wrote on his sign: THE BEST TAILOR IN PARIS. The next tailor who opened a shop in the same street was forced to write on his sign: THE BEST TAILOR IN THE WHOLE WORLD. What was there left for the third tailor, who rented a shop between these two?—He wrote with becoming modesty: THE BEST TAILOR IN THIS STREET....”

Your touching modesty, as expressed in your letter of January 15, as well as your incomparable professional knowledge, gives you full right to that last title:

“You are the best in this street.”