Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

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Richard Hatch
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Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Richard Hatch » October 16th, 2017, 10:37 pm

I don't recall if this has been posted about previously, but Dani DaOrtiz has put together a one day seminar on Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser (1806-1875) to take place in Madrid on Saturday, November 18, 2017. Dani and Miguel Angel Gea, Magic Christian, I and a "mystery guest" will give formal presentations on the Viennese master. This will coincide with the release of a new book of Hofzinser inspired magic by Dani DaOrtiz and Miguel Angel Gea, with the cooperation of Juan Tamariz. I'm really looking forward to it! Full schedule and booking details here:
https://gkaps.com/store/p/hofzinser-218.html

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Bill Mullins » October 17th, 2017, 9:22 am

That's the first time I've ever seen the word "Hofzinsian" used.

Richard, will you be doing effects from the book you translated?

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 17th, 2017, 10:13 am

It is my understanding that I will be publishing the English-language edition of the Hofzinser book.
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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Brad Henderson » October 17th, 2017, 10:18 am

RK, you mean the english language edition of this hofsinzer book, yes? It is my understanding that magic christian has two more volumes (maybe it's just one) left in his series. hoping that will make it into english as the earlier ones did.

any idea if that is still in a pipeline somewhere ?

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 17th, 2017, 10:22 am

I mean the Hofzinser book that Dani is doing.

I have nothing to do with Magic Christian's superb books, of which there are two more volumnes (Part 3, in two volumes) which was to be published by Hermetic Press and Conjuring Arts Research Center. I do know that Minch does have the book in the works, and it is being translated at this moment.
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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Ted M » October 18th, 2017, 2:29 pm

Multiple exciting publishing projects being discussed here...

Glad to hear the gears are turning!

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Richard Hatch » October 19th, 2017, 2:20 pm

Bill Mullins wrote:Richard, will you be doing effects from the book you translated?

My topic is currently ""La Estructura Artistica de las Presentacciones de Hofzinser". But since I have two hours to fill, I may perform some effects by way of illustration. Still working on it!

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Bill Mullins » October 19th, 2017, 3:00 pm

I don't speak Spanish, so I had to Google Translate the title of your talk:

Image

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Richard Hatch » October 19th, 2017, 4:01 pm

Bill Mullins wrote:I don't speak Spanish, so I had to Google Translate the title of your talk:

Image

There goes the first hour of my talk!

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby F.Amílcar » October 20th, 2017, 7:03 am

Dear friend Bill:

The correct translation is THE ARTISTIC STRUCTURES OF HOFZINSER'S PRESENTATIONS.

More or less like this.

Truly yours,



F. Amílcar Riega i Bello.

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Q. Kumber » October 20th, 2017, 7:13 am

The most interesting thing I learnt from the Magic Christian Hofzinser books was that old JN himself opened his card section with lots of flourishes including switching in and out trick decks. These flourishes were regularly mentioned and complimented in contemporary newspapers and not one of those reports ever said anything about demonstrations of skill taking away from the magical moments.

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Bill Mullins » October 20th, 2017, 10:34 am

F.Amílcar wrote:Dear friend Bill:

The correct translation is THE ARTISTIC STRUCTURES OF HOFZINSER'S PRESENTATIONS.


Thank you for the correct translation.

I was trying to play a small joke at Richard's expense. I don't think he would really lecture at a Hofzinser seminar on the twenty-one card trick!

I am sure he will do a fine job, and wish I could attend all the lectures.

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 20th, 2017, 2:11 pm

Q. Kumber wrote:The most interesting thing I learnt from the Magic Christian Hofzinser books was that old JN himself opened his card section with lots of flourishes including switching in and out trick decks. These flourishes were regularly mentioned and complimented in contemporary newspapers and not one of those reports ever said anything about demonstrations of skill taking away from the magical moments.


The idea of "naturalness" did not exist at this point, either in theater in general or in magic.
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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Q. Kumber » October 20th, 2017, 2:45 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:
Q. Kumber wrote:The most interesting thing I learnt from the Magic Christian Hofzinser books was that old JN himself opened his card section with lots of flourishes including switching in and out trick decks. These flourishes were regularly mentioned and complimented in contemporary newspapers and not one of those reports ever said anything about demonstrations of skill taking away from the magical moments.


The idea of "naturalness" did not exist at this point, either in theater in general or in magic.


I suspect JN was very natural for his day.

When you read the books you realise he probably invented what we now call Cardistry.

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 20th, 2017, 3:34 pm

Yes, but he used his own invention: the so-called "Electric Deck"!
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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Q. Kumber » October 21st, 2017, 8:18 am

Richard Kaufman wrote:Yes, but he used his own invention: the so-called "Electric Deck"!


It's obvious (at least to me) that JN was totally ruthless when it came to method. Whether it be pure skill or amazing gimmicks, he went for directness of effect.

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Jonathan Townsend » October 21st, 2017, 12:07 pm

Q. Kumber wrote:...JN was totally ruthless when it came to method. Whether it be pure skill or amazing gimmicks, he went for directness of effect.
Agreed. Even to directly argue along those lines about props being deceptive and correct ("ne plus ultra") for performing in his letters.
Look how far he was willing to go to make a card change in his "Synonymous Thoughts" trick using a flap card.
Lost and Strayed... a King? Yeah he went there. That was 1850.
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Denis Behr » October 21st, 2017, 6:07 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:
Q. Kumber wrote:The most interesting thing I learnt from the Magic Christian Hofzinser books was that old JN himself opened his card section with lots of flourishes including switching in and out trick decks. These flourishes were regularly mentioned and complimented in contemporary newspapers and not one of those reports ever said anything about demonstrations of skill taking away from the magical moments.


The idea of "naturalness" did not exist at this point, either in theater in general or in magic.

"The more simple and natural the movements of the performer, the less likely is the spectator to detect the trick." - Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin (1868)

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 21st, 2017, 8:12 pm

He wrote it, but we don't know exactly what he meant by it.
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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Jonathan Townsend » October 21st, 2017, 10:18 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:The idea of "naturalness" did not exist at this point, either in theater in general or in magic.

How did you come to that opinion? These lines from a previous century come to mind on the topic:
...with this special o'erstep not
the modesty of nature: for any thing so overdone is
from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the
first and now, was and is, to hold, as 'twere, the
mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature,
scorn her own image, and the very age and body of
the time his form and pressure. Now this overdone,
or come tardy off, though it make the unskilful
laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve...

Shakespeare.
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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Dustin Stinett » December 14th, 2017, 11:39 am

Dick Hatch: We would love to hear how the seminar went (and who the "mystery guest" was)!
Thanks!
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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby performer » December 14th, 2017, 11:46 am

What impressed me about Hofzinser was the brevity of his patter. He was quite brief and direct in comparison to the long winded style of the day.
A lot of the verbose modern so called hot shots of today who chatter too much could learn a bit from him. The worst of them chatter for about two minutes before the bloody trick even starts! Truly awful!

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Ted M » December 14th, 2017, 1:58 pm

Dustin Stinett wrote:Dick Hatch: We would love to hear how the seminar went (and who the "mystery guest" was)!
Thanks!
Dustin

That might even make a pretty great article for Genii...

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Richard Hatch » December 16th, 2017, 12:37 am

The seminar was great, I'm really glad I had a chance to be a part of it. It had been hoped that Juan Tamariz would be able to attend, but although he was in Madrid, he was performing nightly in a theater which required his attention (got to see his show Friday night. Laymen like him as much as we do!), so he sent a short video greeting to the group of about 40, speaking about the influence of Hofzinser on magic and on his own work. That starting things off at noon, followed by Miguel Angel Gea with a two hour seminar demonstrating his handlings of favorite Hofzinser plots. Then we took off for a nearby restaurant with a typical madrileño repast (also lasting about two hours). Then I spoke for two hours. By the time the seminar came around I had changed my title to "Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser: Compositor de Magia" (Bill: "Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser: Composer of Magic"). I concentrated on describing and discussing his signature non-card magic compositions: The Ink of the Enamored, The Rose Mirror, The Word, etc. And at the end I performed and explained my handlings of "Everywhere and Nowhere" and Hofzinser's Copper/Silver routine.

I was followed by Dani Daortiz performing and explaining his original handlings of Hofzinser favorites. After a short break he was followed by Magic Christian with an historical talk, correcting and expanding on much that had been thought about Hofzinser prior to his research. He performed a handling of "To Think and To Forget" (usually incorrectly rendered as "To Remember and Forget") and demonstrated several top change techniques (apparently he has a book on the topic of card changes in preparation with Stephen Minch, in addition to the last two volumes of his 4 volume work on Hofzinser). After this, Mahdi Gilbert, who was in attendance, was prevailed upon to perform his handling of a Hofzinser plot, followed by his signature oil and water. He received a well deserved standing ovation! It was now after midnight and we went to a nearby Argentinian restaurant for a late dinner which went till 2 a.m. A great event. Dani and Miguel's book of their original Hofzinser handlings was not ready for the seminar, but that is actually good news because after they had completed it, they gave it to Juan Tamariz and he offered them not just an introduction, but his extensively annotated copies of the two books on Hofzinser by Ottokar Fischer. Transcribing his annotations and interviewing him and transcribing the interview for their book have pushed the publication date until sometime next year, but I don't think anyone is complaining because we are all eager to see the master's thoughts on this material.

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Bill Mullins » December 16th, 2017, 1:13 am

Richard Hatch wrote: By the time the seminar came around I had changed my title to "Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser: Compositor de Magia" (Bill: "Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser: Composer of Magic").


Gracias <G>

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Ted M » December 16th, 2017, 7:49 pm

Richard Hatch wrote:Dani and Miguel's book of their original Hofzinser handlings was not ready for the seminar, but that is actually good news because after they had completed it, they gave it to Juan Tamariz and he offered them not just an introduction, but his extensively annotated copies of the two books on Hofzinser by Ottokar Fischer. Transcribing his annotations and interviewing him and transcribing the interview for their book have pushed the publication date until sometime next year, but I don't think anyone is complaining because we are all eager to see the master's thoughts on this material.


Richard (er, Mr Moobooks), are you aiming to publish the eventual English version of this book?

(And also Dani's revised/expanded "Freedom of Expression" project?)

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Re: Hofzinser Seminar in Madrid on November 18th

Postby Richard Kaufman » December 16th, 2017, 10:33 pm

The last time I talked about this book with Dani, he told me that I would publish it in English. More than that I do not know.
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