Kudos to "Magic Christian" (the original composer of this collection) Hermetic Press and the Conjuring Arts Research Center for releasing this set in English. Only 900 sets were published and I couldn't be happier to be able to read one of them ;) I'm a bit concerned that the set is to 'heady' to be enjoyed: but I'm going to do my best. I've never been a super-historian, but if there is anyone (aside from Erdnase) that I'd like to know more about: Hofzinser is the man.
Johann Nepomuk Hofsinzer was one of the most important magi in the history of our art. He was one of the first to bring it into the light as a form of sophisticated entertainment. Heck, it's quite likely; without his efforts, we wouldn't even have 'close-up' magic as it exists today.
Most (american) cardmen point to Erdnase & his "Expert at the Card Table" as "The Bible" of card magic. I doubt that bible would have existed if it weren't for the efforts of Hofzinser and his contemporary. Oddly enough, Hofzinser was not one to disperse secrets lightly. They were nuggets of gold cherished and distributed gently (unlike today, where the distributors whore our art to the tune of 5-10 new items each week: that's HUNDREDS of new Tricks, DVDs, Downloads and Books each year.) Pimpin ain't easy.
Sidenote: you only need a dozen good tricks to be a great magician.
So anyway:
This collection traces magic back to the 16th century...
500 years later, I'm wondering if technology has the power to render this art obscure & insignificant? Doubtful. People want to believe, they want to escape and if nothing else, they want personal / live interaction and entertainment. Magic has the power to deliver on all fronts: from Drama to Comedy and everything in between and beyond.
Alright, I'm rambling when I could be reading. I'm gonna stop typing and go read.
After a brief span of being overwhelmed (and underwhelmed) at the info-glut our art has been presented with, I wonder if my addition to the sludge helps at all? I'd forgot the origianal goal of this blog was for ME to recall / remember / notate the things that I found worthwhile and important. If someone else stumbles across them and finds these words helpful (or even legible) then, that is simply a bonus.
On that note, I'll be back to posting more often
PS: regarding the video thing, I will be doing it... but it will be much more sparse than the schedule I had considered. The lack of response and my current schedule (etc) moves such a project to the bottom of the rather large to do list.
Ok, all for now: where's my reading glasses...
