Robert L. Hoffman Papers
Abstract
Robert L. Hoffman was an accomplished clarinetist who played under Arturo Toscanini, Leopold Stokowski, Leonard Bernstein and Edwin Franko Goldman. Hoffman studied at the Ernest Williams School of Music, New York University, and Columbia University. He taught at NYU and Queens College. Hoffman also conducted the Princeton University Band, the Westbury Fire Department Band, and the Roslyn Recreation Band. The Robert L. Hoffman Papers consists of correspondence, programs, clippings, memorabilia, scores, manuscripts and an audiotape documenting his performing and teaching career. The materials date from 1905 to 1995, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1931 to 1981.
Important Information for Users of the Collection
There are no restricted files in this collection.
Robert L. Hoffman Papers, Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries.
Materials from this collection must be used in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Special Collections Room, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Contact the curator for an appointment: http://www.lib.umd.edu/scpa/contact
This collection is PROCESSED.
Historical Note
Robert L. Hoffman was born in Joliet, Illinois on February 23, 1914. He was the Illinois State Clarinet Solo Champion in 1930 and 1931. Hoffman moved to New York City at the age of 16 to study at the Ernest Williams School of Music; he received his degree from that school in 1934, and earned a B.S. from New York University in 1939. Hoffman was the first chair clarinet for the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini, and played for Leopold Stokowski and Leonard Bernstein. In later years, he performed in Goldman Band summer concert series under Edwin Franko Goldman. Hoffman taught at NYU and Queens College, and later taught wind instruments in Lindenhurst, NY. From Columbia University, he earned a Masters degree in 1964 and a Teachers College Professional Diploma in 1967. Hoffman conducted the Princeton University Band, the Westbury Fire Department Band, and the Roslyn Recreation Band.
Robert Hoffman married Lillian Macheras in 1940. He died July 26, 2003.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The Robert L. Hoffman Papers consists of correspondence, programs, clippings, memorabilia, scores, manuscripts and an audiotape documenting his performing and teaching career. The materials date from 1905 to 1995, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1931 to 1981.
Custodial History and Acquisition Information
The collection was donated by Robert Hoffman in 1996.
Processing Information
Processed by David Travis, Amanda May, August 2012 and October 2011.
EAD markup created using EAD database in Microsoft Access. Markup completed by Nicole Horstman, November 2012.
Arrangement of Collection
This collection is organized into two series.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series 1: Collected Materials, 1931-1995 and undated (0.25 linear feet)
This series contains correspondence, programs, clippings, memorabilia, and an audiotape.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Correspondence, 1931-1992 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Programs, 1944-1981 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| Clippings, 1981 and undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| Memorabilia, 1941-1974 and undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| Robert Hoffman Plays Clarinet, audiocassette, 1995 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
Series 2: Scores and Manuscripts, 1893-1983 and undated (1.25 linear feet)
This series contains scores written and collected by Donald Pond. It has been divided into two sub-series.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams, Stephen, The Holy City, cor, pno, 1946 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 1 | |
| Ames, Russell, Baldwin Organ Course, Book 2, org, 1955 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 2 | |
| Anderson, Leroy, A Trumpeters Lullaby, 1950 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 3 | |
| Bizet, Georges, LArlesienne, pno, 1923 1923 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 4 | |
| Brahms, Johannes, Four Ballades, Op. 10, pno, undated | series 2 | box 2 | folder 5 | |
| Brahms, Johannes, Hungarian Variations, Book 1, piano four-hands, 1893 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 6 | |
| Brahms, Johannes, Variations on a Theme by Haydn, pno, 1943 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 7 | |
| Chopin, Frederic, Etudes, Op. 10, pno, 1916 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 8 | |
| Confrey, Zez, Dizzy Fingers, sax-tenor, sax-alt, or sax-sop, 1923 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 9 | |
| Debussy, Claude, Immortal Melodies, org, 1960 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 10 | |
| Dvorak, Anton, Slavonic Dance, ob or cl, pno, 1957 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 11 | |
| Grieg, Edvard, March of the Dwarfs, orch, undated | series 2 | box 2 | folder 12 | |
| Hyman, Dick, Play or Sing with the NBC Rhythm Section, E? inst, pno, 1956 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 13 | |
| Hyman, Dick, Play or Sing with the NBC Rhythm Section, B? inst, pno, 1956 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 14 | |
| Ippolitoff-Ivanoff, Michael, Procession of the Sardar from Cavcasian Sketches, Op. 10, orch, undated | series 2 | box 2 | folder 15 | |
| Monti, V, Csardas, vln, pno, 1922 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 16 | |
| Rebikov, Vladimir I., Silhouettes, Op. 31, pno, 1923 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 17 | |
| Rogers, James H., March, org, 1905 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 18 | |
| Saint-Saens, Camille, Danse Macabre, Op. 40, piano four-hands, undated | series 2 | box 2 | folder 19 | |
| Tchaikovsky, Peter I., The Nutcracker Suite, piano four-hands, 1918 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 20 | |
| Thomas, Ambroise, Mignon, vln, undated | series 2 | box 2 | folder 21 | |
| Weir, Albert, arr., Grand Opera at Home, vco, pno, 1944 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 22 | |
| Weybright, June, Jolly Old Saint Nicholas, Up on the Housetop, and Christmas is Coming, pno, 1962 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 23 | |
| Various, 30 Classified Hits, pno, B? inst, 1955 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 24 | |
| Various, Audition Etudes for Oboe 1982-1983, ob, 1942 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 25 | |
| Various, Concert Folio, vln, pno, undated | series 2 | box 2 | folder 26 | |
| Various, Play Along with the Modern Rhythm Makers Record, pno, B? inst, 1956 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 27 | |
| Book of pno accomp, title unknown, 1955 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 28 | |
| Saint Saens, Camille, Trio, No. 1 in F-dur, Op. 18, pno, vln, vcl, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 1 | |
| Bohn, Emil, Calm as the Night, band, arr. Robert Hoffman, manuscript, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 2 | |
| Chopin, Frederic, Etude, Op. 10, cl, arr. Robert Hoffman, manuscript, undated, first clarinet part only, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 3 | |
| Chopin, Frederic, Fantasy, band, arr. Gallodoro, manuscript, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 4 | |
| Chopin, Frederic, Nocturne, Op. 8, no. 2, cl, vln, arr. Robert Hoffman, manuscript, undated, clarinet part only, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 5 | |
| Confrey, Zez, Dizzy Fingers, band, arr. Robert Hoffman, manuscript, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 6 | |
| Debussy, Claude, Premiere Arabesque, cl, band, arr. Robert Hoffman, manuscript, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 7 | |
| Debussy, Claude, Premiere Arabesque, cl, pno, arr. Robert Hoffman, manuscript, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 8 | |
| Firestone, Isabelle, If I Could Tell You, cl, arr. Robert Hoffman, clarinet part only, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 9 | |
| Fox, Oscar, The Hills of Home, band, arr. M. L. Lake, manuscript, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 10 | |
| Haydn, Josef, Military Symphony, cl, pno, arr. Robert Hoffman, manuscript, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 11 | |
| Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai, Flight of the Bumblebee, band, arr. Robert Hoffman, manuscript, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 12 | |
| Rossini, Gioacchino, Cujus Animam, fl, ob, cl, bsn, arr. Robert Hoffman, manuscript, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 13 | |
| Rossini, Gioacchino, Cujus Animam, band, arr. Robert Hoffman, manuscript, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 14 | |
| Strauss, Johann, One Day When We Were Young, cl, orch, or pno, arr. Robert Hoffman, clarinet part only, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 15 | |
| Tchaikovsky, P. I., Andante Cantabile (from the String Quartet, Op. 11), cl, arr. Robert Hoffman, manuscript, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 16 | |
| Tchaikovsky, P. I., Fifth Symphony, cl, arr. Robert Hoffman, manuscript, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 17 | |
| Various holiday tunes, band/cl ensembles, arr. Robert Hoffman, manuscript, circa 1974 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 18 | |
| Hoffmans manuscript on the back of an envelope, awaiting response from Dr. Heimon id., undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 19 | |
| Christmas Tree and Christmas, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 20 | |
| Manuscript on cardboard, undated | series 2 | box 3 | folder 21 | |
Related Material
This collection is part of the American Bandmasters Association (ABA) Research Center.
Ernest Williams Collection, ABA Research Center
For other related archival and manuscript collections, please see the following subject guides.