The Hoffman Book

Presented by Susan Watts. Edited by Ilana Cravitz, Dr Hankus Netsky and Dr Hannah Ochner

The Hoffman Book is a remarkable collection of 160 melodies assembled in 1927 by Jewish musician Joseph Hoffman (1869-1939) for his children. Passed down through four generations of the musical dynasty he founded, the folio contains melodies Hoffman brought from Podolia in Ukraine to Philadelphia when he immigrated in 1905, some of his own compositions, as well as tunes and compositions collected from fellow musicians in the United States.

Published here for the first time, the new edition also includes tunes by Hoffman’s great granddaughter, klezmer trumpeter Susan Watts, poetry by Joseph Hoffman, and an introduction by Dr. Hankus Netsky.

this book is available in two versions: one for instruments in C, the other in B flat. The melodies are accompanied by chords for eventual harmonization.

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