- Abraham Zevi Idelsohn
Abraham Zevi Idelsohn (Hebrew: אַבְרָהָם צְבִי אידלסון; middle name also rendered "Zvi", "Zwi", or "Zebi"; 1882–1938) was a prominent
Jewish ethnologist and musicologist, who conducted several comprehensive studies ofJewish music around the world.Idelsohn was born in
Feliksberg ,Latvia and trained as a cantor. He worked briefly in both Europe andSouth Africa before emigrating toPalestine in 1905 and establishing a school of Jewish music there in 1919. In 1922 he moved toCincinnati, Ohio to take a position as professor of Jewish music atHebrew Union College . His works include the "Thesaurus of Hebrew Oriental Melodies" (10 volumes, 1914-1932) and "Jewish Music" (1929). He is considered to be the author of the famous Jewish folk song "Hava Nagila ." [See [http://www.radiohazak.com/Havahist.html "Who Wrote Havah Nagilah?" at RadioHazak.com] ]Joel Joffe mentioned his grandfather and his grandfather's role in writingHava Nagila in an appearance on [http://www.thejc.com/home.aspx?ParentId=m14s49s53&SecId=53&AId=56480&ATypeId=1 BBC Radio 4 Desert Island Discs on 28 October 2007] ] .He is the maternal grandfather of Joel Goodman Joffe (Lord Joffe). [More evidence of the relationship between Idelsohn and Joffe is provided in [http://himelfarb.org/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I669&tree=Markel this family tree] ]
Abraham Zevi Idelsohn may also be known as
Bashir Am Israelim [In theDesert Island Discs programme referenced above, the associated notes, saved in [http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/jukebox/3138-what-you-listening-right-now-510.html#post789832 an enthusiast's posting] state "Composer: Bashir Am Israelim", meaning that either this is an alias for Abraham Zevi Idelsohn, to whom Joffe was clearly referring in the programme, or the programme notes contain an erroneous entry.]External references
* [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9042019 Idelsohn at the Encyclopedia Britannica]
Notes
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