Born in Russian-ruled Latvia in 1882, Abraham Tzvi Idelsohn was the founding father of Jewish musicology, who dedicated much of his life to recording and analyzing traditional Jewish music from around the world. He was also a composer, whose works include a Hebrew-language opera based on the biblical story of Jephthah, and possibly the lyrics to Havah Nagilah. Trained as a cantor in his youth, Idelsohn had a remarkable career that brought him to Germany, South Africa, Ottoman Palestine, and Cincinnati. In a Hebrew letter composed by his daughter Shoshanah Idelsohn, reminiscing about her Jerusalem childhood, James Loeffler and Edwin Seroussi have found a rare perspective on Idelsohn’s private life, and the depths of his passion for the subject of his research:
Father had a musical baritone voice. His study, at the back of the house, was frequented by many guests. Visitors of many backgrounds came to see him, Ḥasidim, Yemenites, Arabs, [Arab peasants], Georgians, Sephardi Jews, [Ethiopians], Galician Jews, and so forth. All sorts of sounds emanated from his study.
On many occasions, my brother and I would peek through the window to get a view of what was going on in his room. We could see different types of people and their varied manners of expressing their feelings and opinions. The Galicians made us laugh the most because they loved to show their emotions through song, dance, and gesturing with their hands. Father stood by his desk on its tall legs and rapidly transcribed [the songs], while they sang, [into] musical notations.
Frequently the visitors arrived at lunchtime, sat down next to us, and belted out as loudly as they could many different melodies. I stared at Father’s face as he sat captivated by the melodies, leaving the meal set before him untouched. Mother would look at him silently with concern. The only time we could live our life without the intrusion of strangers and visitors was on the Sabbath eve and Sabbath days and holidays, then Father would be delighted and happy and the entire house would be filled with song and joy. Every time after a meal, he would teach us new z’mirot—Sabbath songs—and all of us would be entranced by our own joy.
Read more on Jewish Music Research Center: https://jewish-music.huji.ac.il/content/22890