Idelsohn’s Scholarly and Literary Publications: An Annotated Bibliography

It would be no exaggeration to say that already in his lifetime Idelsohn was regarded by many as the savant and saviour of Jewish music. In 1932 on the double occasion of his fiftieth birthday and the publication of the tenth volume of the Hebräisch-orientalischer Melodienschatz, his unique status was summarized by Moses C. Weiler and Theodore R. Ross as follows: 

The publication of Professor Idelsohn's 'Thesaurus of Hebrew Oriental Melodies' has elicited articles concerning the man and his work from writers the world over. Germany, Holland, Palestine, England, South Africa, America all acclaim him on the attainment of his life ambition. This in their eyes, is his chief merit that he has bestowed upon the Jew a great gift, a music of his own, hitherto undiscovered, unknown. Hence, Professor Idelsohn will enter the Valhalla of the immortals for his work which is a labor of eternity.

Considering the authoritative status which his works still enjoy and the esteem in which he has been so widely held, it is rather astonishing that no thorough attempt was made to establish a full bibliography of his writings until more than fifty years after his death. The first such bibliography was published by Israel J. Katz in 1975-76.