Isaac Hirshow

Isaac Hirshow (born Yitzak Gershov, 1883; died 1956) was a Russian-born, naturalised British, cantor who in 1939 became the first person to obtain a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Glasgow. He served at Garnethill Synagogue for thirty years.

Early life

Yitzak Gershov was born in Velizh, Russia in 1883, the son of a merchant named Simon. At the age of fifteen, following his mother's death, he moved to Warsaw, where he was choirmaster at Adas Yeshurunhe Synagogue, and from 1905 a cantor there.

Career

On arrival in Glasgow, Hirshow took up the position of cantor at the Chevra Kadisha synagogue in the Gorbals area of Glasgow. In 1925, he moved to Garnethill Synagogue, where he served for the next thirty years.

Hirshow also worked as a composer. At the time of his death there were plans to invite him to lecture at Jews' College. One outcome of the project was that what is understood to be the first full performance of his The Hope of Israel, written as his final degree piece, was premiered on Radio 3's "Afternoon Concert" programme, performed by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, University of Edinburgh postdoctoral research fellow Phil Alexander, who is funded to study Hirshow's life and works as part of the initiative,

Works

The Hope of Israel 1938 (cantata for solo voices, chorus and chamber orchestra; 25 minutes) A version for voices and two pianos, arranged by Frederick Frayling-Kelly, was commissioned in 1960.