The Resume

(July 14, 1882-August 14, 1938)
Born in Feliksberg, Latvia
Prominent ethnologist and musicologist
Studied primarily Jewish music from around the world
Taught music at Hebrew University from 1905 to 1919
Most widely attributed as the composer of the Hebrew folk song 'Hava Nagila'
Works include 'Thesaurus of Hebrew Oriental Melodies (10 volumes, 1914–1932),' 'Jewish Music (1929),' and 'Harvest Festivals, A Children’s Succoth Celebration (1932)'

Why he might be annoying:

He has been dubbed the 'father' of modern Jewish musicology, although several historians predate him (most notably his own collaborator, Angie Arma Cohon).
There are competing claims as to whether he, or one of his students, is the real composer of the 'Hava Nagila' song.
He is only credited with arranging lyrics to an existing melody (it is heavily based on centuries-old Hasidic wordless melody).

Why he might not be annoying:

He was trained as a cantor.
He worked briefly in South Africa before emigrating to Palestine (he eventually died in Johannesburg, however).
He served as a bandmaster in the Ottoman Army during World War I.
He composed 'Hava Nagila' in 1918, to celebrate the Balfour Declaration and the British victory over the Turks in 1917. It was first performed in a mixed choir concert in Jerusalem.
He wrote the lyrics based on Psalm 118 (verse 24) of the Hebrew Bible.
He published the song's arrangement for the first time in print and produced the first commercial recording both in 1922.
He was committed to collecting and preserving folk music of Jewish communities from around the world, using a phonograph to record it.
'Hava Nagila' has become a perennial favorite at weddings and bar mitzvahs and has been recorded by hundreds of artists, most prominently Harry Belafonte and Neil Diamond.

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Bob Dylan References
• Born on Bastille Day [July 14th] (Ranked: 1882)
• Bow Tie Wearers
• BoyWiththeGreenHair’s Profiles [Series 17]
• Dalida Covered My Song
• Goatees
• Historians
• I am Bar Mitzvah Music
• I am South African
• I Died in 1938 (Ranked: 56)
• I Earned a Doctorate
• Leonard Nimoy Butchered My Song
• Long Names
• Look at Me, I'm Wearing a Bow Tie
• Presidential Names
• Profiles 48762-48838 (Ranked: 48829)
• Sabras - I am Israeli
• William Shatner Butchered My Song

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 13 Votes: 84.62% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying