Hirsch [hˈɜːʃ] Paul Adolf, *24 February 1881 Frankfurt am Main, †25 November 1951 Cambridge (England), German music bibliophile. He left Germany in 1936 and moved to England, taking with him the collection of valuable music publications he had been gathering since 1896. Hirsch’s collection (approximately 15,000 items) was the largest private, yet open for research purposes, music library in Europe in the 1930s. Hirsch settled in Cambridge; he deposited his collection in the University Library, continuously expanding it. British Museum bought Hirsch Library in 1946. In 1922–1930 was published a series in 12 volumes «Veröffentlichungen der Musikbibliothek Paul Hirsch» that contains treatises by the Italian theorists (F. Caza, G.L. Conforti, H. Bottrigari, G. Spataro) from the 15th and 16th centuries, works written by C.P.E. Bach, W.A. Mozart, G.P. Telemann, C. Schultz and Deutsche Messe (1526) M. Luther; some items prepared for publication by J. Wolf, K. Meyer, A. Einstein et al. Hirsch occasionally engaged in music composition as well.
Literature: A.H. King Paul Hirsch 1881–1951. Some Personal Recollections, „The Monthly Musical Record” LXXXII, 1952.
Katalog der Musikbibliothek Paul Hirsch, «Veröffentlichungen der Musikbibliothek Paul Hirsch», Series II, with K. Meyer, 4 volumes, Vol. 1: Theoretische Drucke bis 1800, Berlin 1928, Vol. 2: Opern-Partituren, Berlin 1930, Vol. 3: Instrumental- und Vokalmusik bis etwa 1830, Frankfurt am Main 1936, Vol. 4: Erstausgaben, Chorwerke in Partitur, Gesamtausgaben, Nachschlagewerke (…). Ergänzungen zu Bd I–III, Cambridge 1947
Goethe und die Musik…, Frankfurt am Main 1920
Musik-Bibliophilie. Aus den Erfahrungen eines Musik-Sammlers, in celebratory publication for F. v. Zobeltitz, Weimar 1927
Bibliographie der musiktheoretischen Drucke des F. Gafori, in celebratory publication for J. Wolfa, Berlin 1929
Beiträge zur Musik-Bibliophilie, in celebratory publication for C.E. Poeschela, Lipsk 1934
Some Early Mozart Editions, „The Music Review” I, 1940
Dr Arnold’s Handel Edition (1787–97), „The Music Review” VIII, 1947
Contemporary English Editions of Beethoven, „The Music Review” XIV, 1953
