Karel Salmon

Karel Salmon was born in 1897 Heildeberg and studied composition with Richard Strauss in berlin. In 1933 Salmon emigrated to Israel and was one of the first composers to arrive from europe in the years before WWII.

At first, Salmon teached and conducted in several educational facilities. At 1936 when the “Jerusalem Calling” radio station was founded he was made the musical program manager. According to his good friend Shabtai Petrushka (who occasionaly filled in for him) – The job meant that Salmon had to do odd jobs such as editing, library work, filling in for a pianist or conductor etc. when there were no recordings of Hebrew songs, he also took it upon himself to arrange such songs. It is said that “He showed us how to make a miniature art piece out of a simple folk tune – without ruining the simplicity.”

Salmon even managed to build a small chamber orchestra for which he first conducted for in 1938. This orchestra becamethe basis for the IBA orchestra (later the Jerusalem Symphonic Orchestra).

After the Israeli decleration of independence Salmon continued working in the Radio industry and composing many pieces that drew their inspiration from the bible, the land, things that happened in the present and folk tunes.

Salmon passed away in 1974.