SALMON, KAREL

SALMON, KAREL (Karl Salomon; 1897–1974), Israeli composer. Born in Heidelberg, Salmon studied composition with Max Reger and in Richard Strauss's "master class." From 1919 to 1933 he was active in Germany as conductor and singer (bass), and in 1933 he settled in Palestine. With the establishment of the Palestine Broadcasting Service (later Kol Israel),he became its musical director and remained at this post until 1958. He then was director of Kol Israel's transcription-exchange service for four years. Salmon also taught at the Academy of Music in Jerusalem and appeared as conductor and singer. Many of his works belong to the "Mediterranean style" period of Israel music and attempt a blending of his European heritage with Near Eastern and Jewish folklore material.   They include Ali Be'er – Variations on a Hebrew Folksong for orchestra (1937, the theme song is by Sara Levi-Tannai); four Greek folk dances, for orchestra (c. 1942, ending with a "Horah Stellenica"); Israel Lives ("Am Yisrael Ḥai"), variation for piano solo or string trio or string orchestra (1947); the "puppet opera" David and Goliath in which the composer often sang the part of Goliath; an Israeli Youth Symphony, and many other vocal, choral, and instrumental works. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: I. Shalita, Enẓiklopedyah le-Musikah… (1959). 732 3; P. Gradenwitz, Music and Musicians in Israel (1959), 42–44, 154; Who is Who in ACUM (1965), S.V. (Bathja Bayer)